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Cavisternum, gen. nov., from Australia.
No full text40 p. : ill. (some col.), maps ; 26 cm.
"March 4, 2010."
Includes bibliographical references (p. 39-40).The new endemic Australian goblin spider genus Cavisternum, gen. nov., is described with 19 new species: C. bagleyae, C. barthorum, C. bertmaini, C. carae, the type species C. clavatum, C. digweedi, C. ewani, C. foxae, C. gatangel, C. heywoodi, C. hughesi, C. ledereri, C. maxmoormanni, C. mayorum, C. michaelbellomoi, C. noelashepherdae, C. rochesterae, C. toadshow, and C. waldockae. A key is provided for all Cavisternum species known to date. Males of the genus Cavisternum possess a highly modified sternum, which is strongly concave and covered with clavate setae, and the cheliceral fangs are elongate with broad tips. The genus is found in tropical northern Australia and shows high endemicity, with most species recorded from a single location
Genus Hypoptopoma.
No full text110 p. : ill., maps ; 26 cm.
"Issued June 3, 2010."
Includes bibliographical references (p. 104-108).The systematics of Hypoptopoma Günther (1868a) is revised based on comprehensive evaluation of specimen collections and a phylogenetic analysis of the species. The genus Hypoptopoma comprises a distinctive assemblage of loricariid catfishes distributed in the lowland drainages of tropical, subtropical, and temperate latitudes of South America to the east of the Andes. Hypoptopoma is uniquely diagnosed among genera of the Loricariidae on the basis of the presence of a laterally expanded nuchal plate. Members of the genus can be further distinguished from all other loricariids, except the hypoptopomatin genus Oxyropsis, by the depressed head with eyes placed ventrolateral and visible from below. Hypoptopoma is further distinguished from all other Hypoptopomatini, including Oxyropsis, by the caudal peduncle posterior to the base of the anal fin ovoid in cross section and deeper in the dorsoventral axis. All species of Hypoptopoma, except H. spectabile, can be further distinguished among loricariids by the presence in adult stages of a column of variably enlarged and flattened odontodes positioned along the posterior margin of the trunk plates. Individuals of several Hypoptopoma species attain the largest body size for the subfamily Hypoptopomatinae, with standard length reaching 105 mm. Species of Hypoptopoma typically occur in streams of slow to moderate current and muddy to sandy bottom with marginal emergent vegetation. Based on verified specimen records, the species is distributed in the Río Amazonas basin, including the Ucayali, Madeira, and Tapajos rivers, as well as in the rivers east to the Ilha Marajo drainage (Para, Brazil), in the Tocantins and smaller coastal river drainages in northeastern Brazil (Mearim), the upper Río Orinoco basin, the Essequibo and Nickerie river basins of the Guiana Shield, and in the ríos Paraguay and lower Paraná. There are no records of Hypoptopoma in the Río Uruguay, the Atlantic coastal drainages of Uruguay and Brazil south of Rio Mearim (Maranão), the upper Paraná, and Rio São Francisco systems. Fifteen species are recognized in Hypoptopoma, seven of which are newly described herein. Phylogenetic analysis of Hypoptopoma species, based on analysis of 26 characters drawn from aspects of external morphology and internal osteology, recovered a well-supported but incompletely resolved nested set of clade relationships that suggests a widespread ancestral distribution for the group in central Amazonia, plus at least four instances of divergence of a species having a peripheral distribution from an Amazonian sister group. Relationships at the basal node were unresolved. There was insufficient evidence to resolve the relationships among H. baileyi, n. sp., of the Madeira river basin, an unresolved clade comprised of H. guianense Boesemann, 1974, of the Essequibo and Nickerie basins in Guyana and Surinam; H. psilogaster Fowler, 1915, of the upper Amazon basin in Brazil and Peru; and H. thoracatum Günther, 1868a, of the upper and middle Amazon basin; and a well-supported clade that includes all other Hypoptopoma species. The latter clade was supported by four synapomorphies and includes H. brevirostratum, n. sp., of the upper Amazon basin in Brazil and Peru, H. muzuspi, n. sp., of the Tocantins basin, and a more restricted clade supported by six character-state changes comprising the remainder of the subfamily. Two species, H. spectabile (Eigenmann, 1914) of the upland Amazon and upper Orinoco river basins of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru and H. sternoptychum (Schaefer, 1996a) of the lowland reaches of the Amazon River, formerly placed in the genus Nannoptopoma Schaefer, 1996, represent a clade most closely related to a nested subset of Hypoptopoma species. These former Nannoptopoma species are reassigned to Hypoptopoma, thus rendering the former generic name a subjective junior synonym of Hypoptopoma. Hypoptopoma bianale, n. sp., of the upper Amazon River basin in Brazil and Peru represents the sister group to a largely unresolved clade comprised of H. inexspectatum (Holmberg, 1893a) of the Paraguay-Paraná basin, H. steindachneri Boulenger, 1895, of the upper Amazon basin in Brazil and Peru, H. gulare Cope, 1878, of the upper Amazon basin, H. machadoi, n. sp., of the Orinoco basin, and a clade comprised of H. elongatum, n. sp., of the lower Tapajos and lower Trombetas rivers plus H. incognitum, n. sp., of the middle Amazon basin, Tocantins, and Mearim rivers. A key to the species of Hypoptopoma is provided
Review of endemic Sulawesi squirrels.
No full text260 p. : ill. (some col.), maps ; 26 cm.
"Issued June 11, 2010."
Includes bibliographical references (p. 246-255).Analyses of fur color patterns, morphometric data derived from external, cranial, and dental dimensions, and distributions of collection sites for voucher specimens form the basis for a taxonomic revision of Sulawesi’s endemic squirrel fauna. Eight species of tree squirrels in Rubrisciurus and Prosciurillus and two species of ground squirrels in Hyosciurus are recognized. All are diurnal and inhabit primary forest formations. Diet consists of fruit, nuts, seeds, and arthropods. Rubrisciurus rubriventer, the largest in body size, forages on the ground and in the lower canopy layer, is found throughout Sulawesi where primary forest persists, and occurs through an altitudinal range embracing tropical lowland evergreen and lower montane rain forests; it is absent from upper montane rain forest. Five species of arboreal squirrels comprise the Prosciurillus leucomus group, a cluster of species occupying the upper forest canopy: P. leucomus, known only from lowland and montane habitats in the northern peninsula and one offshore island; P. alstoni, recorded from lowland tropical evergreen rain forest in the eastern section of Sulawesi’s central core, the east-central and southeastern arms, and two southeastern islands; P. weberi, represented by a few specimens from the coastal lowlands of the southern core of Sulawesi; P. topapuensis, endemic to the western mountain block in Sulawesi’s central core and occurring along an altitudinal gradient from lowland evergreen rain forest to upper montane rain forest; and P. rosenbergii, the only species of squirrel collected on islands in the Sangihe Archipelago north of the northeastern tip of the northern peninsula. The Prosciurillus murinus group contains two species of small body size: P. murinus, found throughout Sulawesi and in all forest formations, from the coastal lowlands to mountaintops, and a forager in the lower canopy layers; and P. abstrusus, known only from montane forest habitats on Pegunungan Mekongga in the southeastern peninsula. Of two species of ground squirrels, Hyosciurus heinrichi occupies montane forest habitats in the western mountain block of Sulawesi’s central core. It is altitudinally parapatric to H. ileile, which inhabits lowland evergreen and lower montane rain forests in the western mountain block and northeastern lowlands of central Sulawesi, and montane forest on the northern peninsula. A slightly revised classification of Sciuridae is provided in which a new tribe, Exilisciurini, is proposed for the Bornean and Philippine Exilisciurus. Previously published results of morphological and molecular analyses point to Rubrisciurus, Prosciurillus, and Hyosciurus as a monophyletic cluster, the Hyosciurina, nested within a larger clade, the Nannosciurini, which along with Exilisciurini n. tribe and Funambulini, comprise the Nannosciurinae, one of the three subfamilies constituting Sciuridae, and one that contains most of the Indomalayan genera. The present diversity of species endemic to Sulawesi was derived from an ancient lineage that crossed a sea barrier from the Sunda Shelf to Sulawesi during the late Miocene. Eight new species of hoplopleurid sucking lice (Insecta, Anoplura) are described as parasitizing 8 of the 10 species of squirrels endemic to Sulawesi: Hoplopleura rubrisciuri from Rubrisciurus rubriventer, Hoplopleura leucomus from Prosciurillus leucomus, Hoplopleura alstoni from Prosciurillus alstoni, Hoplopleura topapuensis from Prosciurillus topapuensis, Hoplopleura murinus from Prosciurillus murinus, Hoplopleura abstrusus from Prosciurillus abstrusus, Hoplopleura heinrichi from Hyosciurus heinrichi, and Hoplopleura ileile from Hyosciurus ileile. Examples of Prosciurillus weberi and P. rosenbergii were surveyed but no lice were recovered. A phylogenetic analysis based on cladistic principles for six species of Sulawesian squirrel lice for which both sexes were available is presented and the results discussed with respect to host relationships. These new data are incorporated into a discussion covering zoogeography of global sciurid-sucking louse associations, emphasizing the Indomalayan squirrel fauna. Globally, members of 11 genera of Anoplura parasitize sciurids, a figure far exceeding the number of anopluran genera associated with any other mammalian family. Nine of these (the enderleinellids, Atopophthirus, Enderleinellus, Microphthirus, Phthirunculus, and Werneckia; the hoplopleurid, Paradoxophthirus; and the polyplacids, Johnsonpthirus, Linognathoides, and Neohaematopinus) are primary parasites of sciurids. The remaining two (the hoplopleurid Hoplopleura, and the polyplacid Polyplax) include representatives that are acquired (secondary) parasites of sciurids--the majority of species in these two louse genera parasitize other groups of mammals but a small number of species have transferred to squirrel hosts. Sciurid hosts and geographic distributions of these 11 anopluran genera are discussed. Historically, representatives of Hoplopleura colonized different sciurid hosts on several separate occasions with one known species on a North American tree squirrel (Sciurus), two described species on North American flying squirrels (Glaucomys), two species parasitizing North American species of chipmunks (Tamias and Eutamias), 14 described species from Indomalayan nannosciurine squirrels (Callosciurus, Tamiops, Rubrisciurus, Prosciurillus, Hyosciurus, and Funambulus), and one species parasitizing a Chinese xerine ground squirrel (Sciurotamias). The zoogeography of the seven sciurid-infesting louse genera known from Southeast Asia is discussed using data from nine different countries or regions (China, Taiwan, Thailand, peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, the Philippines, and Sulawesi). A reduction in the number of sciuirid-infesting anopluran genera and species is apparent from mainland northern/western regions to insular southern/eastern regions with members of seven genera and 23 species described from China but only one genus and eight species from Sulawesi. The absence of known species of Hoplopleura from Bornean and Javanese squirrels suggests that such a fauna may await discovery on one or both of these islands. Six of the eight species of Hoplopleura found parasitizing species of endemic Sulawesi squirrels were recovered as a monophyletic clade from a phylogenetic analysis employing anatomical structures associated with male and female lice. (Two species of Sulawesi Hoplopleura are based on females and nymphs only and were not incorporated into the analysis.) The monophyletic cluster formed by the Sulawesian squirrel lice joined with the monophyletic assemblage containing the three Sulawesi squirrel genera--Rubrisciurus, Prosciurillus, and Hyosciurus--suggest that the ancestral squirrel lineage that arrived in Sulawesi during the late Miocene may have been carrying its unique Hoplopleura parasite
Goblin spider Camptoscaphiella.
No full text65 p. : ill. (some col.), maps ; 26 cm.
"October 1, 2010."The goblin spider genus Camptoscaphiella Caporiacco has been shrouded in mystery because its type species, C. fulva Caporiacco, was based on a juvenile specimen and considered a nomen dubium. The discovery of near-topotypic material, including both males and females, now permits a more complete description of the type species and name stabilization with some certainty. Camptoscaphiella is here delimited to include only those species with the combined presence of a greatly enlarged male palpal patella, a palpal bulb well separated from the cymbium, male endites with anteromedian brushlike scopula, male abdomen with the dorsal and ventral scuta fused anteriorly, female genitalia with an external copulatory opening, and with extremely long paired spines on the tibiae and metatarsi of legs I and II in both sexes. Camptoscaphiella now includes 15 species, mostly recorded from single locations and distributed primarily in the Himalayan Mountains, from Pakistan to China, but with two isolated species in Sri Lanka and Thailand. The type species, C. fulva Caporiacco, is here described and Camptoscaphiella hilaris Brignoli from Bhutan redescribed. Nine species are newly described: C. gunsa Baehr, n. sp. ([female]), and C. loebli Baehr, n. sp. ([male, female]), from North India; C. martensi Baehr, n. sp. ([f]), C. nepalensis Baehr, n. sp. ([m,f]), C. panchthar Baehr, n. sp. ([f]), and C. taplejung Baehr, n. sp. ([f]), from Nepal; C. paquini Ubick, n. sp. ([m,f]), from China; C. schwendingeri Baehr, n. sp. ([m]), from Thailand; and C. simoni Baehr, n. sp. (m], from Sri Lanka. These species, along with C. silens Brignoli and C. strepens Brignoli from Nepal and C. sinensis Deeleman-Reinhold and C. tuberans Tong and Li from China, are included in the key and mapped. Excluded from Camptoscaphiella is C. infernalis Harvey and Edward from Western Australia that, along with Opopaea fosuma Burger et al. from Sumatra, represents an undescribed genus
Male genital system of oonopids.
No full text13 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.
"March 4, 2010."
Includes bibliographical references (p. 13).The male reproductive system of spiders consists of paired, tubular testes and often long and convoluted deferent ducts, which are fused near the genital opening to form an ejaculatory duct. In rare cases and as revealed in previous studies the testes can be partly fused (anteriorly or posteriorly), as reported, for example, for Dysderidae (Dysderoidea). In order to determine whether this pattern is also present in other dysderoids, we studied the genital system of Oonopidae for the first time by means of light microscopy. The following species were included, covering both conventionally recognized subfamilies (Gamasomorphinae and Oonopinae): Neoxyphinus ogloblini Birabén, 1953; Silhouettella loricatula (Roewer, 1942); Opopaea recondita Chickering, 1951; Myrmopopaea sp.; Scaphiella hespera Chamberlin, 1924; Lionneta sp.; Orchestina moaba Chamberlin and Ivie, 1935; Oonops balanus Chickering, 1971, and Stenoonops reductus (Bryant, 1942). In contrast to other spider taxa observed to date, all studied goblin spiders possess an unpaired (completely fused) testis, which seems to be a synapomorphic trait for Oonopidae supporting the monophyly of the family. The deferent ducts of goblin spiders are mostly convoluted and of varying diameter whereas the ejaculatory duct is very small. Moreover, we found a remarkable diversity in the organization of the testis and spermatozoa, which underlines the high potential of the reproductive system for systematic studies on Oonopidae as well as other dysderoids. The putative sister group of Oonopidae is Orsolobidae; since the organization of the male genital system of orsolobids is unknown as well, we included one species (Ascuta media Forster, 1956) in the present study. It possesses the typical genital organization for male spiders represented by paired and unfused tubular testes
The goblin spider genus Scaphiella (Araneae, Oonopidae). (Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, no. 332)
Get PDF156 p. : ill., maps ; 26 cm.
"Issued March 15, 2010."
Includes bibliographical references (p. 155-156) and index.The goblin spider genus Scaphiella Simon is characterized by several unique characters, including peculiarly shaped macrosetae found medially on the chelicerae and basally on the palpal tarsi of both sexes. The genus is restricted to the New World tropics, except for one species collected in far southern Florida; as revised here, the group comprises 61 species, all of which have small distribution ranges and 49 of which are newly described: S. longkey from Florida; S. campeche, S. tuxtla, S. palenque, S. cocona, and S. palmillas from southern Mexico; S. cayo from Belize; S. mico from Guatemala; S. ceiba, S. lancetilla, and S. muralla from Honduras; S. bopal from Nicaragua; S. vito, S. hitoy, S. virgen, and S. osa from Costa Rica; S. antonio, S. altamira, and S. hone from Costa Rica and Panama; S. bocas and S. almirante from Panama; S. bonda, S. meta, and S. vicencio from Colombia; S. pich, S. napo, S. tena, S. incha, and S. chone from Ecuador; S. pago from Peru; S. manaus, S. irmaos, S. capim, S. penna, and S. murici from Brazil; S. kartabo from Guyana; S. miranda, S. guatopo, S. tigre, S. gracia, S. cata, S. valencia, S. icabaru, and S. ayacucho from Venezuela; S. guiria from Venezuela and Trinidad; S. arima from Trinidad; S. etang from Guadeloupe; S. saba from Saba; and S. buck from St. Croix
Fossil record of penguins.
No full text77 p. : ill., map ; 26 cm.
"Issued June 3, 2010."
Includes bibliographical references (p. 47-53).We present the first detailed description of Perudyptes devriesi, a basal penguin from the middle Eocene (~42 Ma) Paracas Formation of Peru, and a new analysis of all published extinct penguin species as well as controversial fragmentary specimens. The Perudyptes devriesi holotype includes key regions of the skull and significant postcranial material, thus helping to fill a major phylogenetic and stratigraphic (~20 million year) gap between the earliest fossil penguins (Waimanu manneringi and Waimanu tuatahi, ~58-61.6 Ma) and the next oldest partial skeletons. Perudyptes devriesi is diagnosable by five autapomorphies: (1) an anteroventrally directed postorbital process, (2) marked anterior expansion of the parasphenoid rostrum, (3) posterior trochlear ridge of the humerus projecting distal to the middle trochlear ridge and conformed as a large, broadly curved surface, (4) convex articular surface for the antitrochanter of the femur, and (5) extremely weak anterior projection of the lateral condyle of the tibiotarsus. The skull of Perudyptes is characterized by deep temporal fossae and an elongate, narrow beak that differs from other reported stem penguins in its short mandibular symphysis. The wing skeleton of Perudyptes preserves a combination of plesiomorphic features also observed in the basal penguin Waimanu and derived features shared with more crownward penguins. Features of the wing optimized as primitive for Sphenisciformes include retention of a discrete dorsal supracondylar tubercle on the humerus and presence of a modestly projected pisiform process on the carpometacarpus. Derived features present in Perudyptes and all more crownward penguins, but absent in Waimanu, include a more flattened humerus, development of a trochlea for the tendon of m. scapulotriceps at the distal end of the humerus, and bowing of the anterior face of the carpometacarpus. A combined molecular and morphological dataset for Spheniciformes was expanded by adding 25 osteological and soft tissue characters as well as 11 taxa. In agreement with previous results, Perudyptes devriesi is identified as one of the most basal members of Sphenisciformes. This analysis also confirms the placement of the middle/late Miocene (~11-13 Ma) fossil Spheniscus muizoni as a member of the Spheniscus clade and places the late Miocene (~10 Ma) Madrynornis mirandus as sister taxon to extant Eudyptes. These two species, known from relatively complete partial skeletons, are the oldest crown clade penguin fossils and represent well-corroborated temporal calibration points for the Spheniscus-Eudyptula divergence and Megadyptes-Eudyptes divergence, respectively. Our results reaffirm that the Miocene penguin taxon Palaeospheniscus, recently proposed to represent a member of the crown radiation, belongs outside of the crown clade Spheniscidae. The phylogenetic positions of small Eocene Antarctic penguin taxa (Delphinornis, Marambiornis, and Mesetaornis) recently proposed as possible direct ancestors to crown Spheniscidae were further evaluated using alternate coding strategies for incorporating scorings from isolated elements that preserve critical morphologies and are thought to represent these taxa, although they cannot yet be reliably assigned to individual species. Under all scoring regimes, Delphinornis, Marambiornis, and Mesetaornis were recovered as distantly related to Spheniscidae. Using synapomorphies identified in the primary analysis, we evaluated the phylogenetic position of fragmentary specimens, including the holotypes of valid but poorly known species, specimens currently unassignable to the species level, and morphologically distinct specimens that have not yet been named. All pre-Miocene specimens can be excluded from Spheniscidae based on presence of plesiomorphies lost in all crown penguins, consistent with a recent radiation for the penguin crown clade. This study provides additional support for a scenario of penguin evolution characterized by an origin of flightlessness near the K-T boundary, dispersal throughout the Southern Hemisphere during the early Paleogene, and a late Cenozoic origin for the crown clade Spheniscidae. Stratigraphic distribution and phylogenetic relationships of fossil penguins are consistent with distinct radiations during the Eocene, Oligocene, and Miocene. While the Eocene and Oligocene penguin faunas are similar in many respects, the Miocene fauna is characterized by smaller average size and novel cranial morphologies, suggesting that an ecological shift in diet occurred close to the origin of crown Spheniscidae
Birabenella, new genus of goblin spiders.
No full text21 p. : ill., maps ; 26 cm.
"August 23, 2010."A new genus, Birabenella, is erected for three new soft-bodied oonopid species from Coquimbo Region, Chile (B. homonota, the type species, B. elqui, and B. pizarroi) and one from Catamarca Province, Argentina: B. argentina (Birabén, 1955), here transferred from Oonopinus Simon. The new genus is supported and diagnosed by the tarsal claws with one row of teeth, and by the stout and flattened setae on the dorsum of the abdomen. The thickened anterior wall of the posterior receptacle in female genitalia, and the ventral digitiform projection on the bulb of the male palp are also probable synapomorphies
Osmia (Ozbekosmia) avosetta.
No full text22 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 26 cm.
"March 4, 2010."
Includes bibliographical references (p. 21-22).Herein we describe the nests (including construction, closure, orientation, and depth of cells) of the bee Osmia (Ozbekosmia) avosetta Warncke found nesting near Antalya, Turkey, and Sepidan, Iran. Cells are unusual in that they are lined by two layers of colorful flower petals that sandwich a thin middle layer of mud. Analyses of pollen taken from scopal hairs of specimens from the Turkish site were identified as solely from Onobrychis viciifolia Scop. (Fabaceae) whereas those from the Iranian site were from a related plant, Hedysarum elymaiticum Boiss. and Hausskn. These facts coupled with analyses of scopal pollen from 11 other sites in Turkey, Jordan, and Syria strongly suggest that this bee is oligolectic with respect to the plant tribe Hedysareae. The egg and last larval instar of Osmia avosetta are described. The presence of an egg taken from a cell and provisionally identified as belonging to Sapyga pulcherrima Morawitz suggests that this cleptoparasite may have this bee as one of its hosts. In addition, we report new information on and review published accounts concerning the use of whole petals or large petal pieces in the construction of cell walls of osmiine bees. Only Osmia (Ozbekosmia) avosetta and species of Osmia (Tergosmia) have three-layered cell walls with the middle layer made of mud. Recorded also are the similarities and differences exhibited in pollen and petal preferences and nest characteristics of species in these two related subgenera