Three new species of the genus Cyana Walker, 1854 are described: C. artemis sp. n. (southeastern China, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam), C. butyracea sp. n. (Vietnam) and C. kucheri sp. n. (Vietnam). The first two species are related to the Himalayan C. moelleri (Elwes, 1890) and the Indochinese C. intercomma Černý, 2009. Despite the external similarity of C. kucheri sp. n. to C. moelleri and its allies, by the genitalia structure this species is related to C. gazella (Moore, 1872). Adults and male and female genitalia of new and related species are illustrated.
Podolestes parvus sp. nov. is described and illustrated from both sexes from Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo (holotype male Maludam National Park, Betong Division, Sarawak, 10 vii 2012, deposited in RMNH). The new species is closest to P. atomarius Lieftinck, 1950 and is the smallest species yet known in its genus. A full set illustrations of P. atomarius is provided for comparison. [Species Zoobank URL: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:EE7ABAB0-8683-4D25-8A2C-76977931FD87].
The 'Cephennomicrus group' of Cephenniini includes nine genera distributed mostly in SE Asia (but with some species known also from other continents, except for the Americas). Four new Oriental species are described: Cephennococcus penangensis sp. n. (W Malaysia), Cephennomicrus matangensis sp. n. (E Malaysia), Cephennomicrus selangorensis sp. n. (E Malaysia), and Trurlia nova sp. n. (E Malaysia). Cephennomicrus selangorensis is unique in having the pronotum in both sexes with broad lateral impressions demarcated from the disc by a sharp ridge, a modification slightly similar to that of only one (Australian) congener.
Seven new species of the genus Deltoplastis Meyrick are described: D. acutangulata Wang et Yu, sp. nov., D. anatoliana Wang et Park, sp. nov., D. multidentalis Wang et Yu, sp. nov. and D. similihoristis Wang et Yu, sp. nov. from China; D. aculeata Wang et Yu, sp. nov. and D. spatuliunca Wang et Yu, sp. nov. from Malaysian Borneo; and D. ovidiscalis Park et Wang, sp. nov. from Vietnam. Deltoplastis horistis (Meyrick, 1910) is newly recorded in China and its female is described for the first time. Images of adults and genitalia of the new species are provided.
Megasybacodes brevitarsis Kakizoe, Maruyama Masumoto, a new genus and new species of the tribe Rhyparini, is described based on a single female from Borneo. It is allied to the genus Sybacodes Fairmaire, 1896, but easily distinguished by its short protarsi, broad flattened basal tarsomeres of the meso- and metatarsi, broad flattened tibiae, and wrinkled pronotal and elytral surfaces. Checklist of rhyparine species from Borneo is also provided.
Two new species of black flies, Simulium mainitense and S. tukurongense, are described from Palawan, the Philippines. Both species are placed in the Simulium nitidithorax subgroup of the Simulium tuberosum species-group of Simulium (Simulium). They are characterized by the female sensory vesicle of medium length, pupal thorax covered with round tubercles, and anterodorsal trichomes on the pupal thorax longer than frontal trichomes. This combination of characters separates these two new species from S. quasifrenum Delfinado, the only previously known member of the S. nitidithorax subgroup from Palawan, and nine other related species from Sabah, Sarawak, Peninsular Malaysia and India. Simulium mainitense sp. nov. is distinguished from S. tukurongense sp. nov. in the female by the somewhat larger body size, and greater length ratio of the labrum against the clypeus; and in the pupa by the much longer gill filaments.
The species of Estheria Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera: Tachinidae) from the East Palearctic and Oriental regions are reviewed. Eighteen species are recognized: the fourteen previously described, E. acuta (Portschinsky, 1881), E. alticola Mesnil, 1967, E. bucharensis (Kolomiets, 1974), E. cinerella Mesnil, 1967, E. cristata (Meigen, 1826), E. decolor (Pandellé, 1896), E. flavipennis Herting, 1968, E. lacteipennis Mesnil, 1967, E. maculipennis Herting, 1968, E. magna (Baranov, 1935), E. nigripes (Villeneuve, 1920), E. pallicornis (Loew, 1873), E. petiolata (Bonsdorff, 1866) and E. picta (Meigen, 1826), and four species described as new to science, E. hirtinerva Zhang Shima sp. nov. (W China, Nepal), E. prostata Zhang Shima sp. nov. (W China, Nepal), E. tibetensis Zhang Shima sp. nov. (W China, Nepal) and E. wangi Zhang Liang sp. nov. (W China, Pakistan). Estheria acuta and E. decolor are newly recorded for China, E. magna is newly recorded for Malaysia, Pakistan and Vietnam, and E. pallicornis is newly recorded for Nepal. An identification key to the 18 species of Estheria so far known from the East Palearctic and Oriental regions is included, together with 126 figures of heads and habitus of males and females, and male terminalia and known distributions.
Simulium (Gomphostilbia) marosense sp. nov. is described based on adults, pupae and mature larvae from Sulawesi, Indonesia. This new species is placed in the Simulium duolongum subgroup of the S. batoense species-group, representing the ninth member for the subgroup in Sulawesi. This new species is characterized by a narrow female frons and pupal gill with eight filaments, of which two filaments of the ventral pair are 1.9-3.0 times as long as the six other filaments. Taxonomic notes are provided to distinguish this new species from related species.
A new species of Ansonia is described from the Shan Plateau of Myanmar based on an integrative taxonomic analysis that differentiates it from all other congeners. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on the mitochondrial genes 12S and 16S rRNA and tRNA-val recover A. kyaiktiyoensis sp. nov. as the sister species to A. inthanon from Thailand but differs from it and other congeners by at least a 5.0% sequence divergence. It is further differentiated by the following combination of morphological characters: (1) maximum SVL 24 mm in males and females; (2) first finger shorter than second; (3) absence of interorbital and tarsal ridges; (4) presence of light-coloured interscapular spot; (5) presence of yellow rictal tubercle; (6) absence of wide, light-coloured patch below eye; (7) presence of large, discrete, bright-yellow submandibular spots along the underside of lower jaw; (8) iris yellow-gold; (9) presence of markings on the snout consisting of streaks below the eye to the lip, and on the canthus rostralis to the nostril; (10) dorsum grey-brown with orange-beige spots, a dark-brown X-shaped marking on the back surrounding the interscapular spot, and dark-coloured markings on rump; (11) fore- and hind limbs with orange-beige cross-bars; and (12) venter light-gray with yellow spotting, especially near flanks and underside of hind limbs. Ansonia kyaiktiyoensis sp. nov. is the westernmost known record for the genus and the only species west of the Salween Basin. Its discovery echoes the increasing number of herpetological discoveries being made in upland regions fringing the Ayeyarwady and Salween Basins.
This overview of the Luciolinae addresses the fauna of S. E. Asia including India, Sri Lanka, China, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, the Republic of Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, and the Australopacific area of Australia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Fiji.Of the 28 genera now recognised in the Luciolinae we address 27 genera from the study area as defined above, including three new genera which are described herein, and 222 species including 13 species newly described herein. Photuroluciola Pic from Madagascar is the only Luciolinae genus not addressed here. A key to genera is presented. Keys to species are either included here or referenced in existing literature. Twelve genera have had no new taxonomic decisions made nor are any new species records listed, and are addressed in an abbreviated fashion, with short diagnoses and plates of features of life stages: Aquatica Fu et al. 2010, Australoluciola Ballantyne 2013, Convexa Ballantyne 2009, Emeia Fu et al. 2012a, Inflata Boontop 2015, Lloydiella Ballantyne 2009, Missimia Ballantyne 2009, Pteroptyx Olivier 1902, Pyrophanes Olivier 1885, Sclerotia Ballantyne 2016, Triangulara Pimpasalee 2016, and Trisinuata Ballantyne 2013. Abscondita Ballantyne 2013 contains 8 species, and includes new records for Abs. anceyi (Olivier 1883), Abs. chinensis (L.) (which is newly synonymised with Luciola succincta Bourgeois), Abs. terminalis (Olivier 1883) including a first record from both Laos and Thailand, and Abs. perplexa (Walker 1858). Luciola pallescens Gorham 1880 is transferred to Abscondita and the pronotal colour range is addressed from a wide range of localities. Abs. berembun Nada sp. nov. and Abs. jerangau Nada sp. nov. are described from Malaysia. Hooked bursa plates are described for pallescens and berembun. Aquilonia Ballantyne 2009 is expanded to include 3 species. Gilvainsula Ballantyne 2009, represented by two species from the south eastern coast of New Guinea is synonymised under Aquilonia Ballantyne 2009, which is briefly redescribed and keyed from: Aquil. costata (Lea) from northern Australia, including many new records, Aquil. messoria (Ballantyne) comb. nov. and Aquil. similismessoria (Ballantyne) comb. nov. Asymmetricata Ballantyne 2009 now includes 4 species. As. bicoloripes (Pic 1927) comb. nov. and As. humeralis (Walker 1858) comb. nov. are transferred from Luciola, with L. doriae Olivier 1885, L. impressa Olivier 1910b and L. notatipennis Olivier 1909a newly synonymised with As. humeralis. Luciola aemula Olivier 1891 is synonymised with As. ovalis (Hope 1831). The variation in the extent of the anterior median emargination of the light organ in ventrite 7, and the possibility of a bipartite light organ in males of As. circumdata (Motsch. 1854) is explored. Females of both As. circumdata and As. ovalis (Hope 1831) are without bursa plates and the distinctively shaped median oviduct plate in each is described. Records from Thailand are recorded for both As. circumdata and As. ovalis. Atyphella Olliff 1890 now contains 28 species with 4 transferred from other genera, and one new species: Aty. abdominalis (Olivier 1886) comb. nov. and Aty. striata (Fabricius 1801) comb. nov. are transferred from Luciola, with Aty. carolinae Olivier 1911b and Aty. rennellia (Ballantyne 2009) comb. nov. transferred from Magnalata Ballantyne 2009. Atyphella telokdalam Ballantyne sp. nov. from Indonesia is described herein. Atyphella is now known from records in the Philippines and Indonesia as well as Australia and New Guinea. Colophotia Motschulsky 1853 is considered here from seven species for which intact types can be located for three. An abbreviated revision based on the United States National Museum collection only is presented, with specimens of C. bakeri Pic 1924, C. brevis Olivier 1903a, C. plagiata (Erichson 1834) and C. praeusta (Eschscholtz 1822) redescribed, using where possible features of males, females and larvae. Colophotia particulariventris Pic 1938 is newly synonymised with C. praeusta. Colophotia miranda Olivier 1886 and L. truncata Olivier 1886 are treated as species incertae sedis. Curtos Motschulsky 1845 includes 19 species with suggestions made, but not yet formalised, for the possible transfer of the following seven species from Luciola: Luciola complanata Gorham 1895, L. costata Pic 1929, L. delauneyi Bourgeois 1890, L. deplanata Pic 1929, L. extricans Walker 1858, L. multicostulata Pic 1927 and L. nigripes Gorham 1903. Curtos is not revised here. Emarginata Ballantyne gen nov. is described for E. trilucida (Jeng et al. 2003b) comb. nov., transferred from Luciola and characterised by the emarginated elytral apex. An extended range of specimens from Thailand is listed. Kuantana Ballantyne gen. nov. from Selangor, Malaysia is described from K. menayah gen. et sp. nov. having bipartite light organs in ventrite 7 and an asymmetrical tergite 8 which is not emarginated on its left side. Female has no bursa plates. Luciola Laporte 1833 s. stricto as defined by a population of the type species Luciola italica (L. 1767) from Pisa, Italy, is further expanded and considered to comprise the following19 species: L. antipodum (Bourgeois 1884), L. aquilaclara Ballantyne 2013, L. chapaensis Pic 1923 which is synonymised with L. atripes Pic 1929, L. curtithorax Pic 1928, L. filiformis Olivier 1913c, L. horni Bourgeois 1905, L. hypocrita Olivier 1888, L. italica (L. 1767), L. kagiana Matsumura 1928, L. oculofissa Ballantyne 2013, L. pallidipes Pic 1928 which is synonymised with L. fletcheri Pic 1935, L. parvula Kiesenwetter 1874, L. satoi Jeng Yang 2003, L. tuberculata Yiu 2017, and two species treated as near L. laticollis Gorham 1883, and near L. nicollieri Bugnion 1922. The following are described as new: L. niah Jusoh sp. nov., L. jengai Nada sp. nov. and L. tiomana Ballantyne sp. nov. Luciola niah sp. nov. female has two wide bursa plates on each side of the bursa. Luciola s. lato (as defined here) consists of 36 species. Twenty-seven species formerly standing under Luciola have been assigned to other genera or synonymised. Seven species are recommended for transfer to Curtos, and 32 species now stand under species incertae sedis. Magnalata Ballantyne is reduced to the type species M. limbata and redescribed. Medeopteryx Ballantyne 2013 is expanded to 20 species with the addition of two new combinations, Med. semimarginata (Olivier 1883) comb. nov. and Med. timida (Olivier 1883) comb. nov., both transferred from Luciola, and one new species, Med. fraseri Nada sp. nov. from Malaysia. The range of this genus now extends from Australia and the island of New Guinea to SE Asia. Medeopteryx semimarginata females have wide paired bursa plates. Pygoluciola Wittmer 1939 now includes 19 species with 5 new species: P. bangladeshi Ballantyne sp. nov., P. dunguna Nada 2018, P. matalangao Ballantyne sp. nov. (scored by the code name 'Jeng Matalanga' in Ballantyne Lambkin 2013), P. phupan Ballantyne sp. nov. and P. tamarat Jusoh sp. nov. Six species are transferred from Luciola: P. abscondita (Olivier 1891) comb. nov., P. ambita (Olivier 1896) comb. nov., P. calceata (Olivier 1905) comb. nov., P. insularis (Olivier 1883) comb. nov., P. nitescens (Olivier 1903b) comb. nov. and P. vitalisi (Pic 1934) comb. nov., and redescribed from males, and includes female reproductive anatomy for P. nitescens comb. nov. and P. dunguna, both of which have hooked bursa plates. Serratia Ballantyne gen. nov. is erected for S. subuyania gen. et sp. nov. and characterised by the serrate nature of certain antennal flagellar segments in the male. The following 37 species listed under species incertae sedis are further explored: Colophotia miranda Olivier 1886, Lampyris serraticornis Boisduval 1835, Luciola angusticollis Olivier 1886, L. antennalis Bourgeois 1905, L. antica (Boisduval 1835), L. apicalis (Eschscholtz 1822), L. aurantiaca Pic 1927, L. bicoloriceps Pic 1924, L. binhana Pic 1927, L. bourgeoisi Olivier 1895, L. dilatata Pic 1929, L. exigua (Gyllenhall 1817), L. exstincta Olivier 1886, L. fissicollis Fairmaire 1891, L. flava Pic 1929, L. flavescens (Boisduval 1835), L. fukiensis Pic 1955, L. immarginata Bourgeois 1890, L. incerta (Boisduval 1835), L. infuscata (Erichson 1834), L. intricata (Walker 1858), L. japonica (Thunberg 1784), L. klapperichi Pic 1955, L. lata Olivier 1883, L. limbalis Fairmaire 1889, L. marginipennis (Boisduval 1835), L. melancholica Olivier 1913a, L. robusticeps Pic 1928, L. ruficollis (Boisduval 1835), L. spectralis Gorham 1880, L. stigmaticollis Fairmaire 1887, L. tincticollis Gorham 1895, L. trivandrensis Raj 1947, L. truncata Olivier 1886, L. vittata (Laporte 1833) Pteroptyx atripennis Pic 1923 and P. curticollis Pic 1923. While phylogenetic analyses indicate their distinctiveness, no further taxonomic action is taken with Luciola cruciata Motschulsky 1854 and L. owadai Sâtô et Kimura 1994 from Japan given the importance of the former as a national icon. Analyses also indicate that Lampyroidea syriaca Costa 1875 belongs in Luciola s. str. A much wider taxonomic analysis of this genus including all the species is necessary before any further action can be taken.
The Oriental leafhopper genus Kalasha Distant is reviewed with redescriptions and photos of all known species, and two new species are described and illustrated. The female ovipositor of K. nativa Distant is described and photographed. Kalasha sondaica Jacobi, 1914 is proposed as a junior synonym of K. nativa Distant, 1908. A key to species of the genus is provided. Kalasha nativa Distant, originally described from India (Assam), is recorded from Malaysia, Thailand and Viet Nam for the first time, also representing the first records of the genus from Malaysia and Thailand.
The male of Indolestes anomalus Fraser, 1946 is described and the holotype female is depicted. Its occurrence in Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia is discussed, and the type locality is clarified (South Vietnam, Đồng Nai River basin).
A modified and expanded definition of the Drepanosticta carmichaeli-group is given. This includes the species: D. annandalei Fraser, 1924, D. brownelli Tinkham, 1938, D. carmichaeli (Laidlaw, 1915), D. emtrai Dow, Kompier Phan, 2018, D. hongkongensis Wilson, 1997, D. jurzitzai Hmlinen, 1999, D. sumatrana Sasamoto Karube, 2007, D. tenella Lieftinck, 1935, D. vietnamica Asahina, 1997 and D. wildermuthi sp. nov.). The species of the group are reviewed and in most cases illustrated, diagnostic notes are given wherever possible. Drepanosticta polychromatica Fraser, 1931 is considered to be a junior synonym of D. carmichaeli and variation in D. carmichaeli is discussed. Drepanosticta wildermuthi sp. nov. from the Central Highlands of Vietnam (holotype male from Bao Loc district, Lam Dong Province) is described. The female of D. jurzitzai Hmlinen, 1999 is described for the first time. A key to the males of the Drepanosticta carmichaeli-group is provided.
It is widely accepted among the Cladocera (Crustacea) taxonomists that almost all cosmopolitan taxa are represented by some un-revised complexes of cryptic species. But many macro taxa of the cladocerans are still unrevised. The aim of this work is to analyze the taxonomic status of Oriental populations of the genus Bosminopsis Richard, 1895 (Anomopoda: Bosminidae) based on morphological characters. We have studied populations from India, Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea and concluded that Oriental populations belong to a single species, Bosminopsis africanus (Daday, 1908), initially described from Africa. Analysis of literature data confirms that is widely distributed through whole Oriental zone. A single large mucro, or the mucro accompanied by an additional small spine in both sexes, is the main trait which differentiates B. africanus from B. zernowi Linko, 1901 distributed in more northern regions of Eurasia.
Females of the East Asian velvet-ant genus Andreimyrme Lelej, 1995 are reviewed. The genus definition is extended to accommodate A. borkenti (Williams, 2019), comb. nov. (from Smicromyrme Thomson, 1870), and nine new species: A. auricoma Okayasu, sp. nov. (Malaysia), A. laminatihumeralis Okayasu, sp. nov. (Indonesia, Malaysia), A. matsumotoi Okayasu, sp. nov. (Vietnam), A. naturalis Williams, sp. nov. (Indonesia), A. rong Williams, sp. nov. (Thailand, Vietnam), A. silvorientalis Okayasu, sp. nov. (Indonesia), A. takensis Okayasu, sp. nov. (Thailand), A. ursasolaris Williams, sp. nov. (Indonesia), and A. yotoi Okayasu, sp. nov. (Laos, Vietnam). Diagnoses, distributional records, and illustrations are provided for these and four previously recognized species, A. neaera (Mickel, 1935), A. paniya Terine, Lelej Girish Kumar, 2021, A. sarawakensis Lelej, 1996, and A. substriolata (Chen, 1957). Andreimyrme borkenti is newly recorded from Vietnam. A key to species known from females is provided. Habitat preference of this genus is discussed based on collecting records.
The cribellate, Asian endemic, spider genus, Taira is further studied, and six new species are recognized and described from China and Eastern Malaysia (Borneo): Taira borneoensis sp. nov. (♀), Taira gyaisiensis sp. nov. (♀), Taira nyagqukaensis sp. nov. (♀), Taira wanzhouensis sp. nov. (♂♀), Taira xuanenensis sp. nov. (♂) and Taira yangi sp. nov. (♂♀). Males of Taira latilabiata Zhang, Zhu Song, 2008 and Taira obtusa Zhang, Zhu Song, 2008 are also described for the first time. Drawings of the copulatory organs of the six new species, and comparative photos of the habitus and copulatory organs of all described species are provided, except for the male palp of the type species, T. flavidorsalis (Yaginuma, 1964). New records of known species and distribution maps are presented.
Twelve species of Ansonia occur on the Thai-Malay peninsula, of which, five from Peninsular Malaysia, form a monophyletic group. One of these, A. jeetsukumarani, is endemic to the Titiwangsa Mountain Range, in which, we discovered a new population of Ansonia that is not A. jeetsukumarani or even its closest relative. Based on morphology, color pattern, and molecular phylogenetic analyses using the mitochondrial genes 12s and 16s rRNA, we have determined that this new species, A. smeagol sp. nov., forms the sister lineage to an upland, monophyletic group composed of A. jeetsukumarani, A. lumut, A. malayana, and A. penangensis. We have noted similar biogeographic patterns in other taxa from the Titiwangsa Mountain Range in a number of upland lineages in Peninsular Malaysia. We hypothesize that the phylogeographic structure of these upland populations is a result of stochastic processes stemming from interaction of climate-driven forest dynamics and life histories.
The presence of the Afro-Australian genus Conochironomus Freeman, 1961 (Diptera: Chironomidae) in Asia has been recognised only informally. An unpublished thesis included Conochironomus from Singapore, and the genus has been keyed from Malaysia without named species. Here, the Sumatran Conochironomus tobaterdecimus (Kikuchi & Sasa, 1980) comb. n. is recorded from Singapore and Thailand. The species is transferred from Sumatendipes Kikuchi & Sasa, 1980, rendering the latter a junior synonym (syn. n.) of Conochironomus Freeman. Conochironomus nuengthai sp. n. and Conochironomus sawngthai sp. n. are described as new to science, based on adult males from Chiang Mai, Thailand. All species conform to existing generic diagnoses for all life stages, with features from male and female genitalia, pupal cephalic tubercles and posterolateral 'spurs' of tergite VIII providing evidence for species distinction. Some larvae are linked to C. tobaterdecimus through molecular barcoding. Variation in other larvae, which clearly belong to Conochironomus and are common throughout Thailand, means that they cannot be segregated to species. Larval habitats include pools in river beds, urban storage reservoirs, drains with moderately high nutrient loadings, and peat swamps. Endochironomus effusus Dutta, 1994 from north-eastern India may be a congener but may differ in adult morphology, thereby precluding formal new combination until discrepancies can be reconciled. Many problems with vouchering taxonomic and molecular material are identified that need to be rectified in the future.
A new species of limestone cave-adapted gecko of the Cyrtodactylus pulchellus complex, C. hidupselamanya sp. nov., is described from an isolated karst formation at Felda Chiku 7, Kelantan, Peninsular Malaysia. This formation is scheduled to be completely quarried for its mineral content. From what we know about the life history of C. hidupselamanya sp. nov., this will result in its extinction. A new limestone forest-adapted species, C. lenggongensis sp. nov., from the Lenggong Valley, Perak was previously considered to be conspecific with C. bintangrendah but a re-evaluation of morphological, color pattern, molecular, and habitat preference indicates that it too is a unique lineage worthy of specific recognition. Fortunately C. lenggongensis sp. nov. is not facing extinction because its habitat is protected by the UNESCO Archaeological Heritage of the Lenggong Valley due to the archaeological significance of that region. Both new species can be distinguished from all other species of Cyrtodactylus based on molecular evidence from the mitochondrial gene ND2 and its flanking tRNAs as well as having unique combinations of morphological and color pattern characteristics. Using a time-calibrated BEAST analysis we inferred that the evolution of a limestone habitat preference and its apparently attendant morphological and color pattern adaptations evolved independently at least four times in the C. pulchellus complex between 26.1 and 0.78 mya.
Telosticta fugispinosa sp. nov. (holotype male, from Borneo, Sabah, West Coast division, Crocker Range National Park, Inobong, Kimamabang waterfall stream system, 21 ix 2012, deposited in RMNH) is described from Kinabalu National Park and Crocker Range National Park in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. It is distinguished from all other species of Telosticta by the form of the male anal appendages.