Polystomatid monogeneans have a wide diversity of life cycles correlated with the varied ecology and behaviour of their aquatic vertebrate hosts. Typically, transmission involves a swimming infective larva but most hosts are amphibious and invasion is interrupted when hosts leave water. A key life cycle adaptation involves a uterus that, in the most specialised cases, may contain several hundred fully-developed larvae prepared for instant host-to-host transmission. By contrast, one subfamily of the Polystomatidae - the Polystomoidinae, specific to chelonians (freshwater turtles) - has a simplified reproductive system without a uterus. Recently, Polystomoides nelsoni Du Preez et Van Rooyen, 2015 has been described with a uterus containing multiple eggs. The present study explores the exceptional interest of this parasite - for the functional biology of egg production, for the evolution of a reproductive system unique amongst ca 60 species in the subfamily, and for systematic relationships. A new genus is proposed, Uteropolystomoides gen. n., separate from the four currently-recognised genera Polystomoides Ward, 1917, Uropolystomoides Tinsley et Tinsley, 2016, Neopolystoma Price, 1939 and Polystomoidella Price, 1939 which lack a uterus. In addition, U. nelsoni (Du Preez et Van Rooyen, 2015) comb. n. has a suite of distinctive copulatory stuctures: a massive genital bulb with an exceptionally large number of very long genital spines and hyper-development of the vaginal openings. These characters set U. nelsoni apart from all other polystomoidines worldwide except Polystomoides multifalx Stunkard, 1924 and P. stunkardi Harwood, 1931. Missing data for these latter species preclude definitive assessment of inter-relationships but the distinguishing characters of U. nelsoni, especially the unique occurrence of the uterus, suggest a novel evolutionary pathway isolated from other lineages of polystomatids infecting chelonians., Richard C. Tinsley., and Obsahuje bibliografii
A new diagnosis of Paronychiurus Bagnall, 1948 is given. P. ramosus (Folsom, 1917) and P. eous (Christiansen & Bellinger, 1980) comb. nov. are redescribed on the basis of the types and new specimens. Two new species are described: P. probus sp. n., P. hubbardi sp. n. A key to the species in this genus is presented.
The first instar larva, or triungulin, of Stenodera puncticollis (Chevrolat, 1829) is described. Its characters indicate that Stenodera is the most primitive member of the subfamily Nemognathinae and support the recognition of the monotypic tribe Stenoderini, as previously proposed on the basis of adult morphology. The bionomic information on this genus is summarized, and an annotated catalogue and key to the species based on adults are presented
A new diagnosis of Vibronychiurus Pomorski, 1998 is given. V. archivari (Christiansen, 1956) comb. n. and V. hermonicus (Gruia, Poliakov & Broza, 2000) stat. & comb. n. are redescribed on the basis of the types and new specimens. Two new species are described: V. aestimabilis sp. n. from Khakasiya (Russia) and V. caucasicus sp. n. from Caucasus (Russia). A key to the species Vibronychiurus is provided.
A review of genera within the tribe Lyropaeini is given. Three new genera - Lyrolib gen. n., Horakiella gen. n., and Ambangia gen. n., and a subgenus Macroambangia subgen. n. within Ambangia gen. n. are described. The following twelve new species are proposed as new to science: Ambangia nigra sp. n. (Sulawesi), A. wallacei sp. n. (Sulawesi), Ambangia (Macroambangia) pallidicornis sp. n. (Sulawesi), A. (M.) celebensis sp. n. (Sulawesi), A. (M.) nigricornis sp. n. (Sulawesi), Alyculus wittmeri sp. n. (Sumatra), Horakiella hammondi sp. n. (Malaysia: Sarawak), H. pahangana sp. n. (Peninsular Malaysia), H. emasensis sp. n. (Malaysia: Sabah), Lyrolib minor sp. n. (Sulawesi), L. grandis sp. n. (Sulawesi), and Microlyropaeus dembickyi sp. n. (Sumatra). A key to genera of Lyropaeini is given, and comments on their relationships are provided.
Genus-group taxa of Platerodinae are revised and valid taxa are redescribed. The validity of Plateros Bourgeois, 1879 is reinstated. Libnetomimus Kleine, 1927 is made a junior synonym of Libnetis Waterhouse, 1878. Calleros Gorham, 1881, Calloplateros Pic, 1923, Costatoplateros Pic, 1949, Ditoneces Waterhouse, 1879, Libnetomorphus Pic, 1921, Microplateros Pic, 1921, Planeteros Gorham, 1883, Tolianus Pic, 1921, Melampyrus Waterhouse, 1879, and the subgenus Cautirodes Pic, 1921 are considered to be junior synonyms of Plateros Bourgeois, 1879. The subgenus Pseudeuplectus Pic, 1922 is synonymized to Cavoplateros Pic, 1913, and Pseudoplateros Green, 1951 is made a junior synonym of Falsocalleros Pic, 1933. Macrolibnetis Pic, 1938 formerly classified with Platerodini is synonymized to Platerodrilus Pic, 1921. Samoaneros Blair, 1928 is considered to be a junior objective synonym of Melaneros Fairmaire, 1877, which is excluded from Platerodinae and is kept incertae sedis in Lycidae. Fernandum Pic, 1924 and Subdihammatus Kleine, 1926 are transferred to the subfamily Leptolycinae. Teroplas oculatus sp. n. and Microlycus mexicanus sp. n. are described. Neotype of Plateros brasiliensis (Lucas, 1857) and lectotype of Microlycus minutus Pic, 1922 are designated. In order to understand relationships within the subfamily, included genus-group taxa were cladistically analysed.
In this second part of the revision of Afrotropical Afrocrania Hincks, 1949 (= Pseudocrania Weise, 1892, not Pseudocrania MCoy, 1851), a group of Galerucinae restricted to Africa, additional material is revised. Herein, species in which the males lack deep head cavities, partly horned antennomeres, or extended elytral extrusions, but usually have small post-scutellar extrusions or depressions, are considered. Material of Afrocrania pauli (Weise, 1903), comb. n. (= Candezea pauli Weise, 1903), and A. famularis (Weise, 1904), comb. n. (= Monolepta famularis Weise, 1904; = Candezea atripennis Laboissière, 1931, syn. n.) is studied. Lectotypes are designated for A. pauli, A. famularis and C. atripennis. Six new species, A. aequatoriana sp. n., A. minima sp. n., A. nigra sp. n., A. occidentalis sp. n., A. pallida sp. n. and A. weisei sp. n. are described. Distribution patterns are mapped. Together with the already revised species there are 16 valid Afrocrania species are hitherto known. Its phylogenetic position within the Galerucinae is discussed, identification keys to males and females for all known taxa are presented.
The first part of a revision of the European species of the genus Rhabdomastix Skuse, 1890 is presented. The history of taxonomic research on Rhabdomastix is reviewed, relationships of the genus are discussed, and the subgeneric classification outlined and re-assessed. A new subgenus, Lurdia subgen. n., is established for species centred around R. lurida (Loew, 1873), and Palaeogonomyia Meunier, 1899 and Sacandaga Alexander, 1911, previously considered subgenera, are synonymized with Rhabdomastix. A revision of the European species of Lurdia subgen. n. is presented. Two species are redescribed, Rhabdomastix (Lurdia) lurida (Loew, 1873) and R. (L.) inclinata Edwards, 1938, and the lectotype of the former is designated. Descriptions are provided of seven species, viz. R. (L.) mendli sp. n. (Switzerland, Germany, Italy), R. (L.) sublurida sp. n. (Czech Republic, Slovakia), R. (L.) furva sp. n. (Slovakia), R. (L.) loewi sp. n. (Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Italy), R. (L.) robusta sp. n. (Czech Republic, Slovakia), R. (L.) falcata sp. n. (Switzerland, Germany, Bulgaria) and R. (L.) tatrica sp. n. (Slovakia). Male and female terminalia are illustrated for all the species (except female falcata), and a key to species is appended.
The second and final part of a revision of the European species of the genus Rhabdomastix Skuse, 1890 is presented. The subgenus Rhabdomastix s. str. is revised. Seven species are redescribed, Rhabdomastix (Rhabdomastix) japonica Alexander, 1924, R. (R.) laeta (Loew, 1873), R. (R.) borealis Alexander, 1924, R. (R.) edwardsi Tjeder, 1967, R. (R.) subparva Starý, 1971, R. (R.) hirticornis (Lackschewitz, 1940) and R. (R.) beckeri (Lackschewitz, 1935). Three new synonyms are proposed. Lectotypes of four pertinent nominal species are designated. Descriptions are provided of six species, viz. R. (R.) laetoidea sp. n. (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Ukraine), R. (R.) crassa sp. n. (France, Czech Republic, Slovakia), R. (R.) corax sp. n. (Bulgaria, Greece), R. (R.) eugeni sp. n. (France, Switzerland, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Ukraine, Armenia), R. (R.) filata sp. n. (Bulgaria, Greece, European Russia, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia) and R. (R.) georgica sp. n. (Georgia). Male and female terminalia are illustrated for all the species, and a key to species is appended.
A new subfamily Homalomitrinae is established for two enigmatic Neotropical genera, Homalomitra Borgmeier, 1931 and Sphaeromitra gen. n. which are diagnosed on the basis of newly discovered characters. All available specimens of the group are revised. Two new species of Homalomitra, H. antiqua sp, n. (Costa Rica, Brazil) and H. tenuior sp. n. (female only; Colombia, Ecuador) are described and the remaining species of the genus, H. ecitonis Borgmeier, 1931 (type species, Brazil) and H. albuquerquei Mourgués-Schurter, 1987 (Costa Rica) are redescribed. A key to Homalomitra species is given. Sphaeromitra inepta gen. et sp. n. is described from Peru. Phylogenetic relationships of Homalomitrinae, both its genera and all species included are discussed.