Studies in Liocranidae (Araneae): a new afrotropical genus featuring a synapomorphy for the Cybaeodinae

Cteniogaster, a new genus of small ground spiders is described from Kenya and Tanzania. It encompasses seven new species, three of which are known from both sexes: C. toxarchus sp. nov., the type species, C. conviva sp. nov. and C. hexomma sp. nov. Three species are known from females only: C. lampropus sp. nov., C. sangarawe sp. nov. and C. taxorchis sp. nov. and one only from males: C. nana sp. nov. The new genus can be recognised by the presence of a posterior ventral abdominal f eld of strong setae and anterior lateral spinnerets with enlarged piriform gland spigots in males. A cladistic analysis attributes the genus to Liocranidae, Cybaeodinae. The results of the analysis performed do not produce an unequivocal autapomorphy for Liocranidae, but provide a combination of non-homoplasious character changes that offers significant potential for recognising genera as Liocranidae. Moreover, robust apomorphies are determined within Liocranidae for the subfamilies Liocraninae and Cybaeodinae. Based on these fi ndings Toxoniella Warui & Jocqué, 2002 is transferred from Gallieniellidae to Liocranidae, Cybaeodinae. Jacaena Thorell, 1897, Plynnon Deeleman-Reinhold, 2001 and Teutamus Thorell, 1890 are transferred to Corinnidae, Phrurolithinae and Montebello Hogg, 1914 to Gnaphosidae. Itatsina Kishida, 1930 is synonymised with Prochora Simon, 1886

Some myxomycetes from the Baix Empordà region, Catalonia, Spain

During a collecting trip in July–August 2002 and a few additional visits to the Baix Empordà region, province of Gerona, Catalonia, Spain, 26 species of myxomycetes were found. Two species, Stemonaria fuscoides Nann.-Brem. et Y. Yamam. and Stemonitopsis subcaespitosa (Peck) Nann.-Brem., have not been recorded in Spain before. The species collected are listed and a number of the more interesting species are illustrated and discussed in more detail

A new species of Hortipes (Araneae, Corinnidae), the first spider with an insertable retrolateral tibial apophysis on the male palp

Hortipes gigapophysalis (Araneae, Corinnidae) is a new species described from both sexes from montane forest on Mt Nimba, eastern Guinea. The species is remarkable for its long, whip-shaped retrolateral tibial apophysis (RTA) on the male palp. The structure apparently has an insertable function as the epigyne of the female contains a separate set of ducts starting from a central concavity that is unique in the genus. This duct system is apparently meant to receive the supple RTA. This type of structural arrangement has never previously been found in spiders

Revision of <i>"Balaena" belgica</i> reveals a new right whale species, the possible ancestry of the northern right whale, <i>Eubalaena glacialis</i>, and the ages of divergence for the living right whale species

In 1941, Abel established Balaena belgica based on a series of fused cervical vertebrae and citing other cranial fragments from the late Neogene of the Antwerp harbor (northern Belgium). Later, Plisnier-Ladame & Quinet (1969) added a neurocranium and other skeletal remains from the same area to this species. Recently, the neurocranium was re-assigned to the genus Eubalaena thanks to newer phylogenetic analyses. Here, a new description is provided of materials previously assigned to “Balaena” belgica together with taxonomic revisions. Our work suggests that the cervical complex originally designated as the type of “Balaena” belgica is too poorly preserved to be used as such and is assigned to Balaenidae gen. et sp. indet., thus making “Balaena” belgica a nomen dubium. In addition to the neurocranium, the other remains consist in a fragment of maxilla assigned to Balaenidae gen. et sp. indet. and in a humerus assigned to Eubalaena sp. Discovered in the Kruisschans Sands Member of the Lillo Formation (3.2–2.8 Ma, Piacenzian, Late Pliocene), the neurocranium is designated as the holotype of the new species Eubalaena ianitrix. Our phylogenetic analysis supports a sister-group relationship of Eubalaena ianitrix and Eubalaena glacialis, and helps constraining the ages of origin for balaenid clades. Ecological and phylogenetic data suggest that Eubalaena ianitrix may represent the direct ancestor of Eubalaena glacialis, the latter having evolved through phyletic transformation including body size increase during the temperature decline of the Late Pliocene

JUMPING FROM TURTLES TO WHALES: A PLIOCENE FOSSIL RECORD DEPICTS AN ANCIENT DISPERSAL OF CHELONIBIA ON MYSTICETES

The barnacles included in the superfamily Coronuloidea are epizoic symbionts of various marine vertebrates (including cetaceans, sirenians, and sea turtles) and other crustaceans (crabs and horseshoe crabs). Among Coronuloidea, the so-called turtle barnacles (Chelonibiidae) are known from Paleogene times, whereas the whale barnacles (Coronulidae) likely appeared in the late Pliocene (Piacenzian). Although a derivation from the turtle barnacles (and especially from the genus Chelonibia) has been proposed, the evolutionary origin of Coronulidae remains to date obscure. In this work we reappraise a fossil record from upper Pliocene (Piacenzian) marine deposits at Casenuove (Empoli municipality, Tuscany, Italy) comprising various shells of Chelonibia testudinaria associated to a partial skeleton of a balaenid mysticete. Based on taphonomic and morpho-functional considerations, we discuss the hypothesis that the barnacles were hosted on the baleen whale, possibly on its callosities, which could have represented an analogous of the horny carapace of marine turtles. This record strongly suggests that the baleen whales can be added to the list of the possible hosts of the barnacles of the genus Chelonibia, thus hinting that the whale barnacles may have evolved from an ancient phase of dispersal of Chelonibia (or a similar ancestor) on mysticete cetaceans

A PLIOCENE GRAY WHALE (ESCHRICHTIUS SP.) FROM THE EASTERN NORTH ATLANTIC

The gray whale Eschrichtius robustus, the only living member of the eschrichtiid lineage, currently inhabits only the North Pacific. Interestingly, however, the holotypes of both E. robustus and the late Miocene Archaeschrichtius ruggieroi (the oldest known eschrichtiid species) come from the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean, respectively. Here we describe a partial mysticete mandible from the Pliocene (3.71–2.76 Ma) of Belgium (Eastern North Atlantic). This new fossil displays a combination of morphological features that makes it nearly identical to modern E. robustus. Nevertheless, given its incomplete nature, the studied specimen is here identified in open nomenclature as belonging to Eschrichtius sp. The recognition of such an early record of Eschrichtius in the North Atlantic suggests that this genus developed a circum-Northern Hemisphere distribution not later than in Pliocene times, thus complicating our understanding of its origin, evolutionary history, and palaeobiogeographic patterns

A Pliocene gray whale (Eschrichtius sp.) from the eastern North Atlantic

The gray whale Eschrichtius robustus, the only living member of the eschrichtiid lineage, currently inhabits only the North Pacific. Interestingly, however, the holotypes of both E. robustus and the late Miocene Archaeschrichtius ruggieroi (the oldest known eschrichtiid species) come from the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean, respectively. Here we describe a partial mysticete mandible from the Pliocene (3.71–2.76 Ma) of Belgium (Eastern North Atlantic). This new fossil displays a combination of morphological features that makes it nearly identical to modern E. robustus. Nevertheless, given its incomplete nature, the studied specimen is here identified in open nomenclature as belonging to Eschrichtius sp. The recognition of such an early record of Eschrichtius in the North Atlantic suggests that this genus developed a circum-Northern Hemisphere distribution not later than in Pliocene times, thus complicating our understanding of its origin, evolutionary history, and palaeobiogeographic patterns

Stratigraphy of an Early-Middle Miocene sequence near Antwerp in northern Belgium (southern North Sea Basin)

The lithostratigraphy and biostratigraphy of a temporary outcrop in the Antwerp area is described. The deposits can be attributed to the Kiel Sands and the Antwerpen Sands members, both belonging to the Lower and Middle Miocene Berchem Formation. Invertebrate and vertebrate macrofossils are abundantly present. The molluscan fauna compares well to former findings in the Antwerpen Sands Member. It can be concluded that the studied sequence is continuously present in the Antwerp area, and thickens in a northward direction. The study of the marine mammal fauna shows that eurhinodelphinids are the most common fossil odontocete (toothed-bearing cetaceans) in the Antwerpen Sands Member, associated here with kentriodontine, physeteroid, squalodontid, mysticete (baleen whales) and pinniped (seals) fragmentary remains. Both the molluscan fauna and the organic-walled palynomorphs indicate for the Antwerpen Sands Member deposition in a neritic, energetic environment, which shallowed upwards. The dinoflagellate cysts indicate that the Antwerpen Sands Member was deposited during late Burdigalian to Langhian times

A revision of the endemic South African spider genus Austrachelas, with its transfer to the Gallieniellidae (Arachnida: Araneae)

The endemic South African spider genus Austrachelas Lawrence, 1938 is revised. The type species, A. incertus Lawrence, 1938, and A. natalensis Lawrence, 1942, are redescribed, and their males described for the first time. Seven new species are described: A. bergi n. sp. (female only), A. kalaharinus n. sp. (male only), A. merwei n. sp. (both sexes), A. pondoensis n. sp. (both sexes), A. reavelli n. sp. (both sexes), A. sexoculata n. sp. (male only), and A. wassenaari n. sp. (both sexes). A cladistic analysis performed including Austrachelas and various species of the corinnid subfamilies Trachelinae, Castianeirinae, Corinninae and Phrurolithinae, and species from the Liocranidae, Gallieniellidae and Lamponidae, suggests that Austrachelas is currently misplaced. Its transfer to the Gallieniellidae is proposed.Fil: Haddad, Charles R.. University of the Free State; SudáfricaFil: Lyle, Robin. University of the Free State; SudáfricaFil: Bosselaers, Jan. Royal Museum for Central Africa; BélgicaFil: Ramirez, Martin Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentin