Herbert Zettel

Genetic diversity, species phylogeny and historical biogeography of the Aquarius paludum group (Heteroptera: Gerridae)

We investigated genetic diversity and phylogeny of all water strider species assigned to the Aquarius paludum species group on basis of 425 bp DNA sequence data from the mitochondrial gene encoding cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI). Parsimony analyses and genetic distances confirmed the taxonomic status of the two recently described species Aquarius lili Polhemus & Polhemus, 1994 from Timor and A. philippinensis Zettel & Ruiz, 2003 from the Philippines as being separate from the widespread Oriental A. adelaidis (Dohrn, 1860). Molecular clock estimates suggest that the disjunct zoogeographical pattern among the three species is due to a Pliocene/Pleistocene long-range dispersal, rather than a Mesozoic vicariance event as previously suggested. However, when we superimposed the disjunct distribution of Southern Hemisphere representatives of the paludum- group onto their phylogenetic relationship, the pattern indicated vicariance events following the break-up of Gondwana.

Molecular phylogeny of the pond treaders (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Mesoveliidae), discussion of the fossil record and a checklist of species assigned to the family

The phylogenetic relationships among selected species and genera of Mesoveliidae (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Gerromorpha) were investigated in a parsimony analysis of 2858 bp of DNA sequence data from the genes encoding COI + II, 16S rRNA and 28S rRNA. The resulting phylogeny showed that Mesoveloidea williamsi Hungerford, 1929, from the subfamily Madeoveliinae, was sister group to Mniovelia Andersen & J.T. Polhemus, 1980, from the Mesoveliinae, thus making the latter subfamily paraphyletic. The genus Mesovelia Mulsant & Rey, 1852 also showed to be paraphyletic, since an undescribed Laotian relative of M. indica Horvath, 1915 and M. ujhelyii Lundblad, 1933 resulted as sister group to Phrynovelia Horvath, 1915; and M. amoena Uhler, 1894 was sister species to Speovelia maritima Esaki, 1929. Whereas these relationships were poorly or moderately supported, the remaining species of Mesovelia formed two distinct and well-supported clades, one comprising M. horvathi Lundblad, 1933, M. hackeri Harris & Drake, 1941, and two undescribed species from Nigeria and New Caledonia, and another comprising M. vittigera Horvath, 1895, M. stysi J.T. Polhemus & D.A. Polhemus, 2000, M. ebbenielseni Andersen & Weir, 2004, M. furcata Mulsant & Rey, 1952, and M. mulsanti White, 1879. A large genetic difference was found between populations of M. vittigera from Europe and Africa on one side and populations from Australia and New Caledonia on the other. DNA sequence data from a Japanese “M. vittigera” obtained from GenBank placed the specimen as strongly supported sister group to a Danish specimen of M. furcata. Comparisons of the 28S rRNA sequence data between the two specimens revealed a single C/T transition, while comparison with a Chinese female of M. furcata revealed one A/G and one C/T transition, thus suggesting mislabelling of the Japanese specimen, or an unrecognized presence of M. furcata in Japan. Considerable genetic differentiation was found between specimens of M. horvathi from Australia, New Caledonia, New Guinea, and Laos, and between sympatric specimens of M. mulsanti from Honduras, thus supporting earlier ideas of species-complexes in these two clades. Samples of Austrovelia caledonica Malipatil & Monteith, 1983 from New Caledonia and Mniovelia kuscheli Andersen & J.T. Polhemus, 1980 from New Zealand’s North Island also revealed considerable intraspecific divergences indicating genetic isolation among geographically separated populations on these ancient islands.

A Falsification of the Citation Impediment in the Taxonomic Literature

Current science evaluation still relies on citation performance, despite criticisms of purely bibliometric research assessments. Biological taxonomy suffers from a drain of knowledge and manpower, with poor citation performance commonly held as one reason for this impediment. But is there really such a citation impediment in taxonomy? We compared the citation numbers of 306 taxonomic and 2291 non-taxonomic research articles (2009–2012) on mosses, orchids, ciliates, ants, and snakes, using Web of Science (WoS) and correcting for journal visibility. For three of the five taxa, significant differences were absent in citation numbers between taxonomic and non-taxonomic papers. This was also true for all taxa combined, although taxonomic papers received more citations than non-taxonomic ones. Our results show that, contrary to common belief, taxonomic contributions do not generally reduce a journals citation performance and might even increase it. The scope of many journals rarely featuring taxonomy would allow editors to encourage a larger number of taxonomic submissions. Moreover, between 1993 and 2012, taxonomic publications accumulated faster than those from all biological fields. However, less than half of the taxonomic studies were published in journals in WoS. Thus, editors of highly visible journals inviting taxonomic contributions could benefit from taxonomys strong momentum. The taxonomic output could increase even more than at its current growth rate if: (i) taxonomists currently publishing on other topics returned to taxonomy and (ii) non-taxonomists identifying the need for taxonomic acts started publishing these, possibly in collaboration with taxonomists. Finally, considering the high number of taxonomic papers attracted by the journal Zootaxa, we expect that the taxonomic community would indeed use increased chances of publishing in WoS indexed journals. We conclude that taxonomys standing in the present citation-focused scientific landscape could easily improve—if the community becomes aware that there is no citation impediment in taxonomy.

Revision of the Timasius chinai species group (Insecta: Heteroptera: Hebridae), with descriptions of ten new species

The Timasius chinai species group is redefined and taxonomically revised. Twelve species are distributed on the Asian mainland from northeastern India to southeastern China and to the Malay Peninsula, on Tioman Island, and on Java. The two earlier described species, T. chinai (Lundblad, 1933) (from Indonesia: Java) and T. miyamotoi Andersen, 1981 (from Thailand and China; first record from Laos), are redescribed. Ten new species are described: Timasius anderseni sp.n. (from Vietnam), T. gracilis sp.n. (from China: Hong Kong), T. indicus sp.n. (from India: Meghalaya), T. laoticus sp.n. (from Laos), T. malayensis sp.n. (from West Malaysia), T. montanus sp.n. (from northern Thailand), T. schuhi sp.n. (from West Malaysia: Tioman Island), T. schwendingeri sp.n. (from northeastern Thailand), T. yangae sp.n. (from West Malaysia: Tioman Island and Selangor), and T. yunnanensis sp.n. (from China: Yunnan). Keys to the species are provided based on external characteristics and on the genitalia of the males.

A new subgenus and new species of the genus Mixotrephes Papáček, Štys & Tonner, 1989 (Heteroptera: Helotrephidae: Limnotrephini)

Abstract A new subgenus Thermotrephes of the genus Mixotrephes from Southeast Asia is established. Mixotrephes freitagi sp. nov. from Central Nepal is described and illustrated. A character analysis sets M. freitagi sp. nov. close to M. thermophilus (Papáček & Kovac 2001); M. thermophilus is designated as the type species of the new subgenus. M. thermophilus is recorded from Myanmar for the first time; new records from Thailand are also presented. A new record of M. kumaonis (Polhemus 1990) is presented from Central Nepal. Both morphological and ecological characters of Mixotrephes species are compared, some of which are discussed from the taxonomic and phylogenetic point of view.

A Taxonomic Revision of the Oriental Water Strider Genus Ventidius Distant (Hemiptera, Gerromorpha, Gerridae)

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137 Notes on relationships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139 Material and methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 List of depositories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 Taxonomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 Genus Ventidius Distant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 Key to the subgenera of Ventidius. . . . . . . . . . . . 144 Subgenus Ventidius Distant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144 The Ventidius aquarius-group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 The Ventidius modulatus-group . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Subgenus Ventidius (Ventidioides) Hungerford & Matsuda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176 The Ventidius kuiterti-group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178 The Ventidius xiphibion-group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 Subgenus Ventidius (Ventidiopsis) Miyamoto . . . 199 The Ventidius imadatei-group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204 Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206

The "Italian hebrid", Hebrus franzi (Wagner, 1957): disentangling a half-century dilemma (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Gerromorpha).

Hebrus franzi (Wagner, 1957) was described from the Apuan Alps (Tuscany, Italy) and not found again for several decades despite intensive search. We report on new collections that expand the known distribution area considerably, provide a redescription, and give first insights regarding the ecology of this remarkable flightless species.

Two new species of Pleciobates (Hemiptera: Gerromorpha: Gerridae) from India, with a key to the species of Pleciobates

Two new species of water striders in the genus Pleciobates are described from India and compared with allied species. Pleciobates bengalensis Jehamalar, Basu & Zettel sp. nov. is described from the Jalpaiguri District, West Bengal and Pleciobates expositus Jehamalar, Chandra & Zettel sp. nov. (Hemiptera: Gerridae) is described from the Dhubri District, Assam. A key to the species of Pleciobates and a distribution map of the species of Pleciobates from India are provided. For the first time the genitalia of Pleciobates females are described in detail.

Revision of the Oriental subgenus Velia ( Haldwania ) Tamanini, 1955 (Heteroptera: Veliidae), with descriptions of four new species

Th e Oriental subgenus Haldwania of the genus Velia is revised. It includes fi ve previously described species, Velia ( H. ) championi Tamanini 1955 from northwestern India; V. ( H. ) steelei Tamanini, 1955 from northeastern India; V. ( H. ) sinensis Andersen, 1981 from Sichuan, China; V. ( H. ) tomokunii Polhemus & Polhemus, 1998 from Nepal; V. ( H. ) tonkina Polhemus & Polhemus, 2003 from northern Vietnam; and four species new to science: V . ( H .) anderseni sp.n. from Bengal, India; V . ( H .) longiconnexiva sp.n. from Guizhou, China; V . ( H .) yunnana sp.n. from Yunnan, China; V . ( H .) laticaudata sp.n. from northern Vietnam. Detailed diagnoses of known species and illustrations of all species are given. Diagnostic characteristics for species identifi cation are discussed. A key to species of Haldwania and a map illustrating their distribution are given.

Three new species of Aphelocheirus (Heteroptera: Aphelocheiridae) from northern Thailand

Three new species of Aphelocheirus from northern Thailand are described herein. Aphelocheirus karen and A. maehongsonus were collected from two streams north of Mae Hong Son in Mae Hong Son Province. Aphelocheirus monthathanus was collected from Doi Suthep and Doi Inthanon in Chiang Mai Province. This brings the number of described species of Aphelocheirus reported from Thailand to 10.