Search

Brevinasia gen. n., a new genus of edaphic weevils with 14 species from the South African provinces of Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Limpopo, is described. The genus is described and illustrated, its taxonomic placement is discussed, and a key to the species is given. The specimens are usually associated with leaf litter in forest habitats and were generally sampled by sifting forest soil. Its type species, B. brevicollis (Voss, 1974), is redescribed, and 13 new species are described: B. albonigra sp. n. (type locality: Hills east of Stilbaai); B. bulirschi sp. n. (type locality: Marloth Nature Reserve); B. inconspicua sp. n. (type locality: Robinson's Pass); B. janaki sp. n. (type locality: Hawequas); B. leleupi sp. n. (type locality: Humansdorp); B. limpopoensis sp. n. (type locality: Kruger National Park); B. litoralis sp. n. (type locality: West Gouritsmond); B. longiseta sp. n. (type locality: Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve); B. maior sp. n. (type locality: Salem); B. micros sp. n. (type locality: Royal Natal National Park); B. nigritarsis sp. n. (type locality: Olifantsbos); B. rotundipennis sp. n. (type locality: Mkhambati Nature Reserve); B. wanati sp. n. (type locality: Lillyvlei Nature Reserve). COI sequences of B. brevicollis, B. nigritarsis, and B. wanati were deposited on GenBank. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors complete the study of the genus Nama Borovec & Meregalli, 2013, one of the seven genera of the tribe Namaini Meregalli & Borovec, 2021, with the description of 14 new species: Nama chaslavskae (type locality: North of Aggeneys, 29°12′ S 18°50′ E); N. startorum (type locality: Danielskuil, 28°11′ S 23°33′ E); N. ginobartalii (type locality: Messelpad Pass, 29°54′ S, 17°44′ E); N. yusrae (type locality: Wildepaarde Hoek, 29°57′ S 17°33′ E); N. goegapensis (type locality: Goegap Park, Kraaifontein, 29°37′ S, 18°02′ E); N. semilunata (type locality: Gemsbok Vlakte frm., 30°30′ S 17°29′ E); N. martiana (type locality: Aggeneys, Gamsberg, 1116 m, 29°15′S, 18°57′ E); Nama smithi (type locality: Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, Pass South, 27°19′ S, 22°31′ E); N. kostali (type locality: near Danielskuil, 28°15′ S, 23°34′ E); Nama seriehispida (type locality: NE Bitterfontein, 30°53′ S, 18°19′ E); N. khalidae (type locality: SW Kliprand, 30°40′ S, 18°41′ E); N. switzerae (type locality: W Gamoep, 29°58′ S, 18°22′ E); N. peternormani (type locality: Anenous Pass, 29°14′ S, 17°35′ E); N. wallacei (type locality: Pofadder, 29°07′ S, 19°25′ E). Short biogeographical remarks are added. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Litter weevil communities were investigated in two different types of montane forest in Ecuador: foothill evergreen forest, present in the Otongachi Integral Reserve between 800 and 1000 m, and tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF), present in the Otonga Integral Reserve between 1600 and 2300 m. Sampling was conducted along elevation gradients, applying the entomological sifting method to 19 sampling transects (11 in Otonga and 8 in Otongachi). The taxa collected were identified as morphospecies, since the majority of them are still undescribed. A total of 510 specimens were sampled, belonging to 100 different morphospecies, 85 of which were found in Otonga and 15 in Otongachi. No species in common between the two areas were found, despite the fact that the distance is extremely small (approximately 12 km). The Otonga area, regardless of primary or secondary forest habitats, had higher mean species richness. In both areas, the majority of species were found in a small number of stations and were sampled in a small number of specimens. A dominant and ubiquitous species was present only in Otongachi. The analysis of the community composition was carried out according to different categories of environmental variables (Otonga vs. Otongachi, forest type, elevation, litter and canopy coverage characteristics). Two well-differentiated coenoses were found, influenced firstly by the differences between the two reserves, secondarily by the elevation gradient and, to a lesser extent, by the forest type and other environmental variables. Some morphospecies characteristic of a specific type of biocoenosis could be identified. The study highlighted how most litter weevil species are strictly associated with a peculiar microhabitat and have a very narrow elevation and spatial range; the weevil communities can be strongly affected by heavy human impact. The results confirm that the tropical forests, in particular the TMCFs, host great biodiversity and that the majority of species are strictly associated with a single site; therefore, particular protection for these habitats should be granted. However, the non-significant variation between primary and secondary TMCFs indicates that, when correct management is carried out, a limited disturbance can be tolerated with only a limited loss of biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A phylogenetic analysis of the genus Dichotrachelus (Curculionidae: Cyclominae) was carried out, based on a morphological matrix and, for some species, on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I sequences. Bayesian Inference, Maximum Likelihood and Maximum Parsimony were implemented and the results were compared. The genus is found to be isolated in the subfamily, not related to the only other Palaearctic tribe (Hipporhinini) and possibly nearer to the south-American genera of Cyclominae of the tribe Listroderini. Among these, Macrostyphlus is also equally associated to mosses as the host plant. In Dichotrachelus, two main clades were recognized, one distributed in the western part of the Mediterranean region (Iberian Peninsula, northern Africa and southern France) and the second distributed in the Alps and Apennines. Within each clade, some differentiated monophyletic subgroups could be identified. An evaluation of the most important characters that led to the phylogenetic reconstruction indicated the male genital sclerite as the most useful structure to characterize the different clades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new species of the small entimine genus Philetaerobius Marshall, 1923 from southern Africa are described, P. endroedyi sp. n., P. garibebi sp. n. and P. louwi sp. n., with bibliographic reference to fuller descriptions and illustrations in the recent paper by Borovec et al. (2018) published in the journal Diversity 10 (2), 30, in which the names were not made available under the rules of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature dealing with electronic publication. A lectotype is also here designated for P. nidicola Marshall, 1923. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The small entimine genus Philetaerobius Marshall, 1923 is revised, entailing a redescription of the genus and the only hitherto described species, P. nidicola Marshall, as well as the description of three new species, P. endroedyi sp. n., P. garibebi sp. n. and P. louwi sp. n. A lectotype is designated for P. nidicola Marshall. The habitus and taxonomically important structures of all species are illustrated, including the previously unrecorded male and female genitalia. A key to the four species is provided, as well as a map of their known distributions in southern Namibia and the Northern and Western Cape provinces of South Africa. The habits of the genus, as known, are summarized, and its taxonomic position and indicated relationship with the taxonomically equally isolated genus Spartecerus are discussed. The habitus and genitalia of some Spartecerus species are also illustrated, and the available information on the life-history of the genus is summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]