Giorgio Sabella

A COI Nonsynonymous Mutation as Diagnostic Tool for Intraspecific Discrimination in the European Anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus (Linnaeus)

The European anchovy, Engraulis encrasicolus, is currently one of the principal target species for commercial fisheries in Europe. In this study, the mitochondrial Control Region (CR) and the Cytochrome Oxidase I (COI) mitochondrial gene were analyzed in 74 specimens of E. encrasicolus from four localities in the central Mediterranean. In both populations, the two markers revealed the presence of two main haplogroups, A and B, already detected in previous investigations of different classes of molecular markers. Both CR and COI markers consistently identified two haplogroups. The COI sequence analysis identified a non-synonymous transversion (T to G) at position 116 of the translated sequence, resulting in an amino acid change. All COI sequences of haplogroup A had an amino acid sequence with alanine in this position, while serine was present in the same position in haplogroup B. The two haplogroups A and B were also discriminated by the variable number of TACA elements at the 5’-end of the mitochondrial CR. The selection tests applied to the COI dataset revealed that codon 116 was not under positive selection, that seven amino acid changes were under purifying selection, and that two amino acids were under episodic positive selection.

Mixibius parvus sp. nov. and Diphascon (Diphascon) ziliense sp. nov., two new species of Eutardigrada from Sicily.

We describe two new sympatric species of Sarsiellidae from coastal Florida, USA: Eusarsiella bryanjuarezi sp. nov. and Eusarsiella eli sp. nov. We also present a morphological character matrix and maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis for Sarsiellinae based on original species descriptions, representing 139 sarsiellins (including E. bryanjuarezi and E. eli). While support values across the phylogeny are low, E. bryanjuarezi and E. eli form a sister group pair with 68 % bootstrap support. Our phylogeny also showed support for six other sympatric sister-species pairs, distributed across Sarsiellinaes range, which may be candidates for the study of speciation and niche differentiation. Similar to other analyses of myodocopids, our Sarsiellinae phylogeny recovered only three monophyletic genera: Anscottiella, Cymbicopia, and Chelicopia, indicating that characters used in taxonomy may often be homoplasious. Because of our finding of multiple polyphyletic genera, including the two most speciose genera in the subfamily (Eusarsiella and Sarsiella, the type genus) Sarsiellinae is a strong candidate for taxonomic revision.

Two new species of Milnesium (Tardigrada: Milnesiidae)

Two new species of Milnesium are described: Milnesium vorax sp. nov from Sicily and Milnesium tumanovi sp. nov. from Crimea. Milnesium vorax sp. nov. is uncoloured, with eye spots, smooth cuticle, wide buccal tube, stylet supports inserted on the buccal tube at almost 62 % of its length; claws with configuration [2-3]-[3-2]; accessory points present on the main branches. Milnesium tumanovi sp. nov. is also uncoloured, has eye spots, smooth cuticle, and wide buccal tube, but it has the stylet supports inserted on the buccal tube at about 52 % of its length, and claws with configuration [3-3]-[3-3]; the accessory points are present on the main branches.

A revision of the Nearctic species of Brachygluta Thomson, 1859 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae).

The North American species of Brachygluta Thomson, 1859 are revised, treating a total of 29 species. Six names are placed as junior synonyms: Bryaxis perpunctata Brendel, 1890 (=B. luniger LeConte, 1849), B. labyrinthea Casey, 1894 (=B. intermedia Brendel, 1866), B. loripes Casey, 1894 and B. jacobina Casey, 1908 (=B. foveata LeConte, 1851), B. arizonae Casey, 1887 (=B. texana Casey, 1886), and B. intricata Casey, 1894 (=B. terebrata Casey, 1894). Twelve new Brachygluta species are described: B. chisos Sabella (USA), B. cochimi Bückle (Mexico), B. eldredgei Chandler (USA), B. kiowa Sabella (USA), B. klamath Bückle (USA), B. lareaui Chandler (USA), B. mayo Sabella (Mexico), B. miccosukee Bückle (USA), B. seri Chandler (Mexico), B. shawnee Chandler (USA), B. tamaulipec Sabella (Mexico and USA), and B. wickhami Bückle (USA). Problems with the identities of the following three species based on missing types are discussed: Bryaxis abdominalis Aubé, 1833; Bryaxis curvicera Motschulsky, 1854; and Pselaphus dentatus Say, 1824, with a Neotype being designated for P. dentatus. Nisa Casey, 1886 is removed from synonymy of Brachygluta and reinstituted as a subgenus. A key to the males is provided, nine species-groups are formed and defined, all species are characterized, distributions are detailed, and habitat/collecting data are summarized. Lectotypes are designated for Bryaxis arguta Casey, Bryaxis belfragei LeConte, Bryaxis foveata LeConte, Bryaxis infinita Casey, Brachygluta jacobina Casey, and Brachygluta mormon Bowman.

Revision of the species of the Tychus rufus group (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae)

Abstract The species belonging to Tychus rufus group are revised. Eleven species are recognized, described and illustrated and a key to their identification is provided. Nine taxa are new to science: Tychus carpathius n. sp. from Karpathos island (Greece); T. torticornis n. sp. from Lesbos Island (Greece); T. pisidicus n. sp. and T. inermis n. sp. from southwestern Turkey; T. antiocheus n. sp. and T. effeminatus n. sp. from southeastern Turkey; T. artvinensis n. sp. from northeastern Turkey, and T. sidonicus n. sp. and T. libanus n. sp. from Lebanon.

Macrobiotus nebrodensis and Adropion vexatum, two new species of Eutardigrada (Tardigrada, Parachela) from Sicily

Two new species of Eutardigrada are described from Sicily: Macrobiotus nebrodensis sp. nov. and Adropion vexatum sp. nov. The former species, belongs to the Macrobiotus hufelandi group, and is characterised by having a small, faint, microplacoid, and variable egg processes (most processes are shaped in the form of an inverted goblet with jagged terminal disc, but others are long, or very long, with a very small terminal disc). Adropion vexatum sp. nov. is characterised by having smooth cuticle, steep, vertical front to the head, pharyngeal tube longer than the pharyngeal bulb, which has small apophyses and three rod-shaped macroplacoids (microplacoid and septulum absent); long placoid row, about half the length of the pharyngeal bulb; main branches of claws with accessory points; lunules and other cuticular thickenings absent on the legs (small dots excluded).

Study on Tychini of Balkan Peninsula (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Pselaphinae)

Tychus albanicus sp. n. from southern Albania is described and illustrated, and placed in the Tychus monilicornis group. The following new records of Tychus species are given for Balkan Peninsula: Tychus corsicus spissatus Rey, 1888 for Croatia; Tychus cordiger Besuchet, 1969, Tychus monilicornis Reitter, 1880, and Tychus niger Paykull, 1800 for Montenegro, and Tychus caudatus Reitter, 1884 for Albany. Tychus sbordonii Meggiolaro, 1967 is trasferred from the Tychus dalmatinus group to the Tychus monilicornis group.

Two new freshwater eutardigrade species from Sicily

Two new species of freshwater Eutardigrada are described from Sicily: Isohypsibius rusticus sp. nov. and Isohypsibius zappalai sp. nov. The former species has eye spots, ornamented body surface with many, variously sized tubercles; bucco-pharyngeal apparatus of the Isohypsibius type; pharyngeal bulb with apophyses and two rod-shaped macroplacoids; microplacoid absent; claws, of the Isohypsibius type, well developed, with long and thin common basal portion; main branches of all claws without free accessory points; very thin lunules present; cuticular bars on the legs absent. Isohypsibius zappalai sp. nov. has eye spots; entire body surface with small tubercles rounded in shape, fairly uniformly sized and tending to form transverse lines; bucco-pharyngeal apparatus of the Isohypsibius type, pharyngeal bulb with apophyses and two macroplacoids; microplacoid absent; claws of the Isohypsibius type, well developed, with long common basal portion and both main and secondary branches with a wide proximal portion. Main branches of all claws with accessory points; small, flexible lunules present; cuticular bars on the legs absent.

A review of the Tychobythinus algiricus species group from North Africa (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae)

The species belonging to the Tychobythinus algiricus group are revised and the group is characterized and defined. Tychobythinus algiricus (Raffray, 1871) is redescribed, illustrated and its distribution and its synonymic framework discussed, establishing that Tychobythinus occidentalis Besuchet, 1962 is a junior synonym of Tychobythinus algiricus (syn. nov.). A key for species identification is provided.

Figures 5 – 9 In New Species Of Tychini From Turkey And Japan (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae)

FIGURES 5 – 9. Antennae of Tychus and Tainochus. 5 — Tychus spurius sp. n., holotype, male from Bektas (Sinop). 6 — Tychus grassator sp. n., holotype, male from Kemalpasa (Izmir). 7 — Tychus altivagus sp. n., holotype, male from Saklikent (Antalya). 8 — Tychus latebrosus sp. n., paratype, female from Saklikent (Antalya). 9 — Tainochus bastardus sp. n., holotype, male from Fuji-Yoshida (Yamanashi). Scale bar 0.1 mm.