Review of Campsicnemus species from the Atlantic Ocean Islands (Diptera: Dolichopodidae)

New species Campsicnemus flavissimus sp. nov., C. meridionalis sp. nov., and C. sanctaehelenae sp. nov. are described from St. Helena. A review and key to seven Campsicnemus species inhabiting Azores, Canary Is., Madeira and St. Helena are provided. A new status (as subspecies of C. armatus Zetterstedt, 1849) for C. caffer Curran, 1926 stat. nov. is proposed

Description of a New Species of Slave-making Ant in the \u3ci\u3eFormica Sanguinea\u3c/i\u3e Group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The new species, Formica gynocrates, is described and illustrated from all the castes. This slave-making species is a member of the sanguinea group and is most similar to F. pergandei. The type locality is the E. S. George Reserve, Livingston County, Michigan. Specimens were also examined from North Dakota, Wyoming, and Colorado. A key is provided for the separation of the described North American members of the sanguinea group. The most commonly associated slave species is F. vinculans Wheeler, a member of the neogagates group. It is our opinion that F. vinculans is a valid species and not a synonym of F. neogagates, as has been previously supposed

Establishment of Wildflower Islands to Enhance Roadside Health and Aesthetics

Wildflowers are crucial in the ecological function of the low-input roadside plant communities in terms of water andnutrient cycling, nutrient inputs such as nitrogen, total plant canopy cover, stand longevity, and provision of habitat for numerous small animals. Further, wildflowers provide critical foraging and nesting resources for birds, insects, and other wildlife. Unfortunately, habitat loss from agricultural and urban development has led to rapid population declines in wild bees and other pollinators across the US, thereby jeopardizing not only food production but also the sustainability of our natural landscapes (Kearns & Inouye, 1997). One way to mitigate wild bee decline is to establish more habitat corridors on public rights-of-way, such as roadsides. Planting pollinator-friendly native wildflowers on roadsides provides nutrient-rich forage and nesting resources for bees and is aesthetically pleasing. With 97,256 miles of public roadways in Nebraska (~4 million miles of roadways in the United States), roadsides play ever increasing roles in sustaining biodiversity within our state and beyond. Federal guidelines state that wildflowers are to be used in roadside seeding mixtures, and NDOT includes a diversity of wildflower species in its seeding mixtures. However, these complex seeding mixtures are often expensive because of the diversity of species and high seed price of many of these native species, particularly the wildflowers which compose roughly 10% of the total seeds but represent 30% of the total cost of seed mixtures. Further, wildflowers on roadsides are typically seeded with competitive grasses and are costly to establish and manage long term. This research explored ways to improve wildflower establishment by separating wildflower seeds from the conventional seed mixture with includes both wildflower and grass seeds. Additionally, wildflower plots were seeded at different patch or island sizes to assess cost-effective ways of reducing competition by nonnative weeds and enhancing the longevity of roadside habitat. Optimal patch sizes and treatment groups included 100% wildflower mix seeded to the entire 3 m x 18.3 m plot (treatment 100), only 50% of the plot seeded in one continuous patch (treatment 50) or in two small patches (treatment 25x2) compared to current practices of seeding wildflower-grass mixtures (treatment conventional). Ecological benefits of roadside habitat, wild bee abundance, diversity, and nesting activity was assessed and compared across seeding practices and patch size treatments. Floral diversity and abundance were also analyzed to compare plant-pollinator interactions across treatments. Conventional roadside seeding methods yielded plots with lower abundance and richness of forbs and bees compared to plots seeded with wildflowers only (treatments 100, 50, 25x2) but only in the first year of establishment. Bee richness was highest in the late season, while forb abundance and richness were highest in the mid-season. No differences were observed across differently sized wildflower-only patches likely because of the recent establishment of plots. In fact, only ~50% of seeded forbs had established and roughly 14 plants out of the 40 species in the seed mixture did not establish in either survey years and may therefore be replaced in future seed mixtures. Our results indicate that wildflower segregation in strips or islands may be a cost-effective method of improving wildflower establishment and persistence in diverse roadside mixtures. As plots mature and become vulnerable to weed encroachment, the effect of patch size may become more distinguished across treatment groups, therefore, further monitoring and research may be necessary to further address issues with low establishment and high competitive pressure from volunteer species. This data contributes to NDOT’s ongoing pursuit to more effectively establish wildflowers on roadsides and to better understand the role floral enhancements have on supporting and sustaining vulnerable wildlife, such as our pollinator communities

Description of two new exotic species of the genus Chordodes

In the course of certain studies upon Gordiacea, I have determined two new species of Chordodes (CREPLIN), a genus closely allied to Gordius, from Borneo and Africa, and these forms are here described; the publication of the systematic results of my studies upon the american species of this group being postponed until I have an opportunity to compare more material. 1. Chordodes furnessi n. sp. 2. Chordodes albibarbatus n. sp

The last instar larva and pupa of Ora depressa (Coleoptera: Scirtidae), a marsh beetle with underwater pupation

In this contribution we describe and illustrate for the first time, detailed morphology and chaetotaxy of the last instar larva and the pupa of Ora depressa (Fabricius, 1801), and provide diagnostic characters and information on its biology. The last instar larva of O. depressa exhibits the characters traditionally recognized as diagnostic of the genus, i.e. the tip of the mandible obtuse, and the fourth maxillary palpomere long, almost as long as third palpomere. Ora depressa is characterized by a broadly elliptical body, which is widest at the metanotum, being brownish testaceous in color with several brown spots, having the dorsal surface mostly covered with numerous grooved scale-like setae and also several ungrooved scale-like setae, hair-like setae, club-like setae and pore-like sensilla distributed in a specific pattern, and the femur and tibiotarsus bearing a row of natatorial setae. The last instar larva of Ora depressa can be distinguished from those of the other known species of the genus by lobes of clypeolabrum being as long as wide and socket bristles with 2–6 inner teeth. The pupa of O. depressa differs from those of the other known species of the genus in the absence of pronotal horns and by the place where pupation occurs. Ora depressa pupates underwater, hanging from water’s surface with the aid of the laterally expanded pronotum which bears hydrophobic setation along the lateral margins.Fil: Libonatti, María Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada; ArgentinaFil: Jorge, Gabrielle. Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia, Inovações. Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia; BrasilFil: Archangelsky, Miguel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagóica. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Facultad de Ciencias Naturales - Sede Esquel. Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagónica; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Facultad de Ciencias Naturales - Sede Esquel. Departamento de Biología. Laboratorio de Investigaciones en Ecología y Sistemática Animal; ArgentinaFil: Michat, Mariano Cruz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada; Argentin

West Indian species of Beameromyia Martin (Diptera: Asilidae)

The West Indian species of Beameromyia Martin are reviewed. Four new species are described, and Beameromyia insulara Martin and B. cubensis (Bigot) are redescribed. Illustrations of the genitalia and a key to the known West Indian species are included

New genera, species, and records of Acanthocinini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) from Hispaniola

Two new genera of Acanthocinini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), Luctithonus Lingafelter and Duocris­tala Lingafelter, are described from Hispaniola. Two new species of Luctithonus are described: Luctithonus aski Lingafelter and L. duartensis Lingafelter. A third species, L. pantherinus (Zayas), is newly recorded from Hispan­iola and the Dominican Republic (new country record), and transferred from Sternidius Haldeman as a new combination. Additional new species of Lamiinae are described from Hispaniola: Eugamandus albipumilus Lingafelter; Leptostylopsis opuntiae Lingafelter; and Lethes turnbowi Lingafelter. Keys to tribes of Lamiinae, genera of Acanthocinini, and species of Luctithonus in Hispaniola are included

Una nueva especie de Cyrtotylus (Heteroptera: Miridae: Orthotylinae) de la Guayana Francesa

Se describe a la nueva especie Cyrtotylus henryi (Orthotylinae, Orthotylini) en base a una hembra de la Guayana Francesa. Se dan justificaciones para esta acción. El género CyrtotylusBergroth, 1922 es mencionado por primera vez para la Guayana Francesa.Cyrtotylus henryi (Orthotylinae, Orthotylini) is described as a new species on the base of a female from French Guyana. Justifications are offered for this action. The genus Cyrtotylus Bergroth, 1922 is mentioned for the first time from French Guyana.Fil: Carpintero, Diego Leonardo. Fundación de Historia Natural Félix de Azara; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia”; ArgentinaFil: Chérot, Frédéric. Service Public de Wallonie; Bélgic

Desmotheca (Orthotrichaceae) : Gondwanan fragmentation and the origin of a Southeast Asian genus

Desmotheca Lindberg was proposed in 1872 as a replacement name for the illegitimate Cryptocarpon Dozy & Molk. (1844) and Cryptocarpus Dozy & Molk. (1846). Seven names have been placed in these genera, from which two species appear to be taxonomically valid. Desmotheca apiculata (Dozy & Molk.) Card. occurs from New Caledonia and New Guinea west to Indonesia and the Andaman Islands, north to Burma, Thailand, Vietnam and Mindanao in the Philippines, while D. brachiata (Hook. & Wils.) Vitt comb. nova is restricted to the island of Luzon in the Philippines. The evolution and dispersal of this genus can be related to the northward movement of Gondwanan island blocks during the Cretaceous