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Mites in the family Halarachnidae are common endoparasites infesting the nasal tissues of a variety of marine mammals. These mites are easily transmissible and compromise the health of their hosts, especially in captive environments. While these mites are noted by marine mammal caretakers, they may easily be misidentified due to repeated revisions to halarachnid mite taxonomy and reclassification of misidentified specimens. Species identification currently requires multiple taxonomic keys, knowledge of revisions to species classifications through time, and training in acarology, which is impractical for marine mammal clinicians. Therefore, to summarize the known taxonomy and aid in future identification of halarachnid mites, we present a pictorial key composed of illustrations based on existing literature and images obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution light microscopy (LM). Illustrations are organized into flow charts for the identification of both adult and larval stages. Dorsal shield silhouettes are also provided to facilitate the identification of adults. We hope that this key be used to simplify future taxonomic research, provide a standard for species identification, and aid in the diagnosis of halarachnid infestations in captive and rehabilitated marine mammal populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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 Anatextrix gen. nov. (Ageleninae, Textricini) and its type species, A. spectabilis sp. nov. (♂♀; Mersin and Adana provinces, southern Türkiye), are described. A key to all four genera of Textricini is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Until recently, only two haemaphysaline species, Haemaphysalis chordeilis (Packard, 1869) and Haemaphysalis leporispalustris (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, Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann, 1901, were detected in the eastern US for the first time. Haemaphysalis longicornis 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 Haemaphysalis juxtakochi Cooley, 1946, with established populations in Mexico and sporadic detections in the US on migrating birds is also included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudobranchiomma (Sabellidae, Annelida) is a small and heterogeneous group of fan worms found in shallow marine environments and is generally associated with hard substrates. The delineation and composition of this genus is problematic since it has been defined only by plesiomorphic characters that are widely distributed among other sabellids. In this study we have combined morphological and molecular (mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences) data to evaluate species diversity in Australia and assess the phylogenetic relationships of these and other related sabellids. Unlike morphological data alone, molecular data and combined datasets suggest monophyly of Pseudobranchiomma. In this study, a new species of Pseudobranchiomma is described and three others are considered as potential unintentional introductions to Australian waters, one of them reported for the first time for the continent. Pseudobranchiomma pallida sp. n. bears 4-6 serrations along the radiolar flanges, lacks radiolar eyes and has uncini with three transverse rows of teeth over the main fang. In the new species the colour pattern as well is characteristic and species specific. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The American genus Neonella Gertsch, 1936 consists of very small jumping spiders whose biology is not well known. The genus currently includes eleven valid species, of which eight are known from both sexes and two are only known from one sex. This paper describes and illustrates a new species Neonella acostae sp. n., demonstrates male palpal variation in Neonella montana Galiano, 1988, and provides some information on the ecology of three sympatric species. New records of N. montana and N. minuta Galiano, 1965 are reported. Because the previously described species of Neonella were well illustrated and diagnosed, a dichotomous key to males is given along with genital illustrations of both sexes for all known species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The male genital sclerites of cockroaches of genus Muzoa Hebard, 1921 are described for first time and the new species Muzoa curtalata sp. n. is described and ilustrated. A dichotomous key to identify the species of genus Muzoa is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presently the only keys available for identification of genera of Anthonomini are limited to those of the United States of America and Canada. A dichotomous key is presented to identify all genera of Mexican and Central American Anthonomini. Previous keys do not include the genera Achia, Botanebius, Loncophorus, Loncophorellus and Melexerus. A brief synopsis is given for each genus and photographs of representative species are included [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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 (E dicho ). The index is based on the evenness and allows comparing identification keys of different sizes.