1,720,958 research outputs found
A review of the scorpionflies (Mecoptera) of Indochina with the description of a new species of Neopanorpa from Northern Thailand
No full textBicha, Wesley J. (2010): A review of the scorpionflies (Mecoptera) of Indochina with the description of a new species of Neopanorpa from Northern Thailand. Zootaxa 2480: 61-67, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.29437
FIGURES 2–4. Bittacus coheri n in A review of the Hangingflies (Mecoptera: Bittacidae) of South Asia with the description of a new species of Bittacus from Nepal
No full textFIGURES 2–4. Bittacus coheri n. sp., holotype male terminalia. 2. Dorsal aspect. 3. Lateral aspect. 4. Ventrocaudal aspect. Abbreviations: a = aedeagus, b = bifurcated flap, c = cercus, d = dististyle, e = epiandrial lobe, l = aedeagal lateral lobes, p = proctiger. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.Published as part of Bicha, Wesley J., 2011, A review of the Hangingflies (Mecoptera: Bittacidae) of South Asia with the description of a new species of Bittacus from Nepal, pp. 60-64 in Zootaxa 3032 on page 62, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.27872
A nearly cryptic Scorpionfly, Panorpa cryptica n. sp. (Mecoptera: Panorpidae) from North America
No full textBicha, Wesley, Schiff, Nathan, Lancaster, Aaron, Scheffler, Brian (2015): A nearly cryptic Scorpionfly, Panorpa cryptica n. sp. (Mecoptera: Panorpidae) from North America. Zootaxa 3973 (3): 591-600, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3973.3.1
Bittacus taraiensis Penny 1969, new synonym
No full textBittacus taraiensis Penny, 1969, new synonym of B. indicus Walker, 1853 The collection of Nepalese specimens included seven specimens with wing venation similar to that of the holotype of Bittacus indicus (Fig. 5). The holotype is missing its abdomen and the details of the terminalia are unknown. The terminalia of the male specimen of the Nepalese B. indicus match those of the paratype of B. taraiensis. Thus, the slight variation in Sc crossvein location of B. taraiensis and B. indicus are deemed to be normal variation. Rust and Byers (1976) discussed these variations and acknowledged that it was probable that these two species were synonyms. Clarification required a male with an intact terminalia, which is now at hand, and so I consider B. taraiensis to be a junior synonym of B. indicus. The elongate proctiger of this species suggests an affinity with many oriental species. Additional Bittacus indicus collection data: Nepal, Amlekhganj (in the Eastern Terai) 520m at light, 2 June 1957, 1 female; 21 June 1957, 1 female; 27 July 1957, 2 females; 29 July 1957, 1 female; 30 July 1957, 1 female; Mahakharat Range, Sambhanjang (Sim Pass), Bhainse-Kathmandu Road, 2484m, 1 male; leg. Ed Coher.Published as part of Bicha, Wesley J., 2011, A review of the Hangingflies (Mecoptera: Bittacidae) of South Asia with the description of a new species of Bittacus from Nepal, pp. 60-64 in Zootaxa 3032 on page 63, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.27872
Neopanorpa latiseparata Bicha, sp. n.
No full textNeopanorpa latiseparata Bicha, sp. n. Figs. 1–7 Diagnosis. This new species is separable from all described Indochinese Neopanorpa by the narrow male hypovalves of equal thickness throughout their length, the wide, subquadrate separation of the male hypovalves, and the boldly marked wings. Description Material examined. Twenty males, two females in ethanol, subsequently pinned. Dorsum of head entirely brownish-black. Ocelli amber; eyes plum to grey. Rostrum yellowish to orangebrown; labrum and mouthparts light brown except apex of maxillary palps dark brown. Antennae long, extending beyond stigma of forewing, with 43–46 flagellomeres; scape light yellowish brown, pedicel brown, flagellomeres brownish-black. Pronotum brown to brownish-black, with 2 thick spines at each side of anterior margin. Mesonotum anterior half brownish-black to dark brown, remainder sordid white with broad brownish-black to dark brown medial stripe including scutellum. Mesonotum with broad brownish-black to dark brown median stripe, lateral portions sordid white. Pleural areas white to sordid white. Coxae and femura white to sordid white; tibiae light brown grading to brown apically; tarsi darker brown, terminal segment darkest; tarsal claws serrate with five dark brown teeth. Wings (Fig. 1) not seemingly iridescent, markings brown; most veins brown. Apical band in forewing broad, sometimes with a small clear spot near posterior proximal corner. Pterostigmal band entire, forked posteriorly. Marginal spot present. Basal band reduced to two spots in two-thirds of specimens, narrowed in remaining one-third of specimens. Posterior base of each forewing with approximately three setae. Abdomen of male with terga 2–5 dark brown to brownish-black; corresponding sterna pale yellowish orange; pleural areas sordid white; posterior process of tergum 3 (notal organ) narrowly triangular, extending halfway or slightly farther across tergum 4, and short, slightly raised, setose ridge on tergum 4; segment 6 cylindrical, tapering slightly ventrally from anterior to posterior three-fourth, then expanding slightly, anterior two-thirds dark brown, posterior one-third yellowish orange; segments 7–8 subconical, expanding from anterior to posterior, yellowish orange, covered with fine, black, caudally directed hairs. Tergum 9 apical margin truncate; apex extended slightly around segment 10, cerci brown. Sternum 9 base width one-half length, apex width one-fourth length, bearing two hypovalves. Hypovalves narrow, equal width and consistency along length, without finger-like projections on mesal edge, dark brown, extending to base of dististyles, densely covered with fine black hairs. Gap between hypovalves broad, subquadrate (Fig. 2). Basistyles fused basal four-fifths of length, elliptical with width three-fourths length, pale yellowish orange, apical margins truncate, brown. Basistyles, dististyles, and sternum 9 covered with fine yellowish-brown to black caudally directed hairs. Ventral valves of aedeagus conspicuous, long, extending to base of dististyles; dorsal valves approximately similar in size and shape as ventral valves; ventral parameres thin, short, straight, basal one-fifth convergent, apical four-fifths slightly divergent, low within genital bulb, tips free; lateral parameres pronounced, blade-like; dorsal parameres wide with mucronate tips (Fig. 3). Outer margins of dististyles yellow-orange, inner and outer margins dark brown; basal lobe thick, blunt tooth-like projection dorsally, partially concealed in ventral aspect (Fig. 4). On abdomen of female terga 2–6 brownish-black; sterna sordid yellowish brown; segments 7–10 brownish-black; cerci black. Subgenital plate of sternum 8 oval, incised apically; lobes and lateral edges with long setae, remainder with shorter setae (Fig. 5). Genital plate with axial portion short, wide; arms spatulate, thin, pale in apical half, thicker and darker basally, twisted near mid-length (Fig. 6). Measurements. Body length of holotype male approximately 10 mm; allotype female approximately 12 mm. Forewing length 11.5–13.5 mm. Type Specimens. Holotype male, and 3 male paratypes, Thailand, Mae Hong Son Province, Pangma Pha viewpoint, 24 July 2009. Allotype female, Chiang Mai Province, Pa La, 6 August 2009. Additional paratypes: same location as holotype, 29 July 2009, 6 males; Mae Hong Son Province, near Nam Rim, 21 July 2009, 4 males; Mae Hong Son Province, creek bank off highway 1095 approximately 5 km east of Soppong, 22 July 2009, 5 males; Mae Hong Son Province, Ban Huay Pueng environs, 30 July 2009, 1 male, 1 female; Chiang Mai Province, Buek Toei Village environs, 2 August 2009, 1 male. Holotype and allotype deposited in the United States Natural History Museum, Washington, D.C. Paratypes deposited in the California Academy of Science, San Francisco, California, Illinois Natural History Survey, Champaign, Illinois, and collection of author. Etymology. The specific epithet, latiseparata (feminine), is derived from the Latin adjective latus, meaning broad or wide + the Latin adjective separatus, meaning separated, and refers to the unique and widely-separated male hypovalves. Taxonomic remarks. The insect is so superficially similar to N. siamensis, with which it coexists, that it appears impossible to differentiate the two in the field based on wing, head, or thorax markings. The narrow, widely-separated hypovalves of male N. latiseparata are readily discernible under magnification to allow immediate differentiation from the broad, overlapping hypovalves of male N. siamensis. Females of the two coexisting species initially appeared indistinguishable even under magnification. It was necessary to extract, amplify, sequence, and compare the COI gene fragments to associate female specimens with male specimens of each species with certainty. The one successfully sequenced female specimen, which did not match the paratype N. latiseparata, and is likely N. siamensis, possessed a narrow band on the forewing between M and Cu 2 distally bounded by m-cu 1 and cu 1 -cu 2 on each forewing. These bands were lacking from the two successfully sequenced N. latiseparata female specimens. It cannot be ascertained from the limited series if this character is truly diagnostic. Only two of twelve other female specimens, which were not successfully sequenced, possessed these extra wing bands. Neopanorpa spp. of nearby Burma tend to have males with thin, narrowly-separated hypovalves and wings lacking markings, or males with broad, overlapping hypovalves and boldly-marked wings. At the holotype locality N. latiseparata was also observed to coexist with a third, less abundant species, N. harmandi (Navás, 1908), which could be immediately determined in the field by its nearly entire black wings. Neopanorpa latiseparata can be readily differentiated in the field from a fourth, northern and higher-elevation Thai species, N. byersi Webb and Penny, 1979, which has thin, weakly-marked, iridescent wings. Biology. Individuals of N. latiseparata were observed sitting with wings outstretched in a V on the tops of broad-leafed ground vegetation 0.5– 1 m high (Fig. 7) in broken shade within either moist broadleaf forested slopes (Fig. 8) or streamside forest at 600–900 m elevation. Diopsidae, Meloidae, and Ichneumonidae frequented the same habitat. Neopanorpa latiseparata was observed most abundantly 0900– 1100 h, and less abundantly after 1300 h. The insect was sighted independent of weather conditions, seeming to be no less abundant when heavily overcast or during light rain. During peak sunlight hours of mid-afternoon individuals were observed more abundantly deep in moist, shaded ravines.Published as part of Bicha, Wesley J., 2010, A review of the scorpionflies (Mecoptera) of Indochina with the description of a new species of Neopanorpa from Northern Thailand, pp. 61-67 in Zootaxa 2480 on pages 62-65, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.29437
Bittacus coheri Bicha, sp. n.
No full text<i>Bittacus coheri</i> Bicha, sp. n. <p>Figs. 1–4</p> <p> <b>Diagnosis.</b> This new species is unique among all described Bittacidae by presence of a dorsal bifurcated flap-like structure between the male epiandrial lobes of tergum 9. Additionally, the wing subcostal crossvein is midway between the level of the first fork of the radial sector and the Cu2 terminus. The 1A extends two-thirds the distance from the origin of the radial sector to the first fork of the radial sector.</p> <p> <b>Type material examined.</b> Holotype male and 1 paratype male, Nepal, Amlekhganj (in the Eastern Terai), 520m at light, 6 August 1957; allotype female, same locality, 21 July 1957. Holotype and allotype deposited in California Academy of Science (CAS), San Francisco, California, and 1 male paratype in the FSCA, Gainesville, Florida. All three specimens pinned, intact, but heavily mold-encrusted. Holotype male terminalia cleared in KOH and stored in glycerin in microvial attached to pin.</p> <p> <b>Description.</b> Eyes dark brown; vertex and occiput yellowish brown, area between bases of ocelli dark brown; rostrum dark brown; maxillary and labial palps brown. Antennal scape and pedicel dark brown; flagellum brown basally grading to black apically, thicker basally, tapering apically; flagellum filiform; combined length approximately 7 mm.</p> <p>Dorsum of thorax light orange-brown; pleural surfaces lighter orange-brown; pronotal setae inconspicuous. Mesonotum with two anterior and one posterior raised hemispherical areas. Metanotum with one anterior and one posterior hemispherical raised areas. Legs orange-brown, with fine, short, yellowish brown, apically directed hairs and a lesser number of longer, black, apically directed setae; hind femora thicker basally, tapering apically; ends of tibiae bearing two long, thick, brown spurs; hind leg tarsomere ventral surfaces with numerous dark brown to black setae.</p> <p>Wings (Fig. 1) narrow, without pigmented bands or spots; tinged with yellowish brown, slightly darker at apical margins. Basal anterior and posterior wing margins with 3–6 stout, black setae; entire margins with fine, short, yellow-brown setae; veins and crossveins with fine, pale setae. Thyridium at fork of media conspicuous. Pterostigma faint or absent. Apical margin of wings evenly curved. Sc vein joins costal margin distal to fork of media, but basal to terminus of Cu1 and Cu2 veins; anal crossvein at level of fork of media; two pterostigmal crossveins; Sc crossvein at a level midway between first fork of radial sector and terminus of Cu2 vein, nearly reaching Sc vein terminus; cell R2 elongate, bordered posteriorly by three complete cells. Vein 1A extending two-thirds of the distance from origin of radial sector to first fork of radial sector.</p> <p>Abdomen of male generally light brown. Lobes of tergum 9 (epiandrium) (Figs. 2, 3) narrow basally, gradually broadening distally, with rounded apices, bearing numerous small, black, basally directed setae on dorso-mesal surfaces. Epiandrial lobes widely divergent, separated dorsally by a small bifurcated flap-like structure, bearing 3–5 dark apical protuberances. Basistyles dark brown; dististyles large, dark brown, without lobes. Proctiger dark, inconspicuous. Aedeagus (Fig. 4) filament-like, short, uncoiled, curved dorsally, darkened and thickened basally, tapering to slender, colorless tip; aedeagal lateral lobes large, extending dorso-caudally, pilose. Cerci long, slender, pilose.</p> <p>Abdomen of female generally light brown. Segments 6–9 swollen.</p> <p> <b>Measurements.</b> Body length of male approximately 16 mm; female length approximately 17 mm. Forewing length 17.0–21.0 mm.</p> <p> <b>Etymology.</b> This species is named in honor of the collector, Ed Coher.</p> <p> <b>Taxonomic remarks.</b> This insect may be the same species as the undescribed female Nepalese hangingfly discussed by Rust and Byers (1976) from Simra, Nepal, deposited in the Canada Department of Agriculture. This specimen has the Sc crossvein distal to the fork of the radial sector and a 1A vein extending almost to the level of the fork of the radial sector.</p> <p> The affinity of <i>Bittacus latipennis</i> Gerstaecker, 1885 is uncertain at this time, because the male has not yet been described. However, <i>B. latipennis</i> can be readily differentiated from <i>B. coheri</i> and other south Asian hangingflies by its broad wings (Esben-Petersen 1921, Fig. 131).The male of <i>B. insularis</i> Esben-Petersen, 1915 is also unknown at this time. Its female differs from <i>B. coheri</i> by having the 1A vein terminus opposite the origin of the radial sector, rather than extending two-thirds the distance to the first fork of radial sector. <i>Bittacus coheri</i> differs from all described south Asian and African <i>Bittacus</i> for which males are known, but is similar to many oriental <i>Bittacus</i> spp., such as <i>B</i>. <i>monastyrskiyi</i> Bicha, 2007, in possessing conspicuous aedeagal lateral lobes (Bicha 2007, Fig. 2). In the case of <i>B. coheri</i>, these lobes seem to resemble the hypovalves of panorpids. The function of these lobes is unknown, nor are their association with the aedeagus certain. The presence of a bifurcated flap-like structure extending dorsally between the male epiandrial lobes of tergum 9 is unique to <i>B. coheri</i>, is diagnostic for the species, and may justify creation of a new genus. However, the wing veination is not remarkably different from other species currently assigned to <i>Bittacus</i>. <i>Orobittacus</i> Villegas and Byers, 1981 possesses a median extension of tergum 9; although this extension is very different in form from that of <i>B. coheri</i>, it possibly suggests some distant relationship. The biology of <i>B. coheri</i> is unknown, but was recorded as being taken at light.</p>Published as part of <i>Bicha, Wesley J., 2011, A review of the Hangingflies (Mecoptera: Bittacidae) of South Asia with the description of a new species of Bittacus from Nepal, pp. 60-64 in Zootaxa 3032</i> on pages 60-61, DOI: <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/278722">10.5281/zenodo.278722</a>
A new species of scorpionfly (Mecoptera: Panorpidae) from North Carolina
No full textVolume: 85Start Page: 152End Page: 15
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
- …
