Los rafidiópteros de la península ibérica (Insecta, Neuropterida: Raphidioptera)

Se revisan las especies de rafidiópteros presentes en la fauna de la Península Ibérica donde, hasta la fecha, están representados por 16 especies pertenecientes a 9 géneros de las dos familias actuales. Tras una diagnosis del orden y de su historial paleontológico, se aportan algunos datos generales sobre su morfología y biología, estadios juveniles, comportamiento y distribución, así como de la terminología utilizada, y se comenta una breve introducción sobre la historia en el conocimiento del orden, y en particular en la Península Ibérica. Se incluye una lista de las especies pertenecientes a su fauna y una clave de identificación de las familias, géneros y especies citadas en la Península Ibérica. De cada uno de estos taxa se recopilan y se anotan todas las referencias bibliográficas existentes, sean generales o relativas a las especies de la zona estudiada, tanto con la denominación actualmente aceptada, como de sus sinonimias y/o cualquier otra combinación nomenclatural bajo las cuales han sido citadas. También de cada especie se anotan los datos conocidos sobre su morfología externa, genital, variabilidad, estadios juveniles, biología, fenología y distribución altitudinal y geográfica en la península, aportando nuevo material mayoritariamente inédito (1.073 ejemplares estudiados) y los correspondientes mapas de su distribución conocida de estas especies en la zona estudiada

A Troublesome Letter Signed yrs Ch. Darwin

In 1985 when the editors of the Correspondence of Charles Darwin were assembling letters for volume 2 (1837-1843), the letter to be described below came to their attention. The editors decided to omit it from the edition because, despite the Ch. Darwin signature, it was not considered an authentic Darwin letter. Some scholars have questioned this decision, among them Professor Phillip R. Sloan, who thinks that it may be a Darwin letter, or that at least it should be included as a letter of uncertain authorship. Accordingly, the editors have decided to review the decision and to consider whether any new evidence has come to light since 1985

Catalog of fossil snakeflies.

22 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.Includes bibliographical references (p. 10-13).The world's smallest snakefly (Raphidioptera) is described and figured from a fossil preserved in Cretaceous amber from Myanmar (formerly Burma). Nanoraphidia electroburmica, new genus and species, is distinguished from other mesoraphidiids by characters of the wing venation and head morphology. Brief comments are made on the diminutive size of the specimen (forewing length just over 4 mm) and the geological history of the order is reviewed. Additionally, a larval snakefly is described from the same deposits, but is not considered to be congeneric with Nanoraphidia. A taxonomic catalog of all described, fossil snakeflies is appended. The following taxonomic changes are proposed: Priscaenigmatidae, new family, including Priscaenigma Whalley and Hondelagia Bode; Huaxiaraphidiidae, Sinoraphidiidae, and Jilinoraphidiidae, new synonyms of Mesoraphidiidae; Cratoraphidia and Rudiraphidia, new synonyms of Baissoptera; Caloraphidia, Mioraphidia, Phiradia, Xynoraphidia, and Yanoraphidia, new synonyms of Mesoraphidia; Miofibla, new synonym of Fibla (Reisserella); Cretoraphidiopsis, new name for Cretoraphidia Willmann (non Cretoraphidia Ponomarenko); Baissoptera pulchra (Martins-Neto and Nel), new combination; B. liaoningensis Ren, resurrected combination; Cretoraphidiopsis bontsaganensis (Ponomarenko), new combination; Fibla (Reisserella) cerdanica (Nel), new combination; Pararaphidia vitimica (Martynova), new combination; Mesoraphidia furcivenata Ren and M. pterostigmalis Martynova, resurrected combinations; and M. gaoi (Ren), M. glossophylla (Ren), M. longistigmosa (Ren), M. myrioneura (Ren), M. obliquivenatica (Ren), M. polyphlebia (Ren), and M. shangyuanensis (Ren), all new combinations in Mesoraphidia

Land molluscs from the Isola delle Femmine Nature Reserve (north-western Sicily, Italy) (Gastropoda Architaenioglossa Pulmonata)

The results of a study on the fauna of land molluscs from Isola delle Femmine Nature Reserve (NW Sicily, Italy) (Gastropoda Architaenioglossa Pulmonata) are here described. In this small island 23 species have been found, 6 of which are Sicilian endemic taxa. Siciliaria leucophryna microinsularis n. ssp. endemic to the Isola delle Femmine (or Isola di Fuori) is described. For each species ecological, distributional data and information on their presence on this island are provided

Declining morphological diversity in snakefly larvae during last 100 million years

Raphidioptera, the group of snakeflies, is a rather species-poor in-group of Holometabola. Yet, fossils of snakeflies indicate that the group was more diverse in the past. Here we compare the morphological diversity of snakefly larvae over time. Snakefly larvae are well represented in Cretaceous and Eocene ambers facilitating such a comparison. We used measurements of discrete dimensions as a basis for comparison. This reveals a larger diversity of snakefly larvae in the Cretaceous, especially in relation to head shapes and morphology of the antennae, which were much more variable. In particular, some Cretaceous larvae possessed greatly elongated head capsules and uniquely long and prominent antennae, unparalleled among modern forms. Already by the Eocene, snakefly larvae were less variable than those of the Cretaceous, although some still possessed longer antennae than modern-day larvae. The loss of morphological diversity supports the already well-established loss of taxonomic diversity in the group across time. Quite likely, this also indicates a loss of ecological diversity. These results are comparable to losses in different lineages of the closely related group Neuroptera

Revisión del género Venustoraphidia Aspöck & Aspöck, 1968 de la Península Ibérica (Insecta, Raphidioptera)

To date, this genus was represented by only two species from Europe: Venustoraphidia nigricollis (Albarda, 1891), known from Central and Eastern Europe, and its vicariant Venustoraphidia renate (Aspöck & Aspöck, 1974), known from the Peloponnese. The genus is new to the Iberian Peninsula fauna, where it is represented by a third and new vicariant species of V. nigricollis on the other side of the Mediterranean: Venustoraphidia conviventibus n. sp. We record all the bibliographical references related to Venustoraphidia genus, and known data on the external morphology, genitalia, biology, juvenile stages, phaenology and distribution of the two previously known species. A key for the identification of the aforementioned species, including the new species present in the Iberian Peninsula is provided. Finally, a brief bio-geographical analysis is performed on the distribution of these three species based on paleo-climatic elements and the presumptive bi-directional isolation to the east/west of central European elements, leaving isolated populations in the Peloponnese Peninsula, on the other side of the Corinthian Isthmus, and in the Iberian Peninsula, beyond the Pyrenees.Se revisa el género Venustoraphidia Aspöck & Aspöck, 1968 de la Península Ibérica. Hasta la fecha, este género sólo estaba representado por dos especies conocidas de Europa: Venustoraphidia nigricollis (Albarda, 1891) de Europa central y oriental, y su vicariante Venustoraphidia renate (Aspöck & Aspöck, 1974) del Peloponeso. El género es nuevo para la Península Ibérica, donde está representado por una tercera y nueva especie, vicariante de V. nigricollis al otro lado del Mediterráneo: Venustoraphidia conviventibus n. sp. Se anotan todas las referencias bibliográficas del género Venustoraphidia, así como los datos conocidos sobre la morfología externa, genital, biología, estadios juveniles, fenología y distribución de las dos especies de este género anteriormente conocidas. Se incluye una clave de identificación de las especies citadas, incluyendo la nueva especie presente en la fauna de la Península Ibérica. Para concluir se realiza un somero análisis biogeográfico sobre la distribución de estas tres especies en base a datos paleo-climáticos y a un presunto aislamiento bidireccional hacia el este/oeste de elementos centroeuropeos, quedando aisladas poblaciones en la Península del Peloponeso, al otro lado del istmo de Corinto, y en la Península Ibérica, al otro lado de los Pirineos

Revisión del género <i>Phaeostigma</i> Navás, 1909 de la Península Ibérica (Insecta, Raphidioptera)

Se revisa el género Phaeostigma Navás, 1909 de la Península Ibérica, lugar donde, hasta la fecha, solo estaba representado por la especie Phaeostigma (Ph.) notata (Fabricius, 1781). Ahora se cita por primera vez la especie Phaeostigma (Phaeostigma) italogallica (H. Aspöck & U. Aspöck, 1976) en España. Se anotan todas las referencias bibliográficas del género Phaeostigma s.l., de Phaeostigma s.str., de Phaeostigma (Ph.) notata y de Phaeostigma (Ph.) italogallica, así como los datos conocidos sobre su morfología externa, genital, biología, estadios juveniles, fenología y distribución. Se incluye una clave de identificación de las dos especies citadas en la Península Ibérica. Para concluir se realiza un somero análisis biogeográfico sobre la distribución de estas dos especies en base a un presunto flujo unidireccional de elementos desde Europa a la Península Ibérica a través de los Pirineo

Remarks on Neuroptera of Southeastern Turkey

The abundance of species of the insect order Neuroptera was studied in the traditionally cultivated landscape of southeastern Turkey. A total of 544 specimens were collected from seven localities during 2000, 2001 and 2002, representing 28 species, 19 genera, and five families ofthe order. Sixteen species were recorded as new for southeastern Anatolia. Chrysopidae and Myrmeleontidae were the best represented families in the region. Neuroptera occurred both in cultivated fields and natural habitats. Species occurrences were evaluated zoogeographically, and some observations and recommendations were made on the species that could be useful for controlling crop pests

Revisión del género Phaeostigma Navás, 1909 de la Península Ibérica (Insecta, Raphidioptera)

The genus Phaeostigma Navás, 1909 in the Iberian Peninsula is revised. At present the genus was only represented in the Iberian Peninsula by the species Phaeostigma (Ph.) notata (Fabricius, 1781), and now the species Phaeostigma (Phaeostigma) italogallica (H. Aspöck & U. Aspöck, 1976) is recorded for the first time from Spain. All bibliographical references of Phaeostigma s.l., Phaeostigma s. str., Phaeostigma (Ph.) notata and Phaeostigma (Ph.) italogallica are considered, and all known information on their external and genital morphology, biology, phenology, inmature stages and distribution is also noted. An identification key of the two species listed in the Iberian Peninsula is also included, and a brief biogeographical analysis on the distribution of these two species based on an alleged flow of elements from Europe to the Iberian Peninsula through the Pyrenees is suggested.Se revisa el género Phaeostigma Navás, 1909 de la Península Ibérica, lugar donde, hasta la fecha, solo estaba representado por la especie Phaeostigma (Ph.) notata (Fabricius, 1781). Ahora se cita por primera vez la especie Phaeostigma (Phaeostigma) italogallica (H. Aspöck & U. Aspöck, 1976) en España. Se anotan todas las referencias bibliográficas del género Phaeostigma s.l., de Phaeostigma s.str., de Phaeostigma (Ph.) notata y de Phaeostigma (Ph.) italogallica, así como los datos conocidos sobre su morfología externa, genital, biología, estadios juveniles, fenología y distribución. Se incluye una clave de identificación de las dos especies citadas en la Península Ibérica. Para concluir se realiza un somero análisis biogeográfico sobre la distribución de estas dos especies en base a un presunto flujo unidireccional de elementos desde Europa a la Península Ibérica a través de los Pirineos