To the knowledge of the African subgenus Planeteros of the genus Melaneros (Coleoptera: Lycidae).

Neun Arten werden beschrieben: Melaneros (Planeteros) crucifer n. sp., M. (P.) flos n. sp., M. (P.) drymophilus n. sp., M. (P.) terrier n. sp., M. (P.) petrovi n. sp., M. (P.) helicofer n. sp., M. (P.) helicophilus n. sp., M. (P.) arndti n. sp., and M. (P.) zerchei n. sp. Die Varietäten Planeteros sibutensis v. burgeoni Pic, 1924, P. soppoensis v. bonneviei Pic, 1924 and P. bequaerti v. nigrithorax Pic, 1935, werden in den Artrang erhoben. Sieben Taxa werden synonymisiert: Planeteros atriventris Pic, 1922 (= M. (P.) flavus Bourgeois, 1905); P. soppoensis Pic, 1922 (= M. (P.) escalerai Bourgeois, 1905); P. asperatus Kleine, 1940 (= M. (P.) ablutus Bourgeois, 1908); P. salubris Kleine, 1940 (= M. (P.) collarti Pic, 1922); P. bredoi Kasantsev, 1997 (= M. (P.) burgeoni Pic, 1924, n. stat.); P. gigas Kleine, 1940 (= M. (P.) bilineatus Pic, 1931) and P. zairicus Kasantsev, 1997 (= M. (P.) chirindanus Kleine, 1933). Mehrere unzulänglich bekannte Arten werden illustriert.StichwörterColeoptera, Lycidae, Melaneros, new species, synonymy, Tropical Africa.Nomenklatorische Handlungenarndti Kasantsev, 2000 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), spec. n.bicoloripes Pic, 1923 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), Lectotypebonneviei Pic, 1924 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), Lectotype; stat. n. hitherto Planeteros sappoensis var. bonnevieibredoi Kasantsev, 1997 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), syn. n. of Melaneros (Planeteros) burgeoni Pic, 1924burgeoni Pic, 1924 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), Lectotype; stat. n. hitherto Planeteros sibutensis var. burgeonicongoensis Kleine, 1930 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), Lectotypecrucifer Kasantsev, 2000 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), spec. n.drymorphilus Kasantsev, 2000 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), spec. n.flos Kasantsev, 2000 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), spec. n.helicofer Kasantsev, 2000 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), spec. n.helicophilius Kasantsev, 2000 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), spec. n.nigrithorax Pic, 1935 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), Lectotype; stat. n. hitherto Planeteros bequaerti var. nigrithoraxpetrovi Kasantsev, 2000 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), spec. n.terrier Kasantsev, 2000 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), spec. n.zairicus Kasantsev, 1997 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), syn. n. of Melaneros (Planeteros) chirindanus Kleine, 1933zerchei Kasantsev, 2000 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), spec. n.asperatus Kleine, 1940 (Planeteros), syn. n. of Melaneros (Planeteros) ablutus Bourgeois, 1908gigas Kleine, 1940 (Planeteros), syn. n. of Melaneros (Planeteros) bilineatus Pic, 1931salubris Kleine, 1940 (Planeteros), syn. n. of Melaneros (Planeteros) collarti Pic, 1922Nine new species, Melaneros (Planeteros) crucifer n. sp., M. (P.) flos n. sp., M. (P.) drymophilus n. sp., M. (P.) terrier n. sp., M. (P.) petrovi n. sp., M. (P.) helicofer n. sp., M. (P.) helicophilus n. sp., M. (P.) arndti n. sp., and M. (P.) zerchei n. sp., are described. The varieties Planeteros sibutensis v. burgeoni Pic, 1924, P. soppoensis v. bonneviei Pic, 1924 and P. bequaerti v. nigrithorax Pic, 1935, are raised to species rank. Seven taxa are synonymized: Planeteros atriventris Pic, 1922 (= M. (P.) flavus Bourgeois, 1905); P. soppoensis Pic, 1922 (= M. (P.) escalerai Bourgeois, 1905); P. asperatus Kleine, 1940 (= M. (P.) ablutus Bourgeois, 1908); P. salubris Kleine, 1940 (= M. (P.) collarti Pic, 1922); P. bredoi Kasantsev, 1997 (= M. (P.) burgeoni Pic, 1924, n. stat.); P. gigas Kleine, 1940 (= M. (P.) bilineatus Pic, 1931) and P. zairicus Kasantsev, 1997 (= M. (P.) chirindanus Kleine, 1933). Several poorly known species are illustrated.KeywordsColeoptera, Lycidae, Melaneros, new species, synonymy, Tropical Africa.Nomenclatural Actsarndti Kasantsev, 2000 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), spec. n.bicoloripes Pic, 1923 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), Lectotypebonneviei Pic, 1924 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), Lectotype; stat. n. hitherto Planeteros sappoensis var. bonnevieibredoi Kasantsev, 1997 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), syn. n. of Melaneros (Planeteros) burgeoni Pic, 1924burgeoni Pic, 1924 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), Lectotype; stat. n. hitherto Planeteros sibutensis var. burgeonicongoensis Kleine, 1930 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), Lectotypecrucifer Kasantsev, 2000 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), spec. n.drymorphilus Kasantsev, 2000 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), spec. n.flos Kasantsev, 2000 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), spec. n.helicofer Kasantsev, 2000 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), spec. n.helicophilius Kasantsev, 2000 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), spec. n.nigrithorax Pic, 1935 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), Lectotype; stat. n. hitherto Planeteros bequaerti var. nigrithoraxpetrovi Kasantsev, 2000 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), spec. n.terrier Kasantsev, 2000 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), spec. n.zairicus Kasantsev, 1997 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), syn. n. of Melaneros (Planeteros) chirindanus Kleine, 1933zerchei Kasantsev, 2000 (Melaneros (Planeteros)), spec. n.asperatus Kleine, 1940 (Planeteros), syn. n. of Melaneros (Planeteros) ablutus Bourgeois, 1908gigas Kleine, 1940 (Planeteros), syn. n. of Melaneros (Planeteros) bilineatus Pic, 1931salubris Kleine, 1940 (Planeteros), syn. n. of Melaneros (Planeteros) collarti Pic, 192

Hall-Effect for Neutral Atoms

It is shown that polarizable neutral systems can drift in crossed magnetic and electric fileds. The drift velocity is perpendicular to both fields, but contrary to the drif t velocity of a charged particle, it exists only, if fields vary in space or in time. We develop an adiabatic theory of this phenomenon and analyze conditions of its experimental observation. The most proper objects for the observation of this effect are Rydberg atoms. It can be applied for the separation of excited atoms.Comment: RevTex, 4 pages; to be published in Pis'ma v ZhET

On atomic analogue of Landau quantization

We have studied the physics of atoms with permanent electric dipole moment and non vanishing magnetic moment interacting with an electric field and inhomogeneous magnetic field. This system can be demonstrated as the atomic analogue of Landau quantization of charged particles in a uniform magnetic field. This Landau-like atomic problem is also studied with space-space noncommutative coordinates.Comment: 10 pages, to appear in Phys. Lett.

Formation of a Proto-Quasar from Accretion Flows in a Halo

We present a detailed model for the formation of massive objects at the centers of galaxies. The effects of supernovae heating and the conditions of gas loss are revisited. The escape time of the gas is compared with the cooling time, which provides an additional condition not previously considered. Its consequences for the allowed mass range of the halo is calculated. It is shown that sufficient gas is retained to form massive dark objects and quasars even for moderately massive halos but a decline is expected at low redshifts. Subsequently, a gaseous disk forms with a radial extent of a ~kpc, spun up by tidal torques and magnetized by supernovae fields with fields strengths of $10-100 \mu G$. In a model of a self-similar accretion flow in an initially dominant halo, it is shown that for typical halo parameters, about $10^8 M_\odot$ accretes via small magnetic stresses (or alternatively by self-gravity induced instability or by alpha viscosity) in $10^8$ years into a compact region. A model of a self-gravitating evolution of a compact magnetized disk, which is relevant when a significant fraction of the disk mass falls in, is presented, and it has a rapid collapse time scale of a million years. The two disk solutions, one for accretion in an imposed halo potential and the other for self-gravitating disk, obtained here, have general utility and can be adapted to other contexts like protostellar disks as well.Comment: 15 pages, 6 Figures, In Press in Astronomy & Astrophysic

Experimental study of electrical FitzHugh-Nagumo neurons with modified excitability

International audienceWe present an electronical circuit modelling a FitzHugh-Nagumo neuron with a modified excitability. To characterize this basic cell, the bifurcation curves between stability with excitation threshold, bistability and oscillations are investigated. An electrical circuit is then proposed to realize a unidirectional coupling between two cells, mimicking an inter-neuron synaptic coupling. In such a master-slave configuration, we show experimentally how the coupling strength controls the dynamics of the slave neuron, leading to frequency locking, chaotic behavior and synchronization. These phenomena are then studied by phase map analysis. The architecture of a possible neural network is described introducing different kinds of coupling between neurons

Spiking dynamics of interacting oscillatory neurons

International audienceSpiking sequences emerging from dynamical interaction in a pair of oscillatory neurons are investigated theoretically and experimentally. The model comprises two unidirectionally coupled FitzHugh-Nagumo units with modified excitability (MFHN). The first (master) unit exhibits a periodic spike sequence with a certain frequency. The second (slave) unit is in its excitable mode and responds on the input signal with a complex (chaotic) spike trains. We analyze the dynamic mechanisms underlying different response behavior depending on interaction strength. Spiking phase maps describing the response dynamics are obtained. Complex phase locking and chaotic sequences are investigated. We show how the response spike trains can be effectively controlled by the interaction parameter and discuss the problem of neuronal information encoding

Synaptic Coupling Between Two Electronic Neurons

International audienceAn electrical circuit is proposed to realize an unidirectional coupling between two cells, mimicking chemical synaptic coupling. Each cell represents the FitzHugh-Nagumo (FHN) model of neuron with a modified exitability (MFHN). We present experimental results on frequency doublings and on the chaotic dynamics depending on the coupling strength in a master-slave configuration. In all experiments, we stress the influence of the coupling strength on the control of the slave neuron