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This short communication reports the initial results of the experimental reintroduction of the Olkhon mountain vole Alticola olchonensis, an endemic mammal species of the Lake Baikal area. In 2019–2020, several dozen young individuals born in the vivarium of the Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals SB RAS (Novosibirsk, Russia) were released into the wild on Borokchin Island (the Maloe More Strait, Lake Baikal). The Olkhon mountain vole used to inhabit this island but disappeared in the early 21st century. The reintroduction outcomes can be considered successful as the young-of-the-year voles have survived the winter and bred.

Two new species of Coniopterygidae , Coniopteryx (Coniopteryx) tenuisetosa sp. nov., and Coniopteryx (Coniopteryx) serrata sp. nov., are described from China. Both species differ from congeners in characters of the male genitalia. Coniopteryx (Coniopteryx) alticola Sziraki, 2002, is recorded from China for the first time. A key to species of the genus Coniopteryx from China is presented.

Se examinaron ejemplares de cuatro especies monotípicas, Cryptotis mexicana (n = 48), C. obscura (n = 47),C. alticola (n = 8) y C. magna (n = 3); además, de una politípica, C. parva berlandieri (n = 1), C. p. pueblensis (n= 16) y C. p. soricina (n = 84). La gran mayoría del material proviene de localidades del centro de México, exceptolos de Cryptotis magna, C. obscura y C. p. berlandieri. Los ejemplares de C. mexicana, C. obscura y C. magnafueron recolectados en bosque mesófilo de montaña, los de C. alticola en bosque de Pinus sp. y Abies sp. y losde C. parva en bosque tropical y subtropical, mesófilo de montaña, bosque de Quercus sp. y bosques mixto depino-encino. Las medidas morfométricas de 25 variables externas, craneales y mandibulares se obtuvieron decada ejemplar. Las especies C. alticola, C. magna y C. parva se reconocieron con facilidad; sin embargo, en C.mexicana y en C. obscura se traslapan sus medidas pero se pudieron distinguir con el empleo de un AnálisisDiscriminante. Las medidas de C. magna fueron mayores que las de las otras cuatro especies, así como las deC. alticola en general lo fueron de C. mexicana, C. obscura y C. parva. La comparación de las medidas de C. p.pueblensis y C. p. soricina mostraron que las de la primera son mayores que las de la segunda. Variación sexualsecundaria se encontró solamente en C. p. soricina, en donde las hembras resultaron de mayores dimensionesque los machos. Se mencionan dos registros de simpatría entre C. obscura y C. parva y uno entre C. mexicanay C. parva.

A new representative of the genus Radix has been recorded from eastern China, Radix dgebuadzei sp. nov. This peculiar species was recorded from the Qinling Mountains, a remote highland region sharing the high levels of faunal and floral endemism. The phylogeny indicate that the new species belongs to the Radix alticola species group, being sister to the widespread species R. plicatula (Yunnan and Gansu in China and Southeast Asia) and R. euphratica (Middle East, Central Asia, and Eastern Europe). At first glance, we could assume that Radix dgebuadzei sp. nov. represents a local lineage endemic to the Qinling Region, while this preliminary hypothesis needs to be confirmed in the future. Our novel discovery highlights that China harbors a largely endemic fauna of the Lymnaeidae and that isolated mountain ranges in East Asia could be considered evolutionary hotspots of the radicine pond snails.

We report for the first time the presence of Tantilla alticola in the department of Tolima, Colombia. This report represents the southernmost distribution point for this species in the Central Cordillera of the Colombian Andes.

The check list of Tabanidae fauna found in Uruguay is presented. We used data of previously identifed species from the available bibliography, captures made by the authors, and revision of specimens deposited in the collection of Entomology, Facultad de Ciencias, Uruguay, and Museo de La Plata, Argentina. Actually, a total of 14 genera and 43 species are known in Uruguay. Catachlorops muscosus(Enderlein), Chrysops brevifasciaLutz, and Dasybasis alticola(Enderlein) are recorded for the frst time in Uruguay. Se actualiza la lista de especies de la familia Tabanidae citadas para el Uruguay. Se utilizaron datos previos tomados de la bibliografía, capturas hechas por los autores, y ejemplares de la colección de Entomología de la Facultad de Ciencias, Uruguay, y del Museo de La Plata, Argentina. Actualmente Tabanidae está representada en Uruguay por 43 especies y 14 géneros. Catachlorops muscosus(Enderlein), Chrysops brevifasciaLutz, y Dasybasis alticola(Enderlein) se registran por primera vez en Uruguay.

We documented preliminary study of coat color variations within Maxomys, one of the most common rats in the Southeast Asian region. We sampled the skin specimens that mostly deposited at Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense, Indonesia. Quantitative measurements of coat color using spectrophotometer revealed no significant difference in the dorsal pelage showing mostly dark brown (L*= 25-30, a*= 5-7, b*= 10-15). The ventral colorations were variable among the species. We classified five different color types based on the measurements: whitish grey (M. baeodon, M. whiteheadi, M. musschenbroekii, M. bartelsii, and M. dollmani), orange dark brown (M. hylomyoides), chestnut orange (M. ochraceiventer), yellowish brown (M. alticola) and creamy white (M. rajah, M. hellwaldii, and M. surifer). These fur color characteristics can be useful in species recognition, together with the craniometric features. Furthermore, molecular study of coat color variation within Maxomys spp. is needed to elucidate the mechanisms of phenotypic variation in morphology that affect the patterns of divergence, speciation and evolutionary history of Maxomys. Here, we failed to obtain the sequences from Maxomys using Mc1r (melanocortin-1 receptor) gene, and probably will be better to use other gene such as ASIP (agouti signaling peptide) gene.

In this article, we present the nearly complete mitochondrial genome of the Subalpine Kashmir voleHyperacrius fertilis(Arvicolinae, Cricetidae, Rodentia), assembled using data from Illumina next-generation sequencing (NGS) of the DNA from a century-old museum specimen. De novo assembly consisted of 16,341 bp and included all mitogenome protein-coding genes as well as 12S and 16S RNAs, tRNAs and D-loop. Using the alignment of protein-coding genes of 14 previously published Arvicolini tribe mitogenomes, seven Clethrionomyini mitogenomes, and alsoOndatraandDicrostonyxoutgroups, we conducted phylogenetic reconstructions based on a dataset of 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs) under maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. Phylogenetic analyses robustly supported the phylogenetic position of this species within the tribe Arvicolini. Among the Arvicolini,Hyperacriusrepresents one of the early-diverged lineages. This result of phylogenetic analysis altered the conventional view on phylogenetic relatedness betweenHyperacriusandAlticolaand prompted the revision of morphological characters underlying the former assumption. Morphological analysis performed here confirmed molecular data and provided additional evidence for taxonomic replacement of the genusHyperacriusfrom the tribe Clethrionomyini to the tribe Arvicolini.

Mutual relations of Yersinia pestis and fleas are a necessary condition to estimation the role of carriers in maintenance of the causative agent circulation. Objective – the comparative analysis of frequency of «conglomerate» and «block» formations by Y. pestis in fleas parasitizing on the main and minor carriers in the Tuva natural focus. Materials and methods. Results of experiments with representatives of eight genera of Siphonaptera order and Y. pestis subsp. pestis from the Tuva focus were analyzed. Mammals with various epizootological roles in the focus were used as flea fooders. Frequency of «block» and bacterial «conglomerate» formations and death of the infected insects was estimated. Results and discussion. The highest level of block formation was observed in Citellophilus tesquorum altaicus, Frontopsylla elatoides, Neopsylla mana, Oropsylla alaskensis, Rhadinopsylla li transbaicalica – parasites of the basic carrier (Spermophilus undulates). Formation of «conglomerates» was more often revealed in F. hetera, Paradoxopsyllus scalonae, P. scorodumovi, P. dashidorzhii, Amphipsylla primaris – ectoparasites of the minor carriers (Ochotona pallasi, Alticola strelzovi). Positive connection between frequency of Y. pestis conglomerate formations in fleas and their death rate was detected. Maximal death rate of the carrier was observed at high degree of Y. pestis aggregation. It was supposed that fleas of the basic carrier participated in a greater degree in Y. pestis distribution and ectoparasites of the secondary carriers – in its persistence.

A new genus of Gonyleptidae Pachylinae, Qorimayus gen. nov., is described to place the high-altitude species originally named Parabalta alticola Ringuelet, endemic to Sierra de Famatina, western Argentina. While classical exomorphological features do not separate this new genus from Parabalta Roewer or Pachyloides Holmberg (to which the species was formerly combined), male genitalic features, especially the shape of the ventral process of stylus, differ clearly. In turn, penis morphology suggests the systematic relationship of Qorimayus gen. nov. with the Chilean genera Metabalta Roewer and Nanophareus Roewer. A cladistic analysis was performed to test the phylogenetic affinities of the new genus; 28 terminals were used, comprising selected species of Parabalta, Pachyloides, Metabalta and Nanophareus, as well as other Gonyleptidae to represent the ‘subtropical’ and the ‘Chilean’ opiliofaunistic elements; the most external outgroups included one cosmetid, one metasarcid and one nomoclastid. Results supported the recognition of Qorimayus as an independent genus, and its close relationship with the Chilean genera Metabalta and Nanophareus. A detailed redescription of Qorimayus alticola comb. nov., along with some habitat notes are given. The presumed zoogeographical links of this endemic species with the central Chilean opiliofauna are briefly discussed. Fil: Acosta, Luis Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentina

The southern African winter-rainfall genus Ixia L., with almost 100 species, is divided into four sections, with sect. Ixia distinguished by a filiform perianth tube closely clasping the style, and filaments that occlude the mouth of perianth tube and are sometimes partly united but never decurrent in the tube. The section was last revised by G. J. Lewis in 1962, at which time it included 18 species and several varieties. Five species have since been described, I. atrandra Goldblatt & J.C. Manning, I. calendulacea Goldblatt & J.C. Manning, I. frederickii M.P. de Vos (subsequently reduced to synonymy in I. dubia Vent.), I. mostertii M.P. de Vos and I. superba Goldblatt & J.C. Manning. One more, I. purpureorosea G.J. Lewis, was later transferred to sect. Hyalis (Baker) Diels. Here we provide a revised key and synopsis of sect. Ixia as the final contribution in our series of systematic studies in the genus, which already includes revisions of sects. Dichone (Salisb. ex Baker) Goldblatt & J.C. Manning, Hyalis (Baker) Diels and Morphixia (Ker Gawl.) Pax. We recognize a total of 29 species in sect. Ixia , including five new species: I. alticola Goldblatt & J.C. Manning and I. angelae Goldblatt & J.C. Manning from the central Cedarberg; late-flowering I. helmei Goldblatt & J.C. Manning from near Bot River; I. roseoalba Goldblatt & J.C. Manning from the western Langeberg; and yellow- or pink-flowered, usually stoloniferous I. sarmentosa Goldblatt & J.C. Manning from marshes and seeps at low elevations in Western Cape. We also recognize white-flowered I. leucantha Jacq. (currently a synonym of I. polystachya L.), I. fuscocitrina Desf. ex DC. (currently a variety of I. maculata L.), and elevate I. polystachya var. longistylis M.P. de Vos to species rank as I. longistylis (M.P. de Vos) Goldblatt & J.C. Manning. I. patens var. linearifolia G.J. Lewis and I. viridiflora var. minor M.P. de Vos are reduced to synonymy in their respective species.

Muscid species of the ‘ Spilogona contractifrons species-group’ ( Spilogona alticola (Malloch, 1920), S. arctica (Zetterstedt, 1838), S. contractifrons (Zetterstedt, 1838), S. orthosurstyla Xue & Tian, 1988) and of the ‘ Spilogona nitidicauda species-group’ ( S. nitidicauda (Schnabl, 1911), S. hissarensis Hennig, 1959, S. imitatrix (Malloch, 1921), S. platyfrons Sorokina, 2018) are notoriously difficult to distinguish. In this paper, their morphological features are analysed, images of the male head, frons and abdomen of all the species are given, and the male terminalia are figured. The study of extensive material has shown that all the morphologically recognised species in each of these groups are valid species. An identification key is provided for both groups of species. To confirm the morphological differences, genetic differences in the cytochrome oxidase I gene of flies of the ‘ Spilogona contractifrons species-group’ and of the ‘ Spilogona nitidicauda species-group’ were analysed. It is shown that members of both groups of species have not only distinguishing morphological characters but also fixed substitutions in the DNA sequences. Since a low interspecific polymorphism is known in the Muscidae Latreille, 1802, the revealed genetic distances confirm the existence of separate species or subspecies in each of the groups studied.

A new homothallic Phytophthora species, isolated in Western Australia (WA), is described as Phytophthora boodjera sp. nov. It produces persistent, papillate sporangia, oogonia with thick-walled oospores, and paragynous antheridia. Although morphologically similar to P. arenaria, phylogenetic analyses of the ITS, cox1, HSP90, β-tubulin and enolase gene regions revealed P. boodjera as a new species. In addition, P. boodjera has a higher optimal temperature for growth and a faster growth rate. Phytophthora boodjera has only recently been found in Western Australia and has mostly been isolated from dead and dying Eucalyptus seedlings in nurseries and from urban tree plantings, and occasionally from disturbed natural ecosystems. It is found in association with declining and dying Agonis flexuosa, Banksia media, B. grandis, Corymbia calophylla, Eucalyptus spp,. and Xanthorrhoea preissii. The status of P. alticola was also reviewed. The loss of all isolates associated with the original description except one; discrepancies in both sequence data and morphology of the remaining isolate with that presented the original description, and inconclusive holotype material places the status of this species in doubt.

53. Silver Mountain Vole Alticola argentatus French: Campagnol argenté / German: Silberfell-Gebirgswiihimaus / Spanish: Topillo de montana plateado Taxonomy. Arvicola argentata [sic] Severtzov, 1879, Alichur, Murgab District, Pamir Mountains, Tajikistan. In the past, A. argentatus was synonymized with A. roylei. It is paraphyletic with respect to A. albicauda and is most probably an artificial assemblage. Some authors regard blanfordi as a distinct species. Eight subspecies recognized. Subspecies and Distribution. A.a.argentatusSevertzov,1879—PamirMtsinEUzbekistan,Tajikistan,WChina,andNAfghanistan. A.a.blanfordiScully,1880—KashmirinNPakistanandNWIndia. A.a.parvidensSchlitter&Setzer,1973—KhyberPakhtunkhwaProvinceinNPakistan. A.a.phasmaG.S.Miller,1912—EKarakoruminSWChina(Xizang). A.a.severtzoviTichomirov&Korchagin,1889—TianShanMtsinKazakhstanandKyrgyzstan. A.a.subluteusThomas,1914—TianShanMtsinEKazakhstan,Kyrgyzstan,andNWChina(Xinjiang). A.a.tarasoviRossolimo&Pavlinov,1992—TianShanMtsinKyrgyzstanandNWChina(Xinjiang). A. a. worthingtoni G. S. Miller, 1906 — Basin of Tekes, Tian Shan Mts, Xinjiang, NW China. Subspecies range limits poorly resolved and not all populations have subspecific names, including some mountain ranges in S & E Kazkhstan, E Uzbekistan, and NW China (Karatau, Nuratau, Dzungarian Alatau, Tarbagatai, and Saur Mts). Descriptive notes. Head-body 87-119 mm, tail 36-64 mm; weight 20-8-54-6 g. The Silver Mountain Vole is highly variable in all aspects of its morphology. Size is small to medium, and tail is moderately long, accounting for 32-51% of head-body length. Tail is sparsely haired, lightly penciled, and uniformly whitish or bicolored. Females have four pairs of nipples. Among Silver Mountain Voles from the Osh region in southwestern Kyrgyzstan, ¢.28% of individuals had cheek pouches (length 35-9 mm, width 4-9-14-7 mm) that extended back to shoulders; individuals from the rest of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan lacked such pouches. Vibrissae are up to 37 mm long. Fur is soft (length up to 10 mm) and variable in color, sandy brown to brown above and pure white to light gray on belly. Demarcation along flanks is faint or distinct. Feet are white. Juveniles are dull gray and start molting into adult pelage at weights of 18-20 g and finish at 26-27 g. Color differences may relate to aridity. Skull is lightly built, with long braincase and short orbit. Molars are small and light, hypsodont, and rootless; they have long drawn-out appearance of grinding surfaces, thin enamel, squeezed dental fields, and wide reentrant folds with little cement. Habitat. Rocky areas, talus slopes, and accumulations of boulders at elevations of 500-4300 m. Silver Mountain Voles avoid dense vegetation, and southern exposures are preferred. Food and Feeding. Silver Mountain Voles eat primarily roots and seeds in winter and green plants for the rest of the year. Invertebrates, flowers, fruits, bark, mosses, and lichens form smaller portions of diets. In Kazakhstan, the following plants are most important: knotweed (Polygonum, Polygonaceae); locoweeds (Oxytropis), white clover (Trifolium repens), alpine milkvetch (Astragalus alpinus), bramble vetch (Vicia tenuifolia), and false lupin (Thermopsis), all Fabaceae; lousewort (Pedicularis, Orobanchaceae); spurge (Euphorbia, Euphorbiaceae); white nettle (Lamium album, LLamiaceae); cinquefoils (Potentilla, Rosaceae); cranesbills (Geranium, Geraniaceae); wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum, Lamiaceae) and edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum, Asteraceae). When vegetation starts growing, plants are collected, dried, and cached for winter. Silver Mountain Voles regularly turn over these piles to expedite drying. Caches consist of up to 29-40 different species of plants, depending on location. They weight 2-42 g, rarely up to 700 g, but caches of 270-1500 g were recorded on Trans-Ili Alatau (northern Tian Shan) in October. In autumn, dried plants are stored in well ventilated fissures and under stones. Various items found locally (e.g. bones and excrement) are mixed with caches and overmarked with urine and feces by owners. They do not cache in mesic habitats where plants remain lush throughout the growing season and where they are covered by snow. Seeds are transported in cheek pouches that can contain 0-2-5 g of food. Breeding. Pregnant Silver Mountain Voles have been recorded in February-December, but main breeding season is in March—October and May-September at high elevations. Winter reproduction has been recorded at lower elevations. Females have 2-3 litters/year, and numbers of embryos per female is 2-9. Average numbers of embryos are higher at mid-elevations in forest and subalpine zones (4-8 embryos/female) and lower in lowlands (3-5) and alpine zone (3-8). At high elevations of Kazakhstan where breeding season is curtailed to 2-5-3 months, females have an average of 6 embryos, but 6-8 embryos/female were reported from Kyrgyzstan. Winter litters are small, with averages of 3-3-8 embryos/female. Young females become sexually mature and have 1-2 litters during theirfirst year oflife. Activity patterns. Silver Mountain Voles are diurnal, with peaks in activity at 05:00-07:00 h and 18:00-20:00 h. They are active throughout the year. In winter, they stay under snow, only rarely emerging on the surface. They move around by walking and running, and they are good climbers, skillfully moving also across steep and hanging rocky walls. They occasionally climb in bushes. They do not dig burrows but seek shelter in fissures and cracks. They only exceptionally use burrows under roots of trees and shrubs around rocky outcrops. Rocky shelters can be protected against adverse environmental conditions by walls constructed of stones, excrement, and urine. A shelter found in Kazakhstan was 1 m long and 10-18 cm high. Spherical nests are constructed from plant debris and are divided into a resting part and brooding chamber. Nest chamber is lined with grass. Nests are 13-40 cm long, 8-44 cm width, and 11-60 cm deep. Movements, Home range and Social organization. Silver Mountain Voles can move up to 500 m away from their nests. They live in kin groups of 7-9 individuals. Feces are deposited in certain places. Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Bibliography. Davydov (1988), Gromov & Erbajeva (1995), Litvinov et al. (2015), Nadachowski & Mead (1999), Rossolimo & Pavlinov (1992), Shenbrot & Krasnov (2005), Sludskiy et al. (1978), Tarasovskaya (1993)., Published as part of Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Cricetidae, pp. 204-535 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on pages 304-305, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6707142

55. Kashmir Mountain Vole Alticola montosus French: Campagnol du Cachemire / German: KaschmirGebirgswiihimaus / Spanish: Topillo de montana de Cachemira Other common names: Central Kashmir Vole, True'’s Vole Taxonomy. Arvicola montosa [sic] True, 1894, “Central Kashmir, [N India], 11,000 feet [= 3353 m].” In the past, A. montosus was synonymized with A. roylei or A. argentatus. The specific name is often incorrectly spelled montosa. Latin names ending with cola (Arvicola, Alticola, etc.) are masculine therefore montosa requires modification of the suffix into —osus. Monotypic. Distribution. Known from few localities in NE Pakistan and NW India. Descriptive notes. Head-body 102-126 mm, tail 41-65 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. The Kashmir Mountain Vole is moderately large, with tail 36-61% of head-body length. Pelage is long and soft, dorsally dark brown and below gray, clouded slate by underfur. Skull has expanded zygomatic arches and small bullae, resembling Royle’s Mountain Vole (A. roylei). Enamel pattern of the M? distinguishes the Kashmir Mountain Vole from other species of Alticola. Dentaltriangles are isolated, and there are four inner salient angles. Habitat. Rocky areas in subalpine scrubs and alpine meadows at elevations of 2600-4700 m. Food and Feeding. Kashmir Mountain Voles have been observed eating stems and leaves of Artemisia (Asteraceae), Polygonum amplexicaule (Polygonaceae), and Thymus serpyllum (Lamiaceae). Breeding. No information. Activity patterns. No information. Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information. Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List (as A. montosa). Area of occurrence is estimated to be more than 20,000 km?, but area of occupancy is given as one-tenth that, or just 2000 km?®. Justification for the classification is distributional fragmentation, small area of occupancy, and continued decline in extent and quality of habitat. Conservation Assessment and Management Plan for South Asian Non-volant Small Mammals classified the Kashmir Mountain Vole as least concern in India and critically endangered in Pakistan. Justification for the classification of the Pakistani population is isolation and threats affecting habitat. Bibliography. Awan et al. (2004), Molur et al. (2005), Rossolimo & Pavlinov (1992)., Published as part of Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Cricetidae, pp. 204-535 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on page 305, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6707142

58. Tuva Mountain Vole Alticola tuvinicus French: Campagnol de Touva / German: Tuwa-Gebirgswiihimaus / Spanish: Topillo de montana de Tuva Other common names: Tuva Silver Vole Taxonomy. Alticola tuvinicus Ognev, 1950, vicinity of town Kyzyl, Tuvan Republic (S Siberia), Russia. Alticola tuvinicus was frequently synonymized with A. argentatus or A. roylei, and A. olchonensis was treated as a subspecies of A. tuvinicus. Monotypic. Distribution. S Russia (Khakassia and Tuva) and NW Mongolia (Mongol Altai); isolated population around Lake Khuvsgul in N Mongolia. Descriptive notes. Head—body 99-125 mm, tail 36-49 mm; weight 27-5-54-5 g. The Tuva Mountain Vole is similar in size and body proportion to the Silver Mountain Vole (A. argentatus). Tail is moderately long, 34-42% of head-body length, thick, well-haired, and tufted. Pelageis soft and long, gray or gray-brown dorsally, cream below, frequently heavily washed buff. Tail is clearly bicolored. Skull is strongly built but shallow, much like in the Mongolian Mountain Vole (A. semicanus). Mandible is long and low. Molars are like in other species of Alticola, i.e. hypsodont and rootless, with thin enamel and not much cement in reentrant angles. Habitat. Rocky places and talus slopes sparsely covered with grasses and occasional bushes and birch (Betula, Betulaceae) trees. Majority of records in Khakassia and Tuva are from elevations of 400-800 m. The Tuva Mountain Voles spreads deep into flat steppe and occasionally occupies semi-deserts. About 70 plant species have been recorded in occupied sites. Food and Feeding. More than 40 plant species were identified in diets of Tuva Mountain Voles. Dry plants are hoarded for winter in dry fissures and under stones. Breeding. Breeding season of the Tuva Mountain Volesstarts in May. Females have up to 2 litters /season; numbers of embryos are 4-5. Activity patterns. No information. Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information. Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Overall distribution is ¢.135,000 km?. In the Mongolian Red List, the Tuva Mountain Vole is in the data deficient category,justified by lack of information on distribution, population size, trends, and threats. Bibliography. Batsaikhan et al. (2008), Clark et al. (2006), Rossolimo & Pavlinov (1992), Shenbrot & Krasnov (2005), Yudin et al. (1979)., Published as part of Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Cricetidae, pp. 204-535 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on page 306, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6707142

62. Stoliczka’s Mountain Vole Alticola stoliczkanus French: Campagnol de Stoliczka / German: Stoliczka-Gebirgswiihimaus / Spanish: Topillo de montana de Stoliczka Taxonomy. Arvicola stoliczkanus Blanford, 1875, “Nubra valley, Ladak [= Ladakh]; Aktagh near Karakoram Pass,” India. In the past, A. stoliczkanus included A. barakshin. Some authors treat stracheyi as specifically distinct from stoliczkanus. There is no consensus on number of subspecies, and several are known from a single site. Three subspecies recognized. Subspecies and Distribution. A. s. stoliczkanus Blanford, 1875 — N Pakistan and NW India. A. s. bhatnagari Biswas & Khajuria, 1955 — Himalaya in Nepal, NE India (Sikkim), and possibly N Buthan. A. s. lama Barrett-Hamilton, 1900 — the entire Tibetan Plateau. Descriptive notes. Head—body 93-127 mm,tail 13-27 mm; weight 21-50 g. Stoliczka’s Mountain Vole is small to medium sized. Tail is short, 13-22% of head-body length and densely covered with white hairs; terminal pencil is 8:5-9-5 mm. Ears are rounded, protruding only slightly above fur. Feet are small and whitish; claws are hidden by long hairs. Females have four pairs of nipples. Fur is up to 15 mm long, soft, light yellowish brown or rusty brown and interspersed with longer dark brown hairs. Belly is white, with slate underfur. Demarcation along flanks is frequently sharp. Juveniles are darker and grayer than adults. Skull is angular, weakly ridged, with expanded zygomatic arches and short braincase. Molars are hypsodont, with thin enamel and limited cementum in reentrant angles. M* is most simplified among species of Alticola, with only two inner salient angles. Habitat. Moraines, boulders, accumulations of rock, and talus slopes above tree line at elevations of 3340-6140 m. Stoliczka’s Mountain Vole was also found on mountain peaks completely encircled by glaciers (nunataks). Food and Feeding. No information. Breeding. Female Stoliczka’s Mountain Voles have two litters of 4-5 young each in April-August. Activity patterns. Stoliczka’s Mountain Vole is predominantly nocturnal, even at temperatures down to —15°C, and rarely seen during the day. Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information. Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Bibliography. Daniel & Hanzak (1985), Gregori & Petrov (1976), Lunde (2008), Mead & Nadachowski (1999), Rossolimo & Pavlinov (1992), Shenbrot & Krasnov (2005)., Published as part of Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Cricetidae, pp. 204-535 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on page 307, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6707142

57. Strelzov’s Mountain Vole Alticola strelzouvi French: Campagnol de Streltzov / German: Flachkopf-Gebirgswiihimaus / Spanish: Topillo de montana de Strelzow Other common names: Flat-headed Mountain Vole, Flat-headed Vole Taxonomy. Microtus strelzovi Kastschenko, 1900, near Lake Teniga, Altai Mountains, Altai Krai, Russia. In the past, A. strelzovi has been consist ently classified as the only member of the subgenus Platycranius. Phylogenetic reconstructions based on molecular markers showed that despite its unique cranial morphology, A. strelzovi nests among other mountain voles occupying Central Asia. At c.80° E, A. strelzouvi 1s subdivided into two phylogenetic lineages. Two subspecies recognized. Subspecies and Distribution. A.s.strelzoviKastschenko,1900—AltaiMtsinRussiaandNWMongoliaextendingintoSTuva. A. s. desertorum Kastschenko, 1901 — E Kazakhstan, NW China (Xinjiang), and W Mongolia; possibly also in Russia S of Gorno-Altaysk. Descriptive notes. Head-body 101-135 mm,tail 33-47 mm; weight 34-58 g. Females are on average heavier and have slightly longer head—body length than males. Strelzow’s Mountain Vole has large semi-circular ears and moderately long tail ¢.33% of head—body length, which gets longer with elevation. Pelage is long (c.13 mm) and dense (138 hairs/ mm?), grayish brown dorsally and whitish gray below. Young individuals are duller and start molting when they weigh 20-27 g. Shoulders and area around ears are frequently buff. Tail is white, shaded cream in some individuals, densely covered by stiff hairs, terminating into distinct pencil. Feet are whitish. Females have four pairs of nipples. Skull is extremely flat and further depressed in interorbital region. Viewed from dorsalside, interorbital region is flat and wide, and zygomatic arches are bowed. Mandible is elongated, relatively lower than in other species of Alticola. Molars show no peculiarities other than those seen in other species of Alticola. M” has three inner salient angles. Habitat. Accumulations of rocks, isolated boulders, and talus slopes in steppes and semi-deserts at elevations of 400-3000 m. Strelzow’s Mountain Vole seeks shelter in cracks and fissures, frequently on steep slopes (5-70°). Deep horizontal fissures are preferred because vertical cracks shelter less effectively against rain that can decay caches. High humidity is limiting northern distribution, and frequent droughts define southern distribution. Food and Feeding. Strelzow’s Mountain Vole predominantly eats green plants and seeds. Lichens can be important in diet in late winter and early spring. Diet is diverse, with ¢.200 species known to be eaten. Most commonly found in caches are various species of sagebrush (Artemisia) and centaury (Centaurea), both Asteraceae; field pennycress (Thlaspi arvense, Brassicaceae); savin juniper (Juniperus sabina, Cupressaceae); Siberian chives (Allium nutans) and snowdrop onion (Allium galanthum), both Amaryllidaceae; eastern pasqueflower (Pulsatilla patens, Ranunculaceae); stonecrops (Sedum) and dunce caps (Orostachys spinosa), both Crassulaceae; currant (Ribes saxatile, Crossulariaceae); double flowering meadowsweet (Filipendula hexapetala), cinquefoils (Potentilla bifurca), prickly rose (Rosa acicularis), bibernal rose (R. spinosissima), and various species of spirea (Spiraea), all Rosaceae; yellow lucerne (Medicago falcata) and bramble vetch (Vicia tenuifolia), both Fabaceae; milkwort (Polygala hybrida, Polygalaceae); woolly speedwell (Veronica incana, Plantaginaceae); bedstraw (Gallium, Rubiaceae); and honeysuckle (Lonicera microphylla, Caprifoliaceae). Usually 5-10 plant species make up the majority of a cache. Strelzow’s Mountain Voles start gathering plants for caches immediately in spring (e.g. early May in Ereymentau District Mountains, northern Kazakhstan) and continue into autumn. Between 40 and 68 species of plants have been identified in caches, depending on region. In summer, most dry plant material consist of leaves (50-60%), followed by stems (20-30%) and flowers and seeds (c.15%). Plants are gathered into small heaps that can be up to 40-50 m from a nest. There can be up to 43 heaps/m?. In Khakassia and Tuva, southern Russia, they collect plants up to 80-100 m from the nest in summer and 150-200 m in autumn. Dry plants are cached in rocky caverns that can be large; e.g. in Kazakhstan, a cavern measuring 200 x 100 x 50 cm contained 8 kg of plant matter. It is estimated that a colony has 3.5-6 kg (mean 4-5 kg) of cached plants. Caches contain also dry insects, mummified reptiles and small mammals, and bones of large mammals, all with clear signs of gnawing. Fungi are locally important, making up ¢.50% of caches. Caches can rot in rainy weather or be destroyed by insects. While feeding on caches, Strelzow’s Mountain Voles always stay under shelter. Breeding. Female Strelzow’s Mountain Voles deliver two litters with 2-11 young annually. Mean numbers of embryos per female are 5-9-7-3 and vary among localities. Firstlitter is larger (4-9 young, mean 7-1) than second litter (4-7, 5-1). Resorption of embryos was not observed in Kazakhstan. Pregnant females can share the same nest. Activity patterns. Strelzow’s Mountain Vole is active day and night and throughout the year. It avoids leaving the nest in heavy wind and rain. Nest is constructed of grass, with diameters of 10-25 cm, and is hidden under a stone or in a fissure. These places buffer against climatic extremes of the surrounding environment; e.g. when daily temperature outside the nest is 18°C,it is only 4°C in the shelter. Horizontal rocky shelters can be further protected against adverse environmental conditions by a stony wall constructed by its occupants. Strelzow’s Mountain Voles use incisors to carry 1-36 g stones, corresponding to as much as one-third of their body weights. Mean weights of stones are 6-6-12-5 g, depending on the wall. Stones are mixed with excrements and urine to consolidate materials. Walls are usually 3-4 m long, ¢.30 cm high, and 30 cm wide at the base, but much larger walls have been reported measuring up 8-10 m long, I m high, and up to 1 m wide at their bases. Movements, Home range and Social organization. Strelzow’s Mountain Vole moves around by walking, running, and jumping. It can jump a distance of 50 cm and up to 40 cm high. It is agile climber over steep (60-70) rocks and on plants. It is able to climb up a stalk not more than 6-7 mm wide and can climb trees up to 10 m high. It is also good swimmer and was observed swimming across a river 10m wide. Distances between nest chamber and feeding ground can be 100-170 m. Strelzow’s Mountain Voles live in groups and share one or more communal shelters. Shelters vary in size. Normally, there is enough of room for nest and cache, but sometimes shelters are so small they can hardly accommodate nests. Two shelters of the same group can be up to 25 m apart. Family groups are dispersed due to the mosaic nature of rocky environments. In Ereymentau and Chingiz-Tau Mountains (Kazakhstan), family groups can be up to 150-800 m apart, and in Kazakh highlands, there were 1-12 groups/ha. In Khakassia and Tuva, groups occupied 40-450 m*. Groups have 3-6 individuals (mean 4-2) in spring and 5-11 individuals (8-1) in summer. Tails play roles in communication among individuals. While moving around,tails are elevated at angles of 25-40". Tail flips are visible from various distances, even in dark underground situations. Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List (as A. strelzown). Bibliography. Chertilina et al. (2012), Gromov & Erbajeva (1995), Shenbrot & Krasnov (2005), Sludskiy et al. (1978), Yudin et al. (1979)., Published as part of Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Cricetidae, pp. 204-535 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on pages 305-306, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6707142

54. White-tailed Mountain Vole Alticola albicauda French: Campagnol a queue blanche / German: WeilRschwanz-Gebirgswiihimaus / Spanish: Topillo de montana de cola blanca Taxonomy. Arvicola albicauda True, 1894, “Braldu Valley, Baltistan [= Northern Areas, Parkistan].” Widely used name albicaudus have been changed as the original albicauda is invariable. In the past, A. albicauda was synonymized with A. royler. Monotypic. Distribution. Known from only a handful specimens collected at high elevations in Kashmir (NE Pakistan and NW India). Descriptive notes. Head-body 101-108 mm, tail 28-32 mm. No specific data are available for body weight. The Whitetailed Mountain Vole is small and short-tailed. Pelage is moderately soft, with hairs up to 15 mm long. There are four pairs of nipples. Back is light gray, clouded rusty, and belly is whitish gray. Tail is densely covered with hairs and well-tufted, white or light gray throughout. Feet are white, with nude palmar and plantar surface. Skull is lightly built, with no ridges. Molars are rootless, with long drawn-out appearances. Dental fields are squeezed, and wide reentrant folds are filled with little cement. Habitat. Rocky areas at elevations of 3600-4250 m. Food and Feeding. No information. Breeding. No information. Activity patterns. No information. Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information. Status and Conservation. Classified as Data Deficient on The IUCN Red List (as Alticola albicaudus). Distribution of the White-tailed Mountain Vole is in the disputed Kashmir region where little research has been done. Conservation Assessment and Management Plan for South Asian Non-volant Small Mammals concluded that the White-tailed Mountain Vole is probably highly threatened and recommended “an ex situ [breeding] program for insurance purposes” and additional research. Bibliography. Molur et al. (2005), Rossolimo & Pavlinov (1992), Shenbrot & Krasnov (2005)., Published as part of Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Cricetidae, pp. 204-535 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on page 305, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6707142

59. Gobi Altai Mountain Vole Alticola barakshin French: Campagnol de Bannikov / German: Gobi-Altai-Gebirgswiihimaus / Spanish: Topillo de montana de Altai Other common names: Gobi Altai High Mountain Vole, Gobi Altai's Vole Taxonomy. Alticola barakshin Bannikov, 1947, Dzun Saykhan, Gurvan Saykhan Ridge, Govi Altai Mountains, S Mongolia. In the past, A. barakshin was synonymized with A. stoliczkanus, A. royler, and A. argentatus. Monotypic. Distribution. Altai Mts in Russia (Tuva), Mongolia, and China (Barkol County and marginally adjacent areas in extreme E Xinjiang). Descriptive notes. Head-body 95-129 mm, tail 15-30 mm; weight 28-3-62-8 g. With its short tail (14-25% of headbody length), the Gobi Altai Mountain Vole resembles Stoliczka’s Mountain Vole (A. stoliczkanus). Back is brownish gray; belly is dirty white. Tail is densely covered with hairs, light sandy above and white below. Skull is robust, with shallow and long braincase, large bullae, and robust interparietal bone. Molars are hypsodont and rootless, with elongated appearance of grinding surfaces. The Gobi Altai Mountain Vole and Stoliczka’s Mountain Vole are the only mountain voles (Alticola) with two inner salient angles on M?; all remaining species have 3-4 salient angles. Habitat. Shrubby habitats, often with junipers (Juniperus, Cupressaceae), in semi-deserts and high-elevation steppe up to the highest recorded elevation of 2500 m. The Gobi Altai Mountain Vole is less dependent on rocky substrate than other species of Alticola. Food and Feeding. Steams of crested white grass (Agropyron cristatum, Poaceae) were found around burrows of Gobi Altai Mountain Voles. Plants are dried and stored in winter caches. Breeding. A captured female had six placental scars. Activity patterns. The Gobi Altai Mountain Vole is mainly nocturnal. It seeks shelter among rocks and also digs burrows with numerous entrances. Movements, Home range and Social organization. No information. Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List. Most of the distribution of ¢.226,000 km? is in south-western Mongolia. In the Mongolian Red List, the Gobi Altai Mountain Vole is classified as data deficient because of lack of information on distribution, populations size and trends, and threats. Bibliography. Bannikov (1954), Clark et al. (2006), Flint et al. (1965), Hou Lanxin et al. (1995), Ognev (1950), Rossolimo (1989)., Published as part of Don E. Wilson, Russell A. Mittermeier & Thomas E. Lacher, Jr, 2017, Cricetidae, pp. 204-535 in Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 7 Rodents II, Barcelona :Lynx Edicions on pages 306-307, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.6707142

Two new species of Romulea are described from the Cape Floristic Region: Romulea alticola (subgenus Romulea) from the Jonkershoek Mountains has purple flowers with an orange cup and diagnostic papery, almost fibrous corm tunics; and Romulea monophylla (subgenus Spatalanthus) from the Cedarberg has a solitary leaf and orange flowers with submembranous outer and inner bracts with colourless margins. We provide descriptions, illustrations and notes on distribution and ecology.

Four new species of Trigonalyidae are described and illustrated from Qinling Mts (Shaanxi, NW China): Bareogonalos xibeidai Tan & van Achterberg, sp. n., Jezonogonalos mandibularis sp. n., J. shaanxiensis sp. n., and Taeniogonalos paraclypeata sp. n. Orthogonalys hirasana Teranishi, 1929, is re-instated and reported from China. The female of Taeniogonalos alticola (Tsuneki, 1991) is described for the first time. In total, 18 species are known from Shaanxi province, 20 species for NW China, and eight described species are newly recorded for Shaanxi: Jezonogonalos luteata Chen et al., 2014, Orthogonalys hirasana Teranishi, 1929, O. elongata Teranishi, 1929, Pseudogonalos hahnii (Spinola, 1840), Taeniogonalos alticola (Tsuneki, 1991), T. formosana (Bischoff, 1913), T. taihorina (Bischoff, 1914), and Teranishia glabrata Chen et al., 2014. Poecilogonalos maga Teranishi, 1929, syn. n. and Taiwanogonalos claripennis Tsuneki, 1991, syn. n. are new synonyms of Taeniogonalos taihorina (Bischoff, 1914) and Taiwanogonalos alishana Tsuneki, 1991, syn. n. of Taeniogonalos alticola (Tsuneki, 1991). Revised keys to species of the genera Bareogonalos, Jezonogonalos, and Orthogonalys are included.

Based on a single specimen collected in La Delfina, municipality of Dagua, department of Valle del Cauca, we fills a record gap of 255 km in the distribution of the snake Tantilla alticola in western Colombia.

A taxonomic revision of Carapa (Meliaceae) in Ecuador is provided with the recognition of four species, C. megistocarpa which has cauliflorous inflorescences, C. nicaraguensis previously described and currently placed as synonym of C. guianensis and two new species (C. alticola and C. longipetala). The new species are close to C. guianensis based on their 4-merous flowers borne at the end of the branches. However, C. alticola differs from C. guianensis in having larger leaflets with prominent secondary veins, seeds with rounded edges and short poorly ramified inflorescences, while C. longipetala can be distinguised from C. guianensis in having distinctly pedicellate flowers and 6-ovulate ovary loculi. The new species are described, illustrated, and a key to the four species recognized in Ecuador is provided.

The diversity of ectoparasites in Southeast Asia and flea-host associations remain largely understudied. We explore specialization and interaction patterns of fleas infesting non-volant small mammals in Bornean rainforests, using material from a field survey carried out in two montane localities in northwestern Borneo (Sabah, Malaysia) and from a literature database of all available interactions in both lowland and montane forests. A total of 234 flea individuals collected during our field survey resulted in an interaction network of eight flea species on seven live-captured small mammal species. The interaction network from all compiled studies currently includes 15 flea species and 16 small mammal species. Host specificity and niche partitioning of fleas infesting diurnal treeshrews and squirrels were low, with little difference in specialization among taxa, but host specificity in lowland forests was found to be higher than in montane forests. By contrast, Sigmactenus alticola (Siphonaptera: Leptopsyllidae) exhibited low host specificity by infesting various montane and lowland nocturnal rats. However, this species exhibited low niche partitioning as it was the only commonly recorded flea from rats on Borneo. Overall complementary specialization was of intermediate intensity for both networks and differed significantly from random association; this has important implications for specific interactions that are also relevant to the potential spread of vector-borne diseases.

A new species in the previously monotypic, endemic New Caledonian genus Gastrolepis (Stemonuraceae) is described. Gastrolepis alticoladiffers from G. austrocaledonica by its shorter and thicker petioles, strongly coriaceous leaves with revolute margins, shorter inflorescences, and pubescent corollas. The new species is further distinguished by its ecology, occurring only in high-altitude maquis on two massifs in southern New Caledonia, Mt. Kouakoue and the Montagne des Sources. Gastrolepis alticola is assigned a preliminary conservation status of ‘Endangered’ using the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Red List criteria. Comparison of the IUCN threat status for the 19 species endemic to this distinctive, restricted vegetation type reveals a striking lack of consistency and underscores the need for a reassessment of the entire New Caledonian flora. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 157, 775–783.

During the summers of 2000, 2001, and 2002, 1,950 fecal samples from 4 families, 10 genera, and 16 species of rodents in Alaska, U.S.A. (N = 1,711), and Siberia, Russia (N = 239) were examined for coccidia (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae). The 4 families sampled were Dipodidae (jumping mice), Erethizontidae (New World porcupines), Muridae (mice, rats), and Cricetidae (voles, lemmings). Nineteen oocyst morphotypes were observed, of which 10 were consistent with descriptions of known coccidia species from murid hosts, 8 were similar to oocysts described previously from other genera than those in which they are found here (and are called Eimeria species 1–8), and 1 is described as new. In the Dipodidae, all from Alaska, 0/15 Zapus hudsonius had coccidian oocysts in their feces when examined. In the Erethizontidae, all from Alaska, 0/5 Erethizon dorsatum had oocysts when examined. In the Muridae, all from Russia, 0/5 Apodemus peninsulae had oocysts when examined. In the Cricetidae from Alaska, we found the ...

Three specimens of Tantilla alticola were collected from sector El Cóndor, Parque Nacional Natural Munchique, municipality of El Tambo, Cauca state, Colombia representing the first record in this state and filling the species’ geographical distribution through the western slope of the western cordillera of the Colombian Andes.

A treatment of Megalastrum (Dryopteridaceae - Pteridophyta) is provided for Bolivia. We recognize 14 species, of which six are described as new: M. alticola, M. aureisquama, M. bolivianum, M. ciliatum, M. marginatum, and M. rupicola. Also provided are notes and selected specimen citations for the other species, and a key to all Bolivian species of the genus.

Specimens Examined-Phrynobatrachus alticola from Tai National Park, Ivory Coast; specimens from the middle of the park near the town of Tai: SMNS 9729 1-4, 3 males, 1 female, transects IV, V & VIII, 16.III. and 6.IV.2000; SMNS 9730 1-3, males, SRET station, IV.1999; SMNS 9731 1-2, females, transect IX, VI.2000; SMNS 9733 1-19, larvae and juveniles, IX.2000; specimen from the South of the park near the village of Guiroutou: SMNS 9732, adult female, secondary forest, 1993. Adult and juvenile P alticola from Liberian and Guinean part of Mont Nimba: MNHN 1998 1547-48, Bord de Cavally. gal. forestiere, Mt. Nimba, Guin6e, 2.1.84; MNHN 1998.2695-96, entre grassfield et New Camp ruiseau en foret, Nimba Expedition, Liberia, 27.IX.66; MNHN 1998.2655, same locality, 20.V.1969; MNHN 1998.1524, 1998.1522, 1998.1527, same locality, 18.VIII.1966; MNHN 1998.2676, same locality, 27.X.1966; MNHN 1998.1533, old Bapa Ouest, Nimba Expedition, Liberia, 21.VII.1966; MNHN 1998.2524, grassfield foret, 450 m Nimba expedition, Liberia, 20.IX.1966; MNHN 1998.2524 & 2522, Grassfield, Mt. Nimba, Liberia, 500 m, pres de la foret?, 7.VII.1966; MNHN 41 specimens without number, New Mine Road, 700m (Seka valley forest), Liberian Nimba, 4.VII.1969; MNHN 1998.2664 and 2669 and 2670, grassfield, Nimba county, Mt. Nimba, Liberia, 1.VI.1969; MNHN 1998.1197, Nimba expedition, Liberia, grassfield, foret, 29.X.1966; MNHN 1998.2643 and 2645-2647, Mt. Alpha, Nimba Liberien, 1300 m, 4.V.1969; MNHN 1998.2618-2620 and 2624, Nimba (Liberia), 550-750 m, 28.XII.1965.

Mountain habitats host a large number of endemic species, which are vulnerable to climate change. We studied scorpion communities of the Central Andes in Argentina at 17 sites located in Andean and extra-Andean areas between 900 and 3400 m elevation. Using pitfall traps, we collected 254 individuals from seven species, all from the Bothriuridae family. Although we expected a decrease in richness towards the high altitude sites, we did not find a clear pattern. In turn, the lowest site was the most diverse and rich; other sites had similar richness values regardless of altitude. High-altitude sites were characterized by the presence of Orobothriurus Maury 1975 species. Orobothriurus alticola (Pocock 1899) has been found exclusively on Andean sites located above 3200 m, and O. grismadoi Ojanguren-Affilastro et al. 2009 has only been found at extra-Andean sites on Cerro Nevado. Community composition showed an association with altitude, with some species exclusive to high altitude sites and others only found at lower sites. Because of the ecological importance of scorpions in arid environments, this study provides base information that may help design conservation actions for these habitats. In particular, the presence of high-altitude specialists like Orobothriurus species seems relevant, since they may be used as bioindicator species. Fil: Fernández Campón, María Florencia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza; Argentina Fil: Lagos, Susana Judith. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; Argentina Fil: Fedeli, L. A.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; Argentina

One new species and two new subspecies of fleas are described. These are S. sulawesiensis n. sp. from North and Central Sulawesi, S. alticola pilosus n. ssp. from Central Sulawesi, and S. alticola crassinavis n. ssp. from North Sulawesi. All three of these new taxa are ectoparasites of native, endemic murine rodents. Two of the new taxa, S. sulawesiensis and S. alticola crassinavis, coexist on the same mountain, Gunung Moajat, in North Sulawesi. The related S. alticola alticola, which becomes the nominate subspecies, parasitises the murine rodent Maxomys alticola in northern Borneo (Sabah) and it is hypothesized that Sigmactenus first colonized Sulawesi as an ectoparasite of ancestral Maxomys, or perhaps Rattus, as these murines dispersed from southeast Asia to Sulawesi; 15 endemic murine rodent species belonging to these two genera are known to currently inhabit Sulawesi. An identification key and distribution map are included for all known species and subspecies of Sigmactenus. In addition to the three new taxa and S. a. alticola, these include: S. celebensis from South Sulawesi, S. timorensis from Timor, S. toxopeusi from New Guinea, and S. werneri from the Philippines (Mindanao and Negros).

The Chinese fauna of the family Trigonalyidae Cresson, 1887, is revised, keyed and fully illustrated for the first time. Eight genera of this family (Bakeronymus Rohwer, 1922; Bareogonalos Schulz, 1907; Jezonogonalos Tsuneki, 1991, re-instated; Lycogaster Shuckard, 1841; Orthogonalys Schulz, 1905; Pseudogonalos Schulz, 1906 and Taeniogonalos Schulz, 1906 and Teranishia Tsuneki, 1991) are recorded from China. The genus Ischnogonalos Schulz, 1907, is synonymized with Taeniogonalos Schulz, 1906 syn. n. In total 40 valid species are recognized. Twenty species are new for science: Jezonogonalos elliptifera sp. n., J. jiangliae sp. n., J.luteata sp. n., J. nigrata sp. n., Lycogaster angustula sp. n., L. flavonigrata sp. n., L. nigralva sp.n., Orthogonalys cheni sp. n., O. clypeata sp. n., O. robusta sp. n., Pseudogonalos angusta sp. n., Taeniogonalos bucarinata sp. n., T. cordata sp. n., T. geminata sp. n., T. sculpturata sp. n., T. triangulata sp. n., T. tricolorisoma sp. n., T. uncifera sp. n., Teranishia crenulata sp. n. and T. glabrata sp. n.. Two species are reported new for China: Orthogonalys elongata Teranishi, 1929 and Nanogonalos flavocincta Teranishi, 1929 (renamed to Taeniogonalos subtruncata nom. n.). Seven new synonyms are proposed: Poecilogonalos yuasai Teranishi, 1938, and P. maga taiwana Tsuneki, 1991, of Taeniogonalos taihorina (Bischoff, 1914); Taiwanogonalos minima Tsuneki, 1991, and T. similis Tsuneki, 1991, of Taeniogonalos alticola (Tsuneki,1991), P. intermedia Chen, 1949, and P. unifasciata Chen, 1949, of Taeniogonalos formosana (Bischoff, 1913). Six taxa are recognised as valid species: Bakeronymus seidakka Yamane & Terayama, 1983, Jezonogonalos laeviceps (Tsuneki, 1991), J. satoi (Tsuneki, 1991), Taeniogonalos alticola (Tsuneki, 1991), T. flavoscutellata (Chen, 1949) and T. gestroi (Schulz, 1908). Five new combinations are made: Jezonogonalos laeviceps (Tsuneki, 1991) comb. n., J. satoi (Tsuneki, 1991) comb. n., Taeniogonalos flavoscutellata (Chen, 1949) comb. n., T. gestroi (Schulz, 1908) comb. n. and T. lachrymosa (Westwood, 1874) comb. n.. Lectotypes are designated for Lycogaster violaceipennis Chen, 1949, Poecilogonalos flavoscutellata Chen, 1949, P. rufofasciata Chen, 1949, and P. tricolor Chen, 1949.

A single specimen of Tantilla alticola was collected from Parque Nacional G. D. Omar Torrijos Herrera of Coclé Province, Republic of Panama. This record fills in a gap in the distribution for this species within the cloud forests of Central America.

Diacyclops humphreysi n. sp. is described from the Cape Range karst area, North-west Cape Peninsula, Western Australia. The new species fits the Diacyclops crassicaudis-complex (Reid, 1992), being close to D. longifurcus Shen & Sung, 1963, from China and D. alticola Kiefer, 1935, from India. The Diacyclops crassicaudis-complex is for the first time recorded in Australia.

Using allozymes, I examined genetic variation in 23 populations of four cur- rently recognized subspecies of the Solitary Vireo (Vireo solitarius solitarius. V. s. alticola, V. s. cassinii, and V. s. plumbeus), with emphasis on the latter two taxa. Eighteen of 38 genetic loci (47.4%) were polymorphic. Intrataxon Nei's genetic distances were low (D = 0.0008) among populations of V. s. cassinii and I/ s. plumbeus. Average intertaxon Nei's D ranged from zero (V. s. solitarius vs. V. s. alticola) to 0.0030 (V s. solitarius vs. V. s. cassinii), 0.0033 (V. s. cassinii vs. V. s. alticola), 0.0283 (V. s. plumbeus vs. V. s. solitarius), 0.0288 (V. s. plumbeus vs. V. s. alticola), and 0.0294 (V. s. plumbeus vs. V. s. cassinii). Nei's D between the Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons) and the four taxa of Solitary Vireo ranged from 0.0430-0.0743. A mean F,, value of 0.289 over all populations of V. solitarius, and across combined populations of V. s. cassinii and V. s. plumbeus, indicated pronounced genetic discontinuity between these two forms. Gene flow estimates between populations representing the subset of V. s. cassinii and V. s. plumbeus ranged from one individual every two generations (Wright's 195 1 formula) to an average of 12 immigrants per generation over all populations (Slatkin's rare allele method). Based on strong allozymic divergence from the three other allopatric forms treated here, the Plumbeous Vireo (Vireo plumbeus) is a species. Although similar allozymically, the Cassin's Vireo (Vireo cassinii) and the Blue- headed Vireo (V. s. solitarius plus the "Mountain Vireo," V. s. alticola) also may deserve species status because data published by others demonstrate trenchant differences in voice and mtDNA base sequences.

This contribution to the knowledge of the genus Laparocerus Schoenherr, 1834 deals with the pending descriptions of ten new species and six new subspecies, needed for the presentation of the phylogram of the Canarian-African clade, where these taxa are included.The new taxa are: Laparocerus auarita n. sp. from La Palma; L. gerodes n. sp. , L. crotchi n. sp. and L. sanchezi arures n. ssp. from La Gomera; L. soniae n. sp. from Gran Canaria; and L. abona n. sp. , L. tauce n. sp. , L. sanctaecrucis n. sp. , L. punctiger n. sp. , L. canescens n. sp. , L. obscurus daute n. ssp. , L. dissimilis infernalis n. ssp. , L. dissimilis alticola n. ssp. , L. tafadensis n. sp. , L. tinguaro tabornoi n. ssp. , and L. tenuepunctatus oppositus n. spp . from Tenerife. In order to support some comparative diagnosis, redescriptions of Laparocerus tessellatus (Brull., 1839) and L. obscurus Wollaston, 1864 are provided. Laparocereus tanausu Machado, 2007 and L. magnificus Machado, 2011 are recorded for the first time from Tenerife, and the synonymy of Laparocerus excavatus lugubris Wollaston, 1864 with the nominal species is proposed. The total of 62 taxa (species and subspecies) resulting for Tenerife are included in a key in Spanish and English. Drawings of the genitalia of the new taxa and photographs of holotypes are provided.

The Aleocharinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) of Ontario were reviewed in the context of recently studied material, primarily from insect surveys conducted by the University of Guelph Insect Collection (Ontario, Canada). Aleochara daviesi Klimaszewski & Brunke sp. n., Agaricomorpha websteri Klimaszewski & Brunke sp. n., Atheta (Microdota) alesi Klimaszewski & Brunke sp. n., Dinaraea backusensis Klimaszewski & Brunke sp. n., and Strigota obscurata Klimaszewski & Brunke sp. n. are described as new to science. We also report 47 new Ontario records and 24 new Canadian records. Callicerus rigidicornis (Erichson) and Alevonota gracilenta (Erichson) are newly reported from North America as adventive species. A checklist, with Canadian distributions by province, of the 224 species of Aleocharinae known from Ontario is given. The following species are placed in subjective synonymy with Dexiogyia angustiventris (Casey): (De. asperata (Casey) syn. n., De. abscissa (Casey) syn. n., De. tenuicauda (Casey) syn. n., De. intenta (Casey) syn. n., De. alticola (Casey) syn. n.). The following species are placed in subjective synonymy with Acrotona subpygmaea (Bernhauer): (Ac. avia (Casey) syn. n., Ac. puritana (Casey) syn. n.). Lectotypes are designated for Thiasophila angustiventris Casey, Th. asperata Casey, Ischnoglossa intenta Casey, Oxypoda rubescans Casey, Chilopora americana Casey, Chilopora fuliginosa Casey, Coprothassa smithi Casey, Atheta subpygmaea Bernhauer, Colpodota puritana Casey, Strigota seducens Casey, Trichiusa compacta Casey, Trichiusa hirsuta Casey and Trichiusa robustula Casey.

The harvestmen subfamily Hernandariinae is reviewed and a new classification is proposed based on cladistic analysis using 67 morphological characters. The subfamily is composed of six genera and 23 species and occurs in south-southeastern Brazil, Paraguay, and northeastern Argentina. Fourteen new combinations are proposed: Hernandaria armatifrons (Roewer, 1917); H. una (Mello-Leitão, 1927); Acrogonyleptes granulatus (H. Soares, 1966); A. pectinifemur (Soares & Soares, 1947); Acanthogonyleptes alticola (Mello-Leitão, 1922); A. editus (Roewer, 1943); A. fallax (Mello-Leitão, 1932); A. fulvigranulatus (Mello-Leitão, 1922); A. marmoratus (Mello-Leitão, 1940); A. pictus (Piza, 1942); A. singularis (Mello-Leitão, 1935); A. soaresi (Mello-Leitão, 1944); A. variolosus (Mello-Leitão, 1944). Seven synonymies are proposed: Proweyhia Mello-Leitão, 1927 and Metaxundarava Mello-Leitão, 1927 = Hernandaria Sørensen, 1884; Apembolephaenus calcaratus Soares & Soares, 1945 = H. armatifrons (Roewer, 1917); Sphaerobunus Rower, 1917 and Paraproweyhia Soares & Soares, 1947 = Acrogonyleptes Roewer, 1917; Paraproweyhia curitibae Soares & Soares, 1947 = Acrogonyleptes exochus (Mello-Leitão, 1931); and Melloleitaniana curitibae B. Soares, 1943 = Acrogonyleptes spinifrons Roewer, 1917. Three species are revalidated: Acrogonyleptes granulatus (H. Soares, 1966), A. pectinifemur (Soares & Soares, 1947), and A. spinifrons Roewer, 1917. Seven new species are described: Hernandaria sundermannorum sp. nov. (São Paulo State, Brazil), Hernandaria anitagaribaldiae sp. nov. (Santa Catarina State, Brazil), Hernandaria zumbii sp. nov. (Santa Catarina State, Brazil), Hernandaria chicomendesi sp. nov. (Santa Catarina State, Brazil), Acrogonyleptes cheguevarai sp. nov. (Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil), Pseudotrogulus pagu sp. nov. (São Paulo State, Brazil), Pseudotrogulus trotskyi sp. nov. (Paraná State, Brazil).

The African representatives of the Pardosa nebulosa-group are revised. This group now includes 10 species, five of which are new: P. alticola, P. kavango, P. nostrorum, P. paleata and P. thompsoni. The other five are P. gefsana Roewer 1959, P. injucunda (O.P.-Cambridge 1876), P. lusingana Roewer 1959, P. messingerae (Strand 1916), P. naevia (L. Koch 1875). P. lycosina Purcell 1903, only known from females, is a possible additional species. All the species are described and much attention is paid to intraspecific variability. In P. injucunda the high variability is thought to reflect the existence of different biospecies. An illustrated key to the males is provided. The generic placement of the group and the taxonomic level of the taxa it contains, are discussed.

A recent study to determine the cause of collar and root rot disease outbreaks of cold tolerant Eucalyptus species in South Africa resulted in the isolation of two putative new Phytophthora species. Based on phylogenetic comparisons using the ITS and beta-tubulin gene regions, these species were shown to be distinct from known species. These differences were also supported by robust morphological characteristics. The names, Phytophthora frigida sp. nov. and Phytophthora alticola sp. nov. are thus provided for these taxa, which are phylogenetically closely related to species within the ITS clade 2 (P. citricola, P. tropicali and P.multivesiculata) and 4 (P. arecae and P. megakarya), respectively. Phytophthora frigida is heterothallic, and produces stellate to rosaceous growth patterns on growth medium, corraloid hyphae, sporangia with a variety of distorted shapes and has the ability to grow at low temperatures. Phytophthora alticola is homothallic and has a slower growth rate in culture. Both P. frigida and P. alticola are pathogenic to Eucalyptus dunnii. In pathogenicity tests, they were, however, less pathogenic than P. cinnamomi, which is a well-known pathogen of Eucalyptus in South Africa.

More than 70 nomenclatural changes for the Paederinae are implemented herein, and 10 problematical names that were submitted to the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature for action are described. The spelling of the species-group names for Procirrus lefebvrei Latreille, 1829, and Achenium jejunum Erichson, 1840, are deemed the correct original spellings. The following names are new combinations. Lithocharis stilicina (Cameron, 1931) is transferred from Medon. Lobrathium alticola (Cameron, 1943), Lobrathium badium (Cameron, 1924), and Lobrathium cylindricolle (Cameron, 1924) are transferred from Lathrobium. Micranops surinamensis (Herman, 1965) and Micranops volans (Blackwelder, 1943) are transferred from Orus, and Micranops yemenicus (Coiffait, 1981) is transferred from Scopaeus. Pinobius longipennis (Cameron, 1931) is transferred from Dolicaon. Platydomene anguina (Sharp, 1874), Platydomene carinicollis (Sharp, 1889), and Platydomene funebris (Sharp, 1889) are transferred from Lathrobium, and Platydomene nobilis(Sawada, 1965) is transferred from Lobrathium. Sunius fungi (Cameron, 1943), Sunius immsi (Bernhauer, 1914), Sunius laevior (Cameron, 1943), and Sunius monticola (Cameron, 1931) are transferred from Medon. Tetartopeus cognatus (Sharp, 1889) and Tetartopeus fulvipes (Adachi, 1955) are transferred from Lathrobium. Chloecharis Lynch, 1884, is a junior synonym of Hypomedon Mulsant and Rey, 1878. The correct names for the subspecies formerly referred to as Echiaster japonicus japonicusBernhauer, 1923 and E. j. unicolor Bernhauer, 1922, are Echiaster unicolor unicolor Bernhauer, 1922, and Echiaster unicolor japonicusBernhauer, 1923. Lathrobium elongatulum(MacLeay, 1873) was improperly replaced and therefore is resurrected. Medon abantensisBordoni, 1980b, is a new junior synonymic homonym of Medon abantensis Bordoni, 1980a. Medon mersinus Bordoni, 1980b, is a junior homonym of Medon mersinusBordoni, 1980a, and a new synonym of Medon haafiScheerpeltz, 1956. Medon siculus Coiffait, 1970, is resurrected from synonymy

Nearctic species of the genus Geostiba Thomson, 1858 are revised. Redescription and illustrations are provided for distinguishing the genus Geostiba from other aleocharine genera. Six new species of Geostiba are described (G. (Sibiota) crepusculigena Gusarov, sp. n. from Tennessee, G. (S.) pluvigena Gusarov, sp. n. from North Carolina, G. (S.) coeligena Gusarov, sp. n. and G. (S.) nebuligena Gusarov, sp. n. from Tennessee and North Carolina, G. (S.) appalachigena Gusarov, sp. n. from West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, Wisconsin and Quebec; G. (S.) silvigena Gusarov, sp. n. from California). Nine species are redescribed (G. (S.) alticola Lohse & Smetana, 1988, G. (S.) balsamensis Pace, 1997, G. (S.) bicarinata Lohse & Smetana, 1988, G. (S.) graveyardensis Pace, 1997 and G. (S.) nubigena Lohse & Smetana, 1988 known from North Carolina, G. (S.) carteriensis Pace, 1997 and G. (S.) nimbicola Lohse & Smetana, 1988 known from Tennessee and North Carolina, G. (S.) impressula (Casey, 1906) known from Oregon, and G. (s. str.) circellaris (Gravenhorst, 1806) introduced from Europe to Newfoundland). A key for identification of Nearctic species of Geostiba is provided. Geostiba impressula (Casey, 1906) is removed from synonymy with G. circellaris. Ditroposipalia Scheerpeltz, 1951 is placed in synonymy with Sibiota Casey, 1906 (a valid subgenus of Geostiba), Geostiba fossata (Casey, 1910) with G. impressula (Casey, 1906), Sipaliella Casey, 1911 with Meotica Mulsant & Rey, 1873 (a valid genus in tribe Oxypodini) and Sipalia (Sipaliella) filaria Casey, 1911 with Meotica pallens (Redtenbacher, 1849). Tylosipalia Scheerpeltz, 1951 is confirmed to be a synonym of Typhlusida Casey, 1906 (a valid subgenus of Geostiba). The lectotype of Sipalia fossata Casey, 1906 is designated. The geographical distribution of Geostiba in the Southern Appalachians is discussed.

Orobothriurus atiquipa new species (Scorpiones, Bothriuridae) from Lomas formations in the coastal desert of southern Perú is described and illustrated. This species belongs to the alticola species-group, and within the group, it is closely related to O. alticola (Pocock), O. paessleri (Kraepelin) and O. curvidigitus (Kraepelin). The spine formula (4 + 3) on tarsi III–IV is probably an autapomorphy for the new species. Some features of the habitat (the Lomas formation are green isolates in the coastal desert), as well as a distribution map are provided. Fil: Ochoa, José Antonio. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Cátedra de Diversidad Animal I; Argentina Fil: Acosta, Luis Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentina