Jörg Wunderlich (ed.) (2012): Fifteen papers on extant and fossil spiders (Araneae)

This book consists of fifteen papers (considered below as Chapters) on fossil and extant arachnids, mostly spiders. Most papers are written by the editor, two papers in cooperation with Peter Jäger and with Søren Toft, and a single one by Peter Jäger. Chapters 1 and 2 are identification keys to the European genera of the families Zodariidae and Corinnidae, respectively

Halophilanema prolata n. gen., n. sp. (Nematoda: Allantonematidae), a parasite of the intertidal bug, Saldula laticollis (Reuter)(Hemiptera: Saldidae) on the Oregon coast

This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by BioMed Central and can be found at: http://www.biomedcentral.com/.Background: It is rare to find terrestrial nematode lineages parasitizing arthropods inhabiting the intertidal or\ud littoral zone of the oceans. During an ecological study along the Oregon dunes, an allantonematid nematode\ud (Tylenchomorpha: Allantonematidae) was discovered parasitizing the intertidal shore bug, Saldula laticollis (Reuter)\ud (Hemiptera: Saldidae). This shore bug is adapted to an intertidal environment and can survive short periods of\ud submergence during high tides. The present study describes the nematode parasite and discusses aspects of its\ud development, ecology and evolution.\ud Methods: Adults and last instar nymphs of S. laticollis (Hemiptera: Saldidae) were collected from the high intertidal\ud zone among clumps of Juncus L. (Juncaceae) plants at Waldport, Oregon on October 3, 2011. The bugs were\ud dissected in 1% saline solution and the nematodes killed in 1% Ringers solution and immediately fixed in 5%\ud formalin (at 20°C). Third stage juveniles removed from infected hosts were maintained in 1% saline solution until\ud they matured to the adult stage, molted and mated.\ud Results: Halophilanema prolata n. gen., n. sp. (Nematoda: Allantonematidae) is described from last instar nymphs\ud and adults of the intertidal bug, Saldula laticollis on the Oregon coast. The new genus can be distinguished from\ud other genera in the Allantonematidae by a stylet lacking basal knobs in both sexes, an excretory pore located\ud behind the nerve ring, ribbed spicules, a gubernaculum, the absence of a bursa and the elongate-tubular shape of\ud the ovoviviparous parasitic females. Studies of the organogenesis of Halophilanema showed development to third\ud stage juveniles in the uterus of parasitic females. Maturation to the free-living adults and mating occurred in the\ud environment. The incidence of infection of S. laticollis ranged from 0% to 85% depending on the microhabitat in\ud the intertidal zone.\ud Conclusions: Based on the habitat and morphological characters, it is proposed that Halophilanema adapted a\ud parasitic existence fairly recently, evolutionarily speaking. It was probably a free-living intertidal or shore nematode\ud that fed on microorganisms, especially fungi, in the intertidal habitat and became parasitic after saldids entered the\ud environment. Halophilanema represents the first described nematode parasite of an intertidal insect

Bird’s nest fungi (Nidulariales: Nidulariaceae) in Baltic and Dominican amber

Nitula baltica sp. nov. and Cyathus dominicanus sp. nov. are described from Cenozoic Baltic and Dominican amber. These are the first fossil members of the Family Nidulariaceae and show that the basic characteristics of this group were already established some 40-50 million years ago.This is an author's peer-reviewed final manuscript, as accepted by the publisher. The published article is copyrighted by Elsevier and can be found at: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/fungal-biology/.,In the final published version of this article, the legend for figure 1 should read “Lateral view of Nidula baltica in Baltic amber” instead of “Lateral view of Lepidiosomus balticus”, the legend for figure 2 should read “Top view of peridium of N. baltica in Baltic amber” instead of “Top view of peridium of L. balticus” and the legend for figure 3 should read “Lateral view of peridium of C. dominicanus in Dominican amber” instead of “Lateral view of peridium of C. dominicana”. The author's manuscript version as found in ScholarsArchive@OSU is correct.Keywords: Cenozoic Nidulariaceae, Amber fossils, Bird’s nest fungiKeywords: Cenozoic Nidulariaceae, Amber fossils, Bird’s nest fung

A primitive triatomine bug, Paleotriatoma metaxytaxa gen. et sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae), in mid-Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar

The present study describes a primitive kissing bug (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae) in mid-Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar. The fossil, which is described as Paleotriatoma metaxytaxa gen. et sp. nov., contains a predominance of features of the Triatominae as well as some characters of the Reduviinae and is considered an intermediate fossil representing an early progenitor of the Triatominae. Based on the present distribution of the Triatominae and recent studies indicating that Burmese amber fossils could have originated in Gondwana, it is proposed that Paleotriatoma metaxytaxa is a Gondwanan lineage that evolved in the mid-Cretaceous. The specimen contains developing trypanosome flagellates in its hindgut, suggesting that early triatomines could have been vectoring pathogenic protozoa to vertebrates some 100 Ma. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

A snail-killing fly, Dominimyza tanyacaenan. gen. n. sp. (Diptera: Sciomyzidae) in Dominican amber

A new genus and species of Snail-killing flies, Dominimyza tanyacaena, n. gen., n. sp. (Diptera: Sciomyzidae) is described from Dominican amber. Diagnostic characters for Dominimyza include a propleuron with a strong bristle, an elongate porrect flagellum with a long, finely pubescent arista, divergent ocellar, post-ocellar and outer vertical bristles, convergent inner vertical bristles, two pairs of frontal-orbital bristles, scutellum with two pairs of marginal scutellar bristles, vallar bristles present, a strong bristle present near the middle of the anterior face of the mid-femora, a clear wing with fuscous areas, A₁ fading as it nears the wing margin, R₁ extending apicad of the anterior crossvein and the absence of preapical bristles on the fore tibia. This is the first description of a Snail-killing fly in Dominican amber.Keywords: Tertiary amber, Sciomyzidae, Dominican Republi

Discoclavata dominicana n. gen., n. sp., (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) and Lissantauga epicrana n. gen., n. sp. (Coleoptera: Ecumenidae) in Dominican amber

A new genus and species of bostrichid, Discoclavata dominicana n. gen., n. sp., (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) and a new genus and species of eucnemid, Lissantauga epicrana n. gen., n. sp. (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae) are described from Dominican amber. Diagnostic characters of Discoclavata dominicana include an extended body, strongly hypognathous head, asparate dorsal surfaces of pronotum and elytra, 10 antennomeres with a large, oval two-articled club, flattened and grooved metafemora that receive the flatted metatibia, 5-segmented, slender tarsi with the first tarsomere miniscule, 2nd, 3rd and 4th tarsomeres small, subequal and fifth tarsomere longer than the others combined. Diagnostic characters of Lissantauga epicrana include a glabrous, silvery metallic body, pectinate antennae with the antennal insertions positioned below the eyes, a helmet-shaped pronotum with the anterior angles nearly reaching the antennal insertions, the antennae close to the eyes, angled apical margins of the elytra and a long first tarsomere. These are the first descriptions of Bostrichidae and Eucnemidae from Dominican amber.Keywords: Eucnemidae, Bostrichidae, Dominican amber, Tertiary fossil beetle

A New Genus of Fleas with Associated Microorganisms in Dominican Amber

A flea preserved in Dominican amber is described as Atopopsyllus cionus, n. gen., n. sp., (Atopopsyllini n. tribe, Spilopsyllinae, Pulicidae). The male specimen has two unique characters that have not been noted in previous extant or extinct fleas, thus warranting its tribal status. These characters are 5-segmented maxillary palps and cerci-like organs on abdominal T. X. Additional characters are the absence of ctenidia, very small eyes, a lanceolate terminal segment of the maxillary palps, legs with six notches on the dorsal margin of the tibiae, five pairs of lateral plantar bristles on the distitarsomeres and nearly straight ungues with a wide space between the basal lobe and tarsal claw. Trypanosomes and coccobacilli in the rectum and coccobacilli on the tip of the epipharynx of the fossil are depicted and briefly characterized.Keywords: fossil flea, n. sp., n. gen., Atopopsyllus cionus, five-segmented maxillary palps, associated microorganism

Stenaspidiotus microptilus n. gen., n. sp. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Chrysomelinae) in Dominican amber, with evidence of tachinid (Diptera: Tachinidae) oviposition

A new genus and species of chrysomeline, Stenaspidiotus microptilus, n. gen., n. sp., (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Chrysomelinae) is described from Dominican amber. Diagnostic characters include an elongate, flattened body; small eyes; a narrow, long pronotum with a width/length ratio of 1.6, an irregular pronotal surface with marginated lateral edges, distinct humeral calli, confused elytral speckling, large scutellum, elongated mesosternum, emarginated but non-fissured 3[superscript rd] tarsomere and simple claws. On the pronotum of S. microptilus is a macrotype egg characteristic of the family Tachinidae (Diptera). This is the first Chrysomelinae from Dominican amber and the first fossil record of tachinid oviposition.KEYWORDS: Stenaspidiotus microptilus n. gen., n. sp.,Dominican amber, Chrysomelinae, Fossil tachinid eg

Rickettsial-like cells in the Cretaceous tick, Cornupalpatum burmanicum (Ixodida: Ixodidae)

Rickettsial-like cells are reported from the body cavity of the Myanmar amber larval tick, Cornupalpatum burmanicum (Ixodida: Ixodidae). These cells are characterized and described in a new collective fossil genus erected for putative rickettsial in fossil ticks. The size and shape of the fossil cells resemble those of present day members of the Rickettsiaceae, many of which occur in the body cavity of present day ticks.Keywords: Cretaceous tick, Rickettsial-like cells, Ixodidae, MyanmarKeywords: Cretaceous tick, Rickettsial-like cells, Ixodidae, Myanma

Vetufebrus ovatus n. gen., n. sp (Haemospororida: Plasmodiidae) vectored by a streblid bat fly (Diptera: Streblidae) in Dominican amber

Background: Both sexes of bat flies in the families Nycteribiidae and Streblidae (Diptera: Hippoboscoidea) reside in the hair or on the wing membranes of bats and feed on blood. Members of the Nycteribiidae transmit bat malaria globally however extant streblids have never been implemented as vectors of bat malaria. The present study shows that during the Tertiary, streblids also were vectors of bat malaria. Results: A new haemospororidan, Vetufebrus ovatus, n. gen., n. sp., (Haemospororida: Plasmodiidae) is described from two oocysts attached to the midgut wall and sporozoites in salivary glands and ducts of a fossil bat fly (Diptera: Streblidae) in Dominican amber. The new genus is characterized by ovoid oocysts, short, stubby sporozoites with rounded ends and its occurrence in a fossil streblid. This is the first haemosporidian reported from a streblid bat fly and shows that representatives of the Hippoboscoidea were vectoring bat malaria in the New World by the mid-Tertiary. Conclusions: This report is the first evidence of an extant or extinct streblid bat fly transmitting malaria. Discovering a mid-tertiary malarial parasite in a fossil streblid that closely resembles members of a malarial genus found in nycteribiid bat flies today shows how little we know about the vector associations of streblids. While no malaria parasites have been found in extant streblids, they probably occur and it is possible that streblids were the earliest lineage of flies that transmitted bat malaria to Chiroptera.Keywords: Fossil bat malaria, Vetufebrus ovatus, Dominican Republic ambe