Springs ecosystem classification.

Springs ecosystems are globally abundant, geomorphologically diverse, and bio-culturally productive, but are highly imperiled by anthropogenic activities. More than a century of scientific discussion about the wide array of ecohydrological factors influencing springs has been informative, but has yielded little agreement on their classification. This lack of agreement has contributed to the global neglect and degradation of springs ecosystems by the public, scientific, and management communities. Here we review the historical literature on springs classification variables, concluding that site-specific source geomorphology remains the most diagnostic approach. We present a conceptual springs ecosystem model that clarifies the central role of geomorphology in springs ecosystem development, function, and typology. We present an illustrated dichotomous key to terrestrial (non-marine) springs ecosystem types and subtypes, and describe those types. We identify representative reference sites, although data limitations presently preclude selection of continentally or globally representative reference springs of each type. We tested the classification key using data from 244 randomly selected springs of 13 types that were inventoried in western North America. The dichotomous key correctly identified springs type in 87.5% of the cases, with discrepancies primarily due to differentiation of primary vs. secondary typology, and insufficient inventory team training. Using that information, we identified sources of confusion and clarified the key. Among the types that required more detailed explanation were hypocrenes, springs in which groundwater is expressed through phreatophytic vegetation. Overall, springs biodiversity and ecosystem complexity are due, in part, to the co-occurrence of multiple intra-springs microhabitats. We describe microhabitats that are commonly associated with different springs types, reporting at least 13 microhabitats, each of which can support discrete biotic assemblages. Interdisciplinary agreement on basic classification is needed to enhance scientific understanding and stewardship of springs ecosystems, the loss and degradation of which constitute a global conservation crisis.

Multi-locus phylogenetic analyses uncover species boundaries and reveal the occurrence of two new entomopathogenic nematode species, Heterorhabditis ruandica n. sp. and Heterorhabditis zacatecana n. sp.

Species of the nematode genus Heterorhabditis are important biological control agents against agricultural pests. The taxonomy of this group is still unclear as it currently relies on phylogenetic reconstructions based on a few genetic markers with little resolutive power, specially of closely related species. To fill this knowledge gap, we sequenced several phylogenetically relevant genetic loci and used them to reconstruct phylogenetic trees, to calculate sequence similarity scores, and to determine signatures of species- and population-specific genetic polymorphism. In addition, we revisited the current literature related to the description, synonymisation, and declaration as species inquirendae of Heterorhabditis species to compile taxonomically relevant morphological and morphometric characters, characterized new nematode isolates at the morphological and morphometrical level, and conducted self-crossing and cross-hybridization experiments. The results of this study show that the sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase subunit I (COI) gene provide better phylogenetic resolutive power than the sequences of nuclear rRNA genes and that this gene marker can phylogenetically resolve closely related species and even populations of the same species with high precision. Using this gene marker, we found two new species, Heterorhabditis ruandica n. sp. and Heterorhabditis zacatecana n. sp. A detailed characterization of these species at the morphological and morphometric levels and nematode reproduction assays revealed that the threshold for species delimitation in this genus, using COI sequences, is 97% to 98%. Our study illustrates the importance of rigorous morphological and morphometric characterization and multi-locus sequencing for the description of new species within the genus Heterorhabditis, serves to clarify the phylogenetic relationships of this important group of biological control agents, and can inform future species descriptions to advance our efforts towards developing more tools for sustainable and environmentally friendly agriculture.

Seed morphology of 31 Euphorbia L. species (Euphorbiaceae) in Turkey and their taxonomic significance.

This paper includes a comprehensive taxonomical study based on seed morphology of 31 Euphorbia L species from Türkiye. The studied Euphorbia taxa have been examined for morphological traits such as seed color, dimensions, surface ornamentation, cell wall structures, lipid granule presence, and caruncle shape and dimensions with Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and stereo microscopy to develop a better understanding of the basis of its species. The outcomes show that the species differ based on seed shape and color. The seed width dimensions are between 0.55 and 3.83 mm and the length dimensions are between 1.03 and 5.87 mm. Euphorbia lathyris, E. prostrata, and E. nutans are marked differently from the rest of the studied species based on their seed dimension. The seed surface ornamentation is classified into 12 different types: tuberculate, reticulate, areolate, colliculate, verrucate, alveolate, rugose, alveolate-reticulate, slightly reticulate, reticulate-areolate, pusticulate, and ruminate. The most common form is reticulate, found in eight species. The tuberculate (in E. helioscopia), areolate (in E. oblongata), slightly reticulate (in E. amygdaloides), and ruminate (in E. herniariifolia) ornamentation types are each characterized by only one species. The presence of lipid granules and anticlinal and periclinal cell walls disclose interspecific relationships within the examined taxa. Also, an identification key is offered for the studied species based on seed characters. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The seeds of Turkish Euphorbia species have been studied in depth. The morphological characters of seeds of Turkish Euphorbia species have been examined utilizing SEM and light microscopy for the first time and discussed the taxonomic practice of these characteristics. A dichotomous key containing seed morphological data has presented.

A new genus of Textricini Lehtinen, 1967 (Araneae, Agelenidae) from Anatolia.

Türkiye is known to have the highest diversity of the spider family Agelenidae in the Western Palaearctic and the highest diversity of the subfamily Ageleninae globally. The new agelenid genus Anatextrixgen. nov. (Ageleninae, Textricini) and its type species, A.spectabilissp. nov. (♂♀; Mersin and Adana provinces, southern Türkiye), are described. A key to all four genera of Textricini is provided.

Taxonomic reappraisal of the European fauna of the bark beetle genus Cryphalus (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Scolytinae).

Species in the genus Cryphalus are small and notoriously difficult to identify. Even among the relatively well studied European species, erroneous identifications are evident from literature and in museum collections. These misidentifications relate to the small size and similar appearance of Cryphalus species but they are also a product of insufficient diagnostic characters. This is especially unfortunate since some European species are considered pests. Based on the study of more than 1000 specimens and a thorough literature review, robust morphological and molecular evidence supporting all five hitherto recognised native species of Cryphalus in Europe is provided. A key for the reliable identification of these repetition species including new diagnostic characters recognised for the first time, including those from male genitalia, has been constructed. Each native species is provided with a detailed morphological description and their economic significance, distribution, and ecology discussed. Significant genetic variability is observed between certain clusters that should be further explored in a broader geographic context. Lastly, the need for a taxonomic revision of the genus Cryphalus for the entire Palearctic region due to the presence of many similar looking species which are often confused, thus distorting the knowledge of each species is highlighted.

Key to the Adult Females of Species of Culex Subgenus Melanoconion in Florida, USA.

The subgenus Melanoconion of Culex is a diverse and taxonomically challenging group of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) endemic to the American tropics, with a few species occurring in temperate regions. With the introduction and establishment of Culex (Melanoconion) panocossa in southern Florida, the existing taxonomic resources for identifying species of Melanoconion in Florida need updating. Here we provide an up-to-date photographic key for identifying females of Culex (Melanoconion) spp. known to occur in Florida, USA, and summarize relevant literature on the biology of each species. Given the challenge of identifying members of subgenus Melanoconion, updated resources for identifying females of this medically important group are warranted. The keys, photographs, and summarized biological information in this report should facilitate research, surveillance, and decisions regarding control.

A striking new species of Papuan groundsnake (Stegonotus: Colubridae) from southern Papua New Guinea, with a dichotomous key to the genus in New Guinea.

We describe a new species of groundsnake of the genus Stegonotus (Colubridae) from the Purari River basin in Gulf Province, Papua New Guinea. The new species can be most readily distinguished from all other New Guinean Stegonotus by its unique dorsal colour pattern which consists of a dark head and creamy-white anterior one third to two thirds of the body, grading into increasingly dense dark pigmentation on the posterior of the body and tail. It is most similar to S. iridis from the Raja Ampat Archipelago off western New Guinea, but that species has a different pattern of pigmentation dorsally, has a lower ventral scale count (198-211 vs. 229-239), and exhibits a different temporal scale arrangement. The description of S. aplini sp. nov. brings to fourteen the number of Stegonotus species described from New Guinea. A dichotomous key to described species in the New Guinea region is provided.

Senecio festucoides (Senecioneae, Compositae), a new species from northern Chile.

Senecio festucoides is described from northern Chile. The new species is morphologically similar to the discoid caespitose Andean species and belongs to the subgroup displaying yellow corollas and yellowish anthers and style branches. It is characterized by a weak, not self-supporting stem, narrowly linear leaves, long pedunculate capitula with (17-)21 involucral bracts, and minutely papillose achenes. Among other characters, the color of the corollas, anthers, and style branches and the number of involucral bracts differentiate it from S. scorzonerifolius, which is the morphologically closest species. The new species thrives in the desertic Puna ecoregion and grows amongst tufts of Festuca chrysophylla (Poaceae). Detailed pictures of living plants are provided, as well as a distribution map and a dichotomous key to the discoid caespitose Senecio species from northern Chile.

An Illustrated Key of Pyrgomorphidae (Orthoptera: Caelifera) of the Indian Subcontinent Region.

The Indian subcontinent is known to harbor a high level of insect biodiversity and endemism, but the grasshopper fauna in this region is poorly understood, in part due to the lack of appropriate taxonomic resources. Based on detailed examinations of museum specimens and high-resolution digital images, we have produced an illustrated key to 21 Pyrgomorphidae genera known from the Indian subcontinent. This new identification key will become a useful tool for increasing our knowledge on the taxonomy of grasshoppers in this important biogeographic region.

New and known species of Nothotylenchus Thorne, 1941 (Nematoda: Anguinidae) from Iran with an updated list of species.

During a survey conducted during 2013-2017, five known and two new species of Nothotylenchus Thorne, 1941 were collected from the southern provinces of Iran. N. brzeskii n. sp. is characterised by a body length of 774-922 µm, lateral fields with four incisures, delicate, short stylet (7-8 µm) with small rounded knobs, pyriform, offset or slightly overlapping basal pharyngeal bulb, posterior vulva position (V = 83.4-84.4), short PUS (5-10 µm), spicules 20.5-23 µm long, and thick tail with rounded to dull terminus. N. siddiqi n. sp. is characterised by a body length of 573-645 µm, six to nine incisures in lateral fields, delicate, short stylet (6.5-7.5 µm) with rounded knobs, pyriform or slightly elongate and offset basal pharyngeal bulb, V = 79.3-81.0, PUS = 26.5-40 µm, short spicules = 14.5-16.5 µm, and tail with rounded terminus. Morphometric data of the studied species are presented and intraspecific variation of their morphometrics and morphological characters is discussed. The list of world Nothotylenchus species is updated, and a dichotomous identification key and an updated tabular compendium for 41 valid species are provided.

A New Species of Sucking Louse from the Mandrill from Gabon with a Review of Host Associations and Geographical Distributions, and Identification Keys to Members of the Genus pedicinus (Phthiraptera: Anoplura: Pedicinidae).

Members of the sucking louse genus Pedicinus are ectoparasites of cercopithecid primates in Africa, Asia, and Gibraltar. Pedicinus gabonensis n. sp. is described on the basis of adult male and female specimens collected from the mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx) in Gabon. The new species is compared morphologically with other members of the genus Pedicinus, and a nuclear elongation factor 1 alpha gene sequence is provided. Host associations and geographical distributions of the 18 previously recognized species of the genus and of P. gabonensis n. sp. are reviewed. Updated identification keys are provided for males and females of all known valid species of Pedicinus.

An illustrated key to the species of the genus Narella (Cnidaria, Octocorallia, Primnoidae).

A history of the description of the 50 valid species of Narella is given, beginning with the first species described in 1860. To help differentiate the various species, a tabular and a polychotomous key are provided. The species in the keys are arranged using nine characters or character sets that are believed to be of value at the species level. New characters or new significance given to previously described characters used in our keys include: 1) the nature of the dorsolateral edge of the basal scale, being ridged or not, 2) the thickness of the body wall scales, and 3) the arrangement of the coenenchymal scales (imbricate or mosaic), their thickness (thin or massive), and their outer surface ornamentation (ridged or not). All characters used in the keys are illustrated.

Description of Ditylenchus paraparvus n. sp. from Iran with an updated list of Ditylenchus Filipjev, 1936 (Nematoda: Anguinidae).

During a survey, 12 known and one new species of Ditylenchus Filipjev, 1936 were collected from southern provinces of Iran during 2013-2017. Ditylenchus paraparvus n. sp. is characterised by a short body length (441-543 µm), lateral field with four lines, delicate and short stylet (6-7.5 µm) with small rounded or posteriorly sloping knobs, pyriform and offset basal pharyngeal bulb, V = 67.7-76.4, short post-vulval uterine sac less than one vulval body width long, small spicules (12.5-15 µm) and almost cylindrical tail (71-90 µm) with rounded end. Morphometric data of studied species are presented and intraspecific variation of their morphometrics and morphological characters is discussed. The list of the world Ditylenchus species is updated, and a dichotomous identification key and an updated tabular compendium for 63 valid species is provided.

New combinations and synonyms in discoid caespitose Andean Senecio (Senecioneae, Compositae).

The names Werneria melanandra and W. pygmophylla are transferred to the genus Senecio. They belong to the group of the discoid caespitose Andean Senecio, specifically to the subgroup with blackish anthers and style branches and whitish corollas. The recognition of S. digitatus as a distinct species is also discussed. Within the framework of the mentioned group, the names S. casapaltensis and S. macrorrhizus are lectotypified, S. humillimus var. melanolepis is neotypified, an epitype is designated for the name W. melanandra, and nine new synonyms are proposed. An updated comprehensive dichotomous key including all discoid caespitose Senecio species from Bolivia and Peru is provided.

Drainage basin checklists and dichotomous keys for inland fishes of Texas.

Species checklists and dichotomous keys are valuable tools that provide many services for ecological studies and management through tracking native and non-native species through time. We developed nine drainage basin checklists and dichotomous keys for 196 inland fishes of Texas, consisting of 171 native fishes and 25 non-native fishes. Our checklists were updated from previous checklists and revised using reports of new established native and non-native fishes in Texas, reports of new fish occurrences among drainages, and changes in species taxonomic nomenclature. We provided the first dichotomous keys for major drainage basins in Texas. Among the 171 native inland fishes, 6 species are considered extinct or extirpated, 13 species are listed as threatened or endangered by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and 59 species are listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) by the state of Texas. Red River drainage basin was the most speciose with 120 fishes. Rio Grande & Pecos drainage basin had the greatest number of threatened or endangered fishes (N = 7) and the greatest number of SGCN fishes (N = 28). We revised drainage basin occurrences for 77 species. Drainage basin checklists and dichotomous keys provide finer resolution of species distributions within the geopolitical boundaries of Texas and can reduce probability of errors in fish identification errors by removing species not occurring within a natural boundary.

Recognition of species groups of Naupactus Dejean (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) from Argentina and neighboring countries.

Naupactus Dejean is the most diverse genus of the tribe Naupactini (Curculionidae: Entiminae), with more than 200 species occurring in South America, of which about 40 range in Argentina and neighboring countries. The Argentinean species treated herein were classified into nine groups having different biogeographic patterns: (1) the groups of Naupactus xanthographus, N. delicatulus and N. auricinctus mainly occur in northeastern Argentina (Misiones province) and reach the highest species diversity in the Atlantic and Parana forests of Brazil; (2) the groups of N. hirtellus, N. cinereidorsum, N. rivulosus and N. tarsalis show the highest species diversity in the Chacoan biogeographic province and also occur in the Yungas, Espinal, Monte, Parana forest (Argentina) and Cerrado (Brazil); (3) the groups of N. leucoloma and N. purpureoviolaceus have the highest species diversity in the Pampean biogeographic province, being also present in adjoining areas, mainly Chaco, Espinal, Monte and Parana forest. We provide descriptions, a dichotomous key, habitus photographs and line drawings of genitalia for the identification of the nine species groups, and a list of the Argentinean species from each group, together with their abbreviated synonymies, updated geographic distributions (including six new country records and several state/province records) and host plant associations. We discuss the characters that allow the separation of the species groups in a geographic distribution context, and provide information on species reassigned to genera other than Naupactus; among these, we transferred N. cephalotes (Hustache) to the tribe Tanymecini, genus Eurymetopellus, establishing the new combination Eurymetopellus cephalotes.

A pictorial key to differentiate the recently detected exotic Haemaphysalislongicornis Neumann, 1901 (Acari, Ixodidae) from native congeners in North America.

Until recently, only two haemaphysaline species, Haemaphysalischordeilis (Packard, 1869) and Haemaphysalisleporispalustris (Packard, 1869), were known to occur in the United States, and neither was considered to be of significant medical or veterinary importance. In 2017-2018 established populations of the Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalislongicornis Neumann, 1901, were detected in the eastern US for the first time. Haemaphysalislongicornis has the potential to be a significant threat to human and animal health, and the urgent need to determine the full extent of its distribution and host range requires availability of a straightforward and practical guide to differentiate it from native species. We created a pictorial dichotomous key to all stages of Haemaphysalis spp. known to occur in North America with scanning electron photomicrographs of all H.longicornis life stages, including rarely seen males, to aid researchers in differentiating these species. The largely Neotropical species Haemaphysalisjuxtakochi Cooley, 1946, with established populations in Mexico and sporadic detections in the US on migrating birds is also included.

A New Species of Sucking Louse from the Long-tailed Ground Squirrel, Urocitellus undulatus, from Mongolia, with a Key to Species, and a Review of Host Associations and Geographical Distributions of Members of the Genus Linognathoides (Psocodea: Anoplura: Polyplacidae).

Members of the genus Linognathoides are ectoparasites of ground squirrels and marmots (Rodentia: Sciuridae) in the Nearctic, Palearctic, and Afrotropical regions. Linognathoides urocitelli n. sp. is described based on adult male and female and third-instar nymphal specimens collected from the long-tailed ground squirrel (Urocitellus undulatus) in Mongolia. The new species is compared morphologically to other members of the genus Linognathoides. Additionally, DNA sequences of a 610-base pair (bp) fragment of the nuclear 18S rDNA gene, a 452-bp fragment of the mitochondrial 12S rrnS gene, and a 363-bp fragment of the mitochondrial 16S rrnL gene are provided. Host associations and geographical distributions of the 11 previously recognized species of the genus, and of Linognathoides urocitelli n. sp., are reviewed. A dichotomous identification key to adults of all known species in the genus Linognathoides is provided.

Identification guide of dung beetle species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) of the Brazilian Pantanal / Guia de identificação de espécies de besouros rola-bostas (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) do Pantanal Brasileiro

Abstract The Pantanal is the largest seasonal freshwater wetland on Earth, characterized by the seasonal flooding and complex mosaic vegetation, which determines its biodiversity. Among this biodiversity, dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) are a group of insects that perform important ecological functions, such as: nutrient cycling, seed dispersion and parasite control. In order to mitigate the lack of information on dung beetle fauna of the Brazilian Pantanal, we conducted a bibliographic search of virtually all literature published until november-2020 on dung beetles sampled in the Pantanal. In addition, we had accessed to the records the largest collection of the dung beetle species from Brazilian Pantanal. We recorded 68 dung beetle species of 30 genera. The genera Canthon Holffmanseg 1847 is the most diverse with 13 species recorded. Although our knowledge about the dung beetle fauna in this ecosystem is still incipient, our results demonstrated a high richness of dung beetles in the Brazilian Pantanal. In addition, our study provides first list of dung beetle species and an illustrated dichotomy key to identify genera and some species occurring in the Brazilian Pantanal. Thus, the use of this guide for identification of dung beetle species and a list of species can be important tools to help researchers and provide incentive for new inventories on dung beetle fauna in the Brazilian Pantanal.

Resumo O Pantanal é a maior área úmida sazonal de água doce Neotropical da Terra, caracterizada pelas inundações sazonais e pela complexa vegetação em mosaico, que determina sua biodiversidade. Dentre essa biodiversidade, os besouros rola-bosta (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) são um grupo de insetos que desempenham importantes funções ecológicas, tais como: ciclagem de nutrientes, dispersão de sementes e controle de parasitas. A fim de mitigar a falta de informações sobre a fauna de besouros rola-bosta do Pantanal brasileiro, realizamos uma pesquisa bibliográfica de praticamente toda a literatura publicada até novembro de 2020 sobre besouros rola-bosta amostrados no Pantanal. Além disso, acessamos os registros da maior coleção da espécie de rola-bosta do Pantanal brasileiro. Registramos 68 espécies de besouros rola-bosta de 30 gêneros. O gênero Canthon Holffmanseg 1847 é o mais diverso com 13 espécies registradas. Embora nosso conhecimento sobre a fauna de rola-bostas neste ecossistema ainda seja incipiente, nossos resultados demonstraram uma alta riqueza de besouros rola-bosta no Pantanal brasileiro. Além disso, nosso estudo fornece a primeira lista de espécies de besouros rola-bosta e uma chave de dicotomia ilustrada para identificar gêneros e algumas espécies encontrados no Pantanal brasileiro. Assim, a utilização deste guia para identificação das espécies de besouros rola-bostas e uma lista de espécies podem ser ferramentas importantes para auxiliar pesquisadores e incentivar novos inventários sobre a fauna de besouros rola-bostas no Pantanal brasileiro.

Proposal for an index to evaluate dichotomous keys.

Dichotomous keys are the most popular type of identification keys. Studies have been conducted to evaluate dichotomous keys in many aspects. In this paper we propose an index for quantitative evaluation of dichotomous keys (Edicho). The index is based on the evenness and allows comparing identification keys of different sizes.