bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The 'true' genus Alona Baird, 1843 (Crustacea: Cladocera: Anomopoda): position of the A. quadrangularis-group and description of a new species from the Democratic Republic of Congo
Authors: VAN DAMME KAY , DUMONT HENRI J.
Published: March 2024

We describe Alona kolwezii n. sp. from the Afrotropics and provide a morphological comparison with the type species of the genus A. quadrangularis. Past classification problems of Alona indicate a potential complexity of evolution and radiation in these smaller Aloninae. We present a historical overview of systematic approaches to the genus Alona aiming towards an increased understanding of Aloninae phylogeny. A proposed delineation of “true” Alona Baird, 1843 is presented as the quadrangularis-group, comprising A. quadrangularis, A. kolwezii and A. boliviana. We discuss the phylogenetic position of the quadrangularis-group with a redescription of its limbs, interspecific variability and morphological adaptations to an epi-benthic mode of life.
Additions to the decapod crustacean fauna of the Hawaiian Islands, I. A review of the genus Sakaila Manning and Holthuis, 1981 (Decapoda, Brachyura, Aethridae), with the description of a new species from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands
Authors: MARTIN JOEL W. , GODWIN SCOTT , MOFFITT ROBERT
Published: March 2024

The brachyuran crab genus Sakaila, currently considered a member of the family Aethridae, is reviewed and revised. Illustrations are provided for all of the known species, and a new species, the fourth in the genus, is described based on one female from French Frigate Shoals, one male from Maro Reef, both in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, and a second male from Johnston Atoll. Previous species are known only from the eastern Atlantic off the west coast of Africa (S. africana Manning and Holthuis, 1981) and from the far western Pacific off Japan (S. japonica Sakai, 1963, and S. imperialis Sakai, 1963). The new species differs from its congeners mostly in the overall spination of the carapace and legs, which is more pronounced in the new species. A key to the known species is provided and the current status of each species is discussed.
Revision of the crab genus Garthambrus Ng, 1996, with the description of two new genera and discussion of the status of Tutankhamen Rathbun, 1925 (Crustacea: Brachyura: Parthenopidae)
Authors: MCLAY COLIN L. , TAN S. H.
Published: March 2024

The Indo-West Pacific genus Garthambrus Ng, 1996, is revised. Two new species are described from New Caledonia and French Polynesia. Lambrus (Parthenopoides) pteromerus Ortmann, 1893, is now transferred to Garthambrus. The genus now consists of 11 nominal species, viz. G. allisoni (Garth, 1992), G. cidaris (Garth and Davie, 1995), G. complanatus (Rathbun, 1906), G. lacunosus (Rathbun, 1906), G. posidon Ng, 1996, G. poupini (Garth, 1992), G. pteromerus (Ortmann, 1892), G. stellatus (Rathbun, 1906), G. tani Ahyong, 2008, G. darthvaderi sp. nov. and G. undulatus sp. nov. Although originally included in Garthambrus, Asterolambrus mironovi Zarenkov, 1990, is herein transferred to a new genus, Hispidolambrus gen nov. Most of these species are known from the West Pacific, but Garthambrus posidon only occurs in the Indian Ocean. Most specimens of Garthambrus have been collected from depths between 81–600 m. The monotypic Caribbean genus Tutankhamen Rathbun, 1925, which closely resembles Garthambrus, is also discussed. Heterocrypta epibranchialis Zarenkov, 1990, has some resemblance to Garthambrus but is here referred to a new genus, Zarenkolambrus, along with a new species, Z. minutus sp. nov.
Identification of the larval and juvenile stages of the Cubera Snapper, Lutjanus cyanopterus, using DNA barcoding
Authors: VICTOR BENJAMIN C. , HANNER ROBERT , SHIVJI MAHMOOD , HYDE JOHN , CALDOW CHRIS
Published: March 2024

The larvae and newly-settled juveniles of the Cubera Snapper, Lutjanus cyanopterus, are identified by DNA barcoding. Four larvae and three small juveniles of L. cyanopterus were detected among a large collection of pelagic larvae and a smaller collection of settled juveniles from the Caribbean coast of Panama. The mtDNA COI barcode sequences from the larvae and juveniles were virtually identical to sequences from adults sampled from the spawning aggregation in St. Thomas, USVI. Barcode sequences for the eleven regional species of Lutjanus species (sensu lato) were obtained and they exhibited deep interspecific divergences that allowed for efficient discrimination among the western Atlantic snapper species. The nearest neighbor species, the Mutton Snapper L. analis, was more than 11% divergent from L. cyanopterus. Cubera Snapper larvae are characterized by prominent melanophores along the outer spinous-dorsal-fin membranes and along the outer third of the longer pelvic-fin membranes. They are morphologically distinct from the late-stage larvae of the other regional snappers by their relatively wider caudal peduncle and their relative dorsal-spine lengths. Juveniles retain the black outer portion of the dorsal and pelvic-fin membranes and have a smaller body-depth than other regional snapper juveniles. The size at settlement is about 18 mm SL, relatively large for lutjanids. Daily otolith increments from L. cyanopterus larvae and juveniles indicate a pelagic larval duration of about 29 days with backcalculated spawning and settlement dates around the new moon. Although smaller adult Cubera Snappers can appear very similar to the Gray Snapper, L. griseus, the larvae and juveniles are quite different. In this case, the early life history stages reflect the deep genetic divergence between the two species while the adult forms converge in appearance.
A new species of Osteocephalus (Anura: Hylidae) from Amazonian Bolivia: first evidence of tree frog breeding in fruit capsules of the Brazil nut tree
Authors: MORAVEC JIŘÍ , APARICIO JAMES , GUERRERO-REINHARD MARCELO , CALDERÓN GONZALO , JUNGFER KARL-HEINZ , GVOŽDÍK VÁCLAV
Published: March 2024

A new species of Osteocephalus is described from lowland Amazonia of the Departamento Pando, northern Bolivia. The new species is most similar to Osteocephalus planiceps but differs by its smaller size (SVL 47.8–51.3 mm in males, 47.7–63.3 mm in females), absence of vocal slits, lack of sexual dimorphism in dorsal tubercles, single distal subarticular tubercle on the fourth finger, absence of dark spots on flanks, and by bicoloured iris with fine dark reticulate to radiate lines. The new species inhabits terra firme rainforest, breeds in water-filled fruit capsules of the Brazil nut tree and has oophagous tadpoles. Estimations of phylogenetic relationships within Osteocephalus based on mitochondrial DNA sequences show that the new species is closely related to O. planiceps and O. deridens.
Molecular phylogeny, classification, and biogeography of snakes of the Family Leptotyphlopidae (Reptilia, Squamata)
Authors: ADALSTEINSSON SOLNY A. , BRANCH WILLIAM R. , TRAPE SÉBASTIEN , VITT LAURIE J. , HEDGES S. BLAIR
Published: March 2024

The family Leptotyphlopidae (116 species) includes the smallest and thinnest species of snakes, often called threadsnakes (or wormsnakes). They are burrowing, have small eyes, and they feed on several life history stages of social insects. Leptotyphlopids have a West Gondwanan distribution, occurring primarily in Africa and the Neotropics (South America, Middle America, and the West Indies). The family is one of the most poorly known of all terrestrial vertebrates from the standpoint of systematics and ecology. No published phylogenetic studies of higher-level relationships exist, either from morphological or molecular data. Here we present DNA sequence analyses of 91 individuals representing 34 recognized species of leptotyphlopids, from nine mitochondrial and nuclear genes. The results show divergences among living lineages as early as the mid-Cretaceous, 92 (113–75) million years ago (Ma) and evidence that the breakup of West Gondwana into South America and Africa, and the separation of West Africa from South and East Africa by high sea levels in the Cretaceous, influenced the biogeographic history of the family through isolation. A Late Cretaceous (78 Ma; 98–63 Ma) transatlantic dispersal from West Africa to South America may explain the origin of the monophyletic New World radiation. Mid-Cenozoic divergences among Middle and North American species indicate that leptotyphlopids dispersed to those regions from South America, by rafting over water, prior to the emergence of the Isthmus of Panama. A revised classification recognizes two subfamilies, Epictinae subfam. nov. (New World and Africa) and Leptotyphlopinae (Africa, Arabia, and Southwest Asia). Within the Epictinae we recognize two tribes (Epictini trib. nov. and Rhinoleptini trib. nov.), three subtribes (Epictina subtrib. nov., Tetracheilostomina subtrib. nov., and Renina subtrib. nov.), and eight genera (Epictia, Guinea gen. nov., Mitophis gen. nov., Rena, Rhinoleptus, Siagonodon, Tetracheilostoma, and Tricheilostoma). Three tribes are recognized within the Leptotyphlopinae (Epacrophini trib. nov., Myriopholini trib. nov., and Leptotyphlopini trib. nov.) and four genera (Epacrophis gen. nov., Myriopholis gen. nov., Leptotyphlops, and Namibiana gen. nov.). The significant non-monophyly of some species and the estimated long period of time (tens of millions of years) separating populations of currently recognized species indicate that an unusually large number of species exist that are unrecognized. This combined with small distributions and high levels of deforestation in these areas argue for increased awareness of leptotyphlopids and other burrowing reptiles in conservation planning.
Descriptions of three new species of Ypsolopha Latreille (Lepidoptera: Ypsolophidae) from East Asia, redescription of Y. contractella (Caradja) and a checklist of East Asian Ypsolopha
Authors: SOHN JAE-CHEON , PONOMARENKO MARGARITA G. , WU CHUN-SHENG , HAN HUI-LIN , WANG XIN-LI
Published: March 2024

Three new species of Ypsolopha Latreille are described from East Asia: Y. helva Sohn et Wu, n. sp., Y. sordida Sohn et Wu, n. sp., both from China; Y. pseudoparallela Sohn et Ponomarenko, n. sp. from Japan. Redescription of Y. contractella (Caradja), a poorly known species, is given with the first illustrations of genitalia of both species. The new combination, Ypsolopha diana (Caradja), transferred from Cerostoma, is proposed. Exclusion of Cerostoma xenicopis Meyrick from Ypsolopha is suggested with notes of its lectotype. The following new synonyms are proposed: Ypsolopha hebeiensis Yang, 1977 syn. n. = Y. leuconotella (Snellen, 1884); Ypsolopha affinitella (Staudinger, 1892) syn. n. = Y. dentella (Fabricius, 1775). Eight species are newly reported from China: Ypsolopha acuminata (Butler), Y. cristata Moriuti, Y. dentella (Fabricius), Y. japonica Moriuti, Y. nemorella (Linnaeus), Y. parenthesella (Linnaeus), Y. satellitella (Staudinger) and Y. yasudai Moriutu; two species are new to China and Korea, Y. amoenella (Christoph) and Y. asperella (Linnaeus); Y. contractella (Caradja) is new to Japan, Korea and China. A checklist of 42 species of Ypsolopha recorded from East Asia is provided.
Description of the imago of Meridialaris spina Pescador & Peters 1987 (Insecta: Ephemeroptera)
Authors: PESSACQ PABLO
Published: March 2024

The genus Meridialaris Peter & Edmunds, 1972 (Ephemeroptera: Leptophlebiidae) was established to include all South American Deleatidium Eaton, 1884 (Peter & Edmunds 1972). The only exception was D. vittatum Thew, 1960, a species described from Brazil and latter synonymized with Ulmeritoides haarupi (Esben-Petersen, 1912) by Peters et al. (2005). As the type species of the genus, Peters and Edmunds (1972) designated M. laminata (Ulmer, 1920). Pescador & Peters (1987) described three new species and synonymized other two.
A new brachypterous leafhopper of the tribe Malmaemichungiini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Bathysmatophorinae), representing the first record of the tribe from China
Authors: WEI CONG , ZHANG YALIN , DIETRICH CHRISTOPHER H.
Published: March 2024

The rare brachypterous leafhopper genus Malmaemichungia Kwon is revised with the description and illustration of a new species, Malmaemichungia qinlingensis sp. nov., from the Qinling Mountains, central China. The new species represents a substantial extension of the known range of the tribe Malmaemichungiini, all other species of which are recorded from South Korea. The taxonomic position and biogeography and habitats of Malmaemichungiini and the closely related Bathysmatophorini are discussed. Bathysmatophorinae is here treated as a separate subfamily for the first time (new status) and includes the nominotypical tribe and Malmaemichungiini.
New scale insect (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Coccoidea) records from Fiji: three new species, records of several new invasive species and an updated checklist of Coccoidea
Authors: HODGSON CHRIS J. , ŁAGOWSKA BOZENA
Published: March 2024

The adult females of three new scale insect species are described from Fiji: Crystallotesta marika Hodgson & Łagowska (Coccidae: Cardiococcinae); Paracoccus boumaensis Hodgson & Łagowska (Pseudococcidae) and Pseudaulacaspis pyrrosiae Hodgson & Łagowska (Diaspididae). The genus Crystallotesta had previously only been known from New Zealand. P. pyrrosiae is the third possibly endemic species of Pseudaulacaspis to be described from Fiji. In addition, Icerya imperatae Rao (Monophlebidae), Bambusaspis bambusae (Boisduval) and B. robusta (Green) (Asterolecaniidae), Kilifia acuminata (Signoret) and Milviscutulus ciliatus Williams & Watson (Coccidae), and Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green), Nipaecoccus nipae (Maskell) and Phenacoccus parvus Morrison (Pseudococcidae) are recorded from Fiji for the first time. The adult female of I. imperatae is redescribed. It is considered that M. hirsutus and N. nipae could be potentially very important ecologically and economically. A complete checklist of Coccoidea known from Fiji, along with their known island distributions and host plants, is appended. We also record Pseudaulacaspis coluisuvae Williams & Watson from the Solomon Islands for the first time.
A survey of Dryinidae (Hymenoptera, Chrysidoidea) from Caxiuanã, Amazon Basin, with three new taxa and keys to genera and species
Authors: COELHO BEATRIZ W. , AGUIAR ALEXANDRE P. , ENGEL MICHAEL S.
Published: March 2024

The dryinid wasp fauna of Caxiuanã National Forest, Pará, Brazil is summarized. Seventeen species, three of which are new, in six genera and three subfamilies have been found: Anteoninae: Anteon panamense Olmi, A. chiriquense (Cameron), A. noyesi Olmi, Deinodryinus bicolor (Olmi et Currado), D. bilobus Fenton, D. caxiuana sp. nov.; Dryininae: Dryinus argentinus Olmi, D. striatus (Fenton), D. snellingi Olmi, D. ruficeps Cameron, D. multicarinatus sp. nov., D. hamulus sp. nov.; Gonatopodinae: Gonatopus campbelli Olmi, G. neotropicus (Olmi), G. testaceus Cameron, Neodryinus incaicus Olmi, and Trichogonatopus neotropicus Olmi. Gonatopus neotropicus and N. incaicus are newly recorded from Brazil. The new species are described and illustrated. Keys to genera and species are provided.
A remarkable new species of Callulina (Amphibia: Anura: Brevicipitidae) with massive, boldly coloured limb glands
Authors: MENEGON MICHELE , GOWER DAVID J. , LOADER SIMON P.
Published: March 2024

A large new species of Callulina is described from a series of 22 specimens from the montane and upper montane forest of the Nguru Mountains, Tanzania. The most striking features of Callulina meteora sp. nov. are the massive and boldly coloured glands on the arms and legs and a metallic sheen to the skin. The new species is distinguished further on the basis of acoustic and molecular data. The position, size and conspicuousness of the enlarged glands in the new species are strikingly similar to those of Nectophrynoides viviparus, a toad found also in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania. The new species is known from a single forest reserve and is of high conservation concern.
A new cardinalfish of the genus Apogonichthyoides (Perciformes, Apogonidae) from Raja Ampat Islands, with a key to species
Authors: FRASER THOMAS H. , ALLEN GERALD R.
Published: March 2024

Another deep-water cardinal fish of the genus Apogonichthyoides is described from Fiabacet Island, Western Papua, Indonesia. Collected at 73 m, Apogonichthyoides erdmanni has very distinctive markings on the head and body. It is brown with a dark spot on the body below the anterior lateral line, two slightly darker body bars and darker markings on the head, all similar features to those of the Philippine species Apogonichthyoides uninotatus. The new species has vivid, horizontal dark cheek and post-ocular marks, a small oval spot between the eye and tip of upper preopercular arm, yellowish anal, second dorsal and caudal fins, a narrow basicaudal bar less than 1/3 the length of the caudal peduncle, a vertical bar under the posterior half of the second dorsal-fin base reaching the base of the anal fin, small dark spots on the lower half of the body onto the lower portion of the caudal peduncle and a body spot smaller than the pupil of the eye. Apogonichthyoides uninotatus has a faint diagonal cheek mark, a faint horizontal post-ocular mark, a faint dash between the eye and the tip of the upper preopercular arm, brownish anal, second dorsal and caudal fins, a broad basicaudal bar more than 2/3 the length of the caudal peduncle, a broad body bar as a chevron including all of the second dorsal-fin base reaching the base of the anal fin, no small dark spots on the lower half of body and a body spot larger than the pupil of the eye. A key to twenty-two species of Apogonichthyoides is provided.
A new species of Pristimantis (Amphibia: Craugastoridae) with cranial crests from the Colombian Andes
Authors: OSPINA-SARRIA JHON JAIRO , MENDEZ-NARVAEZ JAVIER , BURBANO-YANDI CARLOS , BOLÍVAR-G WILMAR
Published: March 2024

We describe a new species of Pristimantis (Anura: Craugastoridae) from Reserva Natural “La Sirena”, Valle del Cauca, Colombia. The new species is found in the Cordillera Central and is similar to P. calcaratus, P. kelephus and P. jubatus, all of them found in the Cordillera Occidental and are presumed to be related. The new species is distinguished from similar species by having cranial crests, tip of Toe V reaching the distal subarticular tubercle of Toe IV, conical tubercles present on heels and interocular area, and males lacking vocal slits but having white, glandular nuptial pads on thumbs.
Stenocyphon neozealandicus, a new species from New Zealand of a previously monotypic subfamily from Chile (Coleoptera: Scirtidae: Stenocyphoninae)
Authors: RUTA RAFAŁ , THORPE STEPHEN , YOSHITOMI HIROYUKI
Published: March 2024

The genus Stenocyphon Lawrence, 2001 was described from central Chile to accommodate a single new species, S. sasajii Lawrence, 2001. The genus shows features unusual for Scirtidae, including tibia without longitudinal carinae, distinct frontoclypeal suture, laterally compressed male aedeagus, laterally compressed, vertically arranged coxites of ovipositor, and very elongate habitus. This led Lawrence and Yoshitomi (2007) to place it in a new monotypic subfamily, Stenocyphoninae. The recent discovery of Stenocyphon in New Zealand greatly extends the known geographical range of the genus and subfamily. The initial discovery of the New Zealand species was made about 8 years ago, when one of us (ST) was examining unsorted beetles in the Auckland Museum collection, and found a single specimen from Northland of a beetle that was difficult to place to family. Further investigation led to the suggestion that it may be an odd scirtid, and John Lawrence subsequently determined it to belong to the genus Stenocyphon. Unfortunately, the specimen was destroyed in the post while on return from Lawrence, and no further material was located until early 2011, when ST was examining some unsorted samples collected by Dave Seldon (University of Auckland), again from Northland.
New species of Sparianthina Banks, 1929 (Araneae: Sparassidae: Heteropodinae)
Authors: RHEIMS CRISTINA ANNE
Published: March 2024

Two new species of Sparianthina Banks, 1929 are described: S. parang sp. nov. based on males and females from Tobago, and S. gaita sp. nov. based on a male and a female from Venezuela. Both species present the heavy dorsal tegular apophysis on the male palps and the multilobed internal duct system in the vulvae, with very long fertilization ducts that are characteristic of the genus.
A nomen novum for Protechinus Lavocat, 1961 (Mammalia, Erinaceidae), a junior homonym of the valid name Protechinus Noetling, 1897 (Echinoidea, Arbacioida)
Authors: ZIJLSTRA JELLE S.
Published: March 2024

Noetling (1897: 14) named the echinoid genus Protechinus from the Maastrichtian of Pakistan. Lambert (1898: 126) replaced the name Protechinus with a new name, Noetlingia, because Austin (1860: 446) had previously used the name Protoechinus for a different echinoid from the Carboniferous of Ireland. However, Noetlingia Lambert, 1898 is itself preoccupied by Noetlingia Hall & Clark, 1893, a brachiopod, and was accordingly replaced by Noetlingaster Vredenburg, 1911. Since then, Noetlingaster has been in general use for this genus (e.g., Mortensen 1940, Smith 1995).
A new species and two new synonyms from China in the genus Odontothrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)
Authors: HU QING-LING , MIRAB-BALOU MAJID , CHEN XUE-XIN , FENG JI-NIAN
Published: March 2024

Odontothrips hani sp. n. is described and illustrated from Fabaceae flowers in China. O. qinlingensis Feng & Zhao and O. yinggeensis Feng & Zhang are newly synonymised with O. loti (Haliday).
Joseph Vachal (1838–1911): French entomologist and politician
Authors: RASMUSSEN CLAUS
Published: March 2024

Joseph Vachal (1838–1911) was a French notary and politician who discovered 786 new species and 18 new subspecies of Hymenoptera, 630 of which are still valid and in use today. This makes Vachal a little-known yet the fifth most prolific describer ever of new bee taxa. The present catalog provides a brief biography of Vachal and a complete list of the taxa proposed by Vachal, including a bibliography of his 48 entomological publications. The catalog lists for all valid names published details on the type series, type locality, and collector. A tentative current combination is provided for all taxa based on literature.
Morphology and identification of the pupae of seven species of the genus Otiorhynchus Germar, 1822 (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Otiorhynchini)
Authors: GOSIK RAFAŁ , SPRICK PETER
Published: March 2024

The pupae of Otiorhynchus armadillo (Rossi, 1792), O. aurifer Boheman, 1843, O. crataegi Germar, 1824, O. meridionalis Gyllenhal, 1834, O. porcatus (Herbst, 1795) and O. salicicola Heyden, 1908, are described and illustrated for the first time. The pupa of O. sulcatus (Fabricius, 1775) is redescribed and illustrated. Characteristic features including chaetotaxy and habitus, measurements and a key to the species based on the pupae are also presented.
Linyphiid spiders of Peru: description of a new species, complementary descriptions and new distribution records (Araneae: Linyphiidae)
Authors: RODRIGUES EVERTON NEI LOPES , BRESCOVIT ANTONIO DOMINGOS
Published: March 2024

The spider family Linyphiidae is poorly known from many countries in South America, including Peru. In this paper wedescribe a new species of Asemostera Simon, 1898, Asemostera dianae new species, from Madre de Dios, the males ofMeioneta lauta Millidge, 1991 and Meioneta oculata Millidge, 1991, and the female of Myrmecomelix pulcher (Millidge,1991). New occurrence records for Peru include Exechopsis conspicua Millidge, 1991 (known from Brazil), andNovafrontina uncata (F. O. P.-Cambridge, 1902) (known from Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Panama, and Venezuela). Newdistribution records within Peru for endemic species include Asemostera janetae Miller, 2007, Lygarina finitima Millidge,1991, Meioneta propinqua Millidge, 1991, Meioneta silvae Millidge, 1991 and Sphecozone niwina (Chamberlin, 1916).Illustrations are provided for Asemostera dianae new species and for the undescribed sexes of previously described taxa. Known distributional records are also provided for the above discussed taxa.
Revision of the subgenus Cosmiomorpha (Cosmiomorpha)(Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae)
Authors: QIU JIAN-YUE , XU HAO , HU CHUN-LIN
Published: March 2024

A taxonomic revision of the subgenus Cosmiomorpha (Cosmiomorpha) Saunders is presented. Seven species are recognized, including four described herein, C. fortis new species, C. nigripedis new species, C. maolanensis new species, and C. cheni new species all from China. Cosmiomorpha baryi Bourgoin and C. squamulosa Schürhoff are placed as junior synonyms of C. decliva Janson, and C. angulosa Fairmaire as a synonym of C. decliva is also confirmed. Lectotypes are designated for C. decliva Janson, C. angulosa Fairmaire, and C. squamulosa Schürhoff. Color photographs and diagnoses of all species are provided, with comments on intraspecific variations. A key to males is also presented. Localities of “Siào-Lòu” and “Se Pin-Lou Chan” are discussed with a map.
The genus Rhamphothrips in India (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) with description of a new species
Authors: TYAGI KAOMUD , KUMAR VIKAS
Published: March 2024

Rhamphothrips bhattii sp.n. is described from India based on specimens collected on flowers and leaves of Tabernaemontana divaricata (Apocynaceae) in the States of West Bengal and Odisha. The pronotum of this species is longer than any other known member of the genus. A key to the six species of Rhamphothrips recorded from India is provided.
A new species of Mataeomera, formerly misidentified as M. obliquisigna (Hampson, 1894) from Japan (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Boletobiinae)
Authors: SOHN JAE-CHEON , EDA KEITARO
Published: March 2024

Mataeomera Butler, 1886, currently referred to the tribe Eublemmini in Boletobiinae (Holloway 2011), was proposed by Butler (1886) to accommodate an Australian species, Mataeomera dubia Butler. This genus was once regarded as a junior synonym of Autoba Walker by Poole (1989) but resurrected by Edwards (1996). Another related genus, Catoblemma Hampson, 1910 originally proposed for Catoblemma sumbavensis Hampson, 1910 from Lesser Sunda was revised to include the Australian and East and Southeast Asian species. Edwards (1996) found the Australian species of Catoblemma and Mataeomera dubia congeneric and established the synonymy of those two genera. Following Edwards (1996), Yoshimoto (1999) transferred the Asian species of Catoblemma to Mataeomera. Mataeomera currently includes 21 species (Poole 1989; Edwards 1996; Holloway 2009). Following Holloway (2009), we note that Catoblemma appears to include several unrelated species and is probably polyphyletic. In fact, the Indo-Himalayan and East Asian species currently assigned to Mataeomera are distinct from the Australian congeners in external appearance and larval feeding habits (Sohn & Ronkay 2001; Holloway 2009). As such these may merit generic status but this possibility is still under study by the first author (JCS).
Simpsonichthys radiosus sp. n. (Teleostei: Cyprinodontiformes: Rivulidae): a new annual killifish from the upper Rio Tocantins basin, central Brazil
Authors: COSTA WILSON J.E.M. , BRASIL GILBERTO C.
Published: March 2024

Simpsonichthys radiosus, new species, from the upper Rio Tocantins basin, central Brazil, is described. It belongs to a clade herein denominated Simpsonichthys notatus species group, which includes S. notatus, S. stellatus, S. similis, S. rufus, S. trilineatus, S. auratus, and S. ocellatus, and is diagnosed by a unique pattern of frontal squamation. The new species is distinguished from other species of the S. notatus group by possessing a wider basihyal and a unique color pattern on the caudal fin in males, consisting of light blue stripes parallel to the fin rays alternating with subdistal blue spots. A key to the species of the S. notatus group is provided.
Is Travel Resurgence in the Post-Global Health Emergency a Form of Revenge Travel? A Multi-phase Qualitative Study
Authors: Meenakshi N. , Dhir Amandeep , Kaur Puneet , Mahto Raj V. , Nicolau Juan Luis
Published: March 2024

This paper aims to conceptualize whether revenge tourism is an apt description of travel in the post global health emergency period from the perspective of travelers. Furthermore, it examines the outcomes of post global health emergency travel. The multiphase work included screening and three phases of qualitative study. Participants perceived the term “ revenge” with skepticism, although the nature of travel and activities and consumption in the post global health emergency have changed for them. In this period, the need for introspection was greater, and travel was a way of rediscovering oneself. Furthermore, participants were negotiating new, different boundaries again after a tumultuous period, which indicated tourism travel was inextricably intertwined with several important aspects of their lives. The most important implication of the study is that it enables us to understand the connectedness between the process by which the post global health emergency phenomenon influences travel and its outcomes.
Assessment of symptomatic response to intravesical alkalinized lidocaine, bupivacaine, heparin and steroids in patients with bladder pain syndrome
Authors: Mahant Ravikant , Solanki Fanindra Singh , Tiwari Chandan , Lokhande Ankush , Sharma Deepti B , Sharma Dhananjaya
Published: March 2024

Bladder Pain Syndrome (BPS) is a puzzling and complicated disorder. 12 such patients, with a mean age 48.3 years, were treated with weekly intravesical instillation of admixture of alkalinized lidocaine, bupivacaine, heparin and steroids for six weeks. Evaluating the benefits of this therapy, patients experienced 82.2% & 90.9% relief at 3rd & 6th week of instillation. After completion of six cycles of therapy, patients experienced 68.7% & 65.3% relief at 3rd & 6th month follow up, concluding the early and long term relief of BPS.
Struggling with exactitude in a fragmented state: Intelligence testing in early twentieth-century China
Authors: Chang Pang-Yen
Published: March 2024

This article examines the rise and decline of the enthusiasm for intelligence testing in early twentieth-century China, focusing on the appeal, the challenges, and the critiques revolving around this psychological instrument. The introduction of intelligence testing reflected not only China’s urgent needs in modernizing its merit system, but also Chinese psychologists’ aspirations for pursuing exactitude and redefining the racial characteristics of their compatriots against foreign interpretations. But despite psychologists’ endeavors, the political and geographical fragmentation of Republican China troubled the epistemic imperative of uniformity demanded by Euro-American psychometrics and therefore undermined the validity of measurement. Subsequently, the legitimacy of intelligence testing began to be questioned by several influential Chinese psychologists in the late 1920s and 30s. The difficulties in standardization and the hostility within the psychology community formed a vicious cycle, impeding the progress of nationwide testing. Through this history, the article demonstrates not only the elevation of measurement to epistemic authority in modern China, but also how its promise was challenged by a diverse and rapidly changing society.
Injury of the Hyoid Bone as a Rare Complication in Cervical Spine Rehabilitation: A Case Report
Authors: Bohdziewicz Anna , Wisniewska Julia , Dzaman Karolina , Piskadlo-Zborowska Karolina , Kubiczek-Jagielska Marzena
Published: March 2024

Neck pain is a common reason for primary care visits, and its differential diagnosis should consider various conditions. The reported incidence of hyoid bone fractures is extremely low, accounting for only 0.002% of all fractures. The most common causes of hyoid bone fractures include strangulation attempts and motor vehicle accidents. We report a case of an uncommon complication of manual therapy of the cervical spine. A 76-year-old woman complained of neck pain that worsened during speaking and swallowing, originating from a neck physiotherapy session. The otolaryngological examination revealed tenderness on the right side of the neck. Flexible nasal endoscopy demonstrated a shallow right piriform recess and asymmetry of the arytenoid cartilages. Computer tomography scan of the neck showed an isolated fracture of the right greater horn (cornu major) of the hyoid bone. The treatment was nonsurgical, with the use of a Schantz collar and pain relief drugs. Reported symptoms of hyoid bone fractures include dysphagia, odynophagia, and neck pain. In most cases of hyoid fractures, conservative management suffices, involving rest, analgesic and anti-inflammatory treatment, and neck immobilization. Surgical treatment is often necessary in the cases of fractures accompanying other injuries.
Nationalism, nation-building, and the decline of empires
Authors: Cucciolla Riccardo Mario
Published: March 2024

In May 2023, Reset Dialogues on Civilizations organized the international conference ‘Nationalism, Nation-Building, and the Decline of Empires’ in Dublin. The purpose was to gather a group of historians, political scientists, theorists, philosophers, and experts who could grasp the significant trends, over the long term, in nationalism, nation-building, and imperial issues and could create a forum for dialogue that would compare different, and in many ways related, contexts, defining the challenges of the contemporary politics in the international scene.
Pregnant racialised migrants and the ubiquitous border: The hostile environment as a technology of stratified reproduction
Authors: LONERGAN GWYNETH
Published: March 2024

This article explores the impact of the ‘hostile environment’ on racialised migrant women's experiences of pregnancy and childbirth in England, arguing that the ‘hostile environment’ functions as a technology of ‘stratified reproduction.’ First coined by Shellee Colen, the concept of stratified reproduction describes the dynamic by which some individuals and groups may be supported in their reproductive activities, while others are disempowered and discouraged. This paper locates the stratified reproduction produced by the ‘hostile environment’ as intertwined with wider gendered and racialised discourses around British citizenship which have been ‘designed to fail’ racialised residents of the UK. Drawing on interviews with racialised migrant mothers in the north of England, this paper analyses how the proliferation and intensification of immigration controls interacts with gender, race, class, and other social regimes to differentially allocate the resources necessary for a safe and healthy pregnancy and childbirth, and how this is experienced materially by pregnant migrants.
A proposal for reducing maximum target doses of drugs for psychosis: Reviewing dose–response literature
Authors: O’Neill James R. , Jameson Adam , McLean Samantha L. , Dixon Michael , Cardno Alastair G. , Lawrence Christopher
Published: March 2024

Background:

Presently, there is limited guidance on the maximal dosing of psychosis drugs that is based on effectiveness rather than safety or toxicity. Current maximum dosing recommendations may far exceed the necessary degree of dopamine D2 receptor blockade required to treat psychosis. This may lead to excess harm through cognitive impairment and side effects.

Aims:

This analysis aimed to establish guidance for prescribers by optimally dosing drugs for psychosis based on efficacy and benefit.

Methods:

We used data from two dose–response meta-analyses and reviewed seven of the most prescribed drugs for psychosis in the UK. Where data were not available, we used appropriate comparison techniques based on D2 receptor occupancy to extrapolate our recommendations.

Results:

We found that the likely threshold dose for achieving remission of psychotic symptoms was often significantly below the currently licensed dose for these drugs. We therefore recommend that clinicians are cautious about exceeding our recommended doses. Individual factors, however, should be accounted for. We outline potentially relevant factors including age, ethnicity, sex, smoking status and pharmacogenetics. Additionally, we recommend therapeutic drug monitoring as a tool to determine individual pharmacokinetic variation.

Conclusions:

In summary, we propose a new set of maximum target doses for psychosis drugs based on efficacy. Further research through randomised controlled trials should be undertaken to evaluate the effect of reducing doses from current licensing maximums or from doses that are above our recommendations. However, dose reductions should be implemented in a manner that accounts for and reduces the effects of drug withdrawal.
Immunogenicity and adverse events of the COVID-19 vaccines in healthy and individuals with autoimmune diseases in an Iranian population
Authors: Moradi Hasan-Abad Amin , Arbabi Mohsen , Gilasi Hamidreza , Motedayyen Hossein
Published: March 2024

Introduction: Recent studies have proposed various COVID-19 vaccines to control the disease and protect susceptible individuals. However, immunogenicity and safety of COVID-19 vaccines in various populations are not well identified yet. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate the efficacy and safety of the BBIBP-CorV (Sinopharm) and ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (Oxford-AstraZeneca) vaccines in healthy subjects and patients with autoimmune diseases.

Methods: Study population included 121 healthy subjects and 100 patients with autoimmune diseases. Immunization was performed based on the national vaccination protocols. Of the 221 volunteers, 201 subjects received Sinopharm and 20 cases were vaccinated with Oxford-AstraZeneca. During a 1-year follow-up, the immunogenicity was measured by ELISA before primary vaccination and 1 to 3 months after secondary immunization. Side effects were studied before entering the study and 1 week after the second dose.

Results: Vaccination had a positive impact on the induction of immunogenic response ( p < .0001). The rates of seropositive vaccine responses were 80% and 75% in subjects vaccinated with the Sinopharm and Oxford-AstraZeneca, respectively. The neutralizing antibody values were significantly higher in subjects with autoimmune diseases than those without autoimmunity ( p < .05). The rate of adverse events were 38% and 42% in subjects vaccinated with the Sinopharm and Oxford-AstraZeneca, respectively. The rates of immunogenic responses induced with the Sinopharm and Oxford-AstraZeneca were, respectively, 76% and 81.5% in seropositive subjects, while they were 63.8% and 79.1% in seronegative subjects vaccinated with the Sinopharm and Oxford-AstraZeneca, respectively. Individuals previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 showed a significant reduction in the value of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies compared with seronegative subjects ( p < .01–.05). Seropositive individuals vaccinated with the Sinopharm had significantly higher the percentages of vaccine-related adverse events than seronegative persons ( p < .05). There was no significant difference between seronegative and seropositive individuals vaccinated with the Oxford-AstraZeneca.

Conclusion: Our findings revealed that the Sinopharm and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines are effective in the production of neutralizing antibodies in healthy subjects and patients with autoimmune disorders undergoing immunosuppressive therapies without considerable reactogenicity.
The German naval strategy for the Atlantic islands between 1940 and 1943
Authors: Díaz Benítez Juan José
Published: March 2024

Although the strategic value of the Spanish and Portuguese Atlantic islands for the Third Reich during the Second World War has been the subject of several studies, certain issues remain unknown. One is the link between the strategic re-evaluation of these islands and Spain and Portugal's neutrality. The other is the role of the different Atlantic archipelagos in the German strategy after 1940. To respond to these questions, the author consulted primary sources in the Bundesarchiv-Militärarchiv and other archives elsewhere, as well as the most relevant bibliographical references. Worth highlighting among the conclusions is that the Spanish policy of non-belligerence significantly influenced German interests concerning the Atlantic islands during both the summer and autumn of 1940, as well as in later periods during the conflict.
The Social Cohesion Measures Contributing to Resilient Disaster Recovery: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Sobhaninia Saeideh
Published: March 2024

Many people experience disasters that cause anxiety due to relocation and uncertainty about when they can return to normal. Thus, by systematically reviewing the literature using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews, this research aimed to identify the most effective social cohesion variables in disaster recovery. The results showed social cohesion's role in disaster recovery. The findings showed that the most influential social cohesion variables in disaster recovery are social capital, sense of community, social participation, and place attachment. Policymakers can use this framework to empower communities by improving social cohesion to mitigate the impacts of environmental disruptions and make communities resilient to future shocks.
Sexual Grooming Behavior and Processes of Women Who Commit Sexual Offenses Against Children
Authors: Steely Smith Mollee Katherin , ten-Bensel Tusty
Published: March 2024

Individuals who sexually offend often engage in manipulative and coercive behavior to begin, conceal, and continue the sexual abuse of children over time, referred to as grooming behavior. The large majority of research regarding grooming behavior derives exclusively from male sex offending samples, which is problematic because male and female sex offenders vary widely in their offending patterns, motivations, and behaviors. For the present study, we examined the nature of sexual grooming and processes exhibited by a sample of 50 women convicted of sexual offenses against a child. We were guided by Craven et al. model of sexual grooming, which focuses on self, environmental, and child grooming. To date, this is the only proposed model of sexual grooming that includes self-grooming as a step in the grooming process. Data included narrative interviews with women who were arrested, convicted, and assessed for risk and community notification purposes between 2014 and 2019. We also examined interviews with victims, witnesses, and other guardians. The findings from the current study indicated that women who sexually offend utilize a variety of self, environmental, and child grooming behaviors. Self-grooming was an intricate, complex, and layered process that continued throughout the duration of the offense. Details provided by the women in our sample suggested that environmental and child grooming occurred simultaneously rather than two distinct steps. A better understanding of grooming behaviors can assist in the detection of grooming behavior, development of appropriate responses to child victims, and inform future legislation and its implementation. Theoretical and policy implications are discussed.
Changing international hegemony and dependency in peripheral countries: A case study of Latin America
Authors: Stallings Barbara
Published: March 2024

The literature on demand-driven growth models, while an important contribution to comparative political economy, places too much emphasis on developed countries and too little on the international political economic context. To extend these models to the periphery, where international influence is especially important, it is suggested that theories of hegemony and dependency be incorporated into the analysis. The main argument is that international relationships can limit the ability of peripheral countries to produce more sophisticated goods and attain high-income status. The nature of the limits varies with the needs of the hegemon (or rising hegemon), which are met via three dependency mechanisms: markets, leverage, and linkage. The proposed approach is illustrated by a study of Latin America from 1990 to 2020. After following a consumption-led model from the end of WWII until the debt crisis of the 1980s, a new export-led model was introduced in the 1990s, with different variants in the northern and southern parts of the hemisphere and different “winners” and “losers.” In the 1990s, US dominance favored Mexico through its incorporation into US industrial value chains, while China’s entrance into the region after 2000 privileged South America’s commodity producers. The trade and financial advantages afforded the two subregions by the respective powers were offset by negative aspects of the dependent relationships. Mexico’s sophisticated industries financed by US FDI benefited only certain enclaves in the country, while South America suffered reprimarization and deindustrialization through its new links with China.
Use of Andexanet Alfa for Factor Xa Inhibitor Reversal in US Verified Trauma Centers: A National Survey
Authors: Fasanya Charles , Arrillaga Abenámar , Caronia Catherine , Rothburd Lauren , Japhe Tenzing , Hahn Younghee , Joseph Paul , Reci Dajana , Eckardt Patricia
Published: March 2024

Direct oral factor Xa inhibitors are replacing vitamin K-dependent antagonists as anticoagulation treatment in many clinical scenarios. Trauma centers are noting an increase in patients presenting on these medications. The 2018 Food and Drug Administration approval of andexanet alfa provides an alternative anticoagulation reversal. Barriers may limit utilization of new medications including a lack of grade 1A evidence supporting the use of prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC) versus andexanet alfa and cost. To evaluate barriers of andexanet alfa utilization by trauma surgeons, a 15-question survey was conducted. There was a 9% completion rate (n = 89). The results revealed 23.5% would choose andexanet alfa as first-line treatment in children, and 25.8% as first-line treatment in adults. The majority of respondents, 64.7% and 67.4%, would use PCC preferentially in children and adults, respectively. Respondents indicated that cost burden was an overriding factor (76.3%); 42.4% cited lack of high-level efficacy data of andexanet alfa for reversal of factor Xa inhibitors. Additional double-blinded multi-institutional randomized controlled trials comparing 4F-PCC and andexanet alfa for factor Xa inhibitor reversal are needed to support efficacy especially with the increased cost associated.
‘Tick boxes are just tick boxes’: Problematising evidence-based teaching and exploring the space of the possible through a complexity lens
Authors: Naz Zahid
Published: March 2024

This article seeks to provide a new paradigm for questioning how quality and excellence in teaching practices are understood and evaluated. By combining ideas from complexity theory and Michel Foucault’s conception of polymorphous correlations, I argue that a shift away from the forms of thought that engender reductionist evaluations can become a starting point to redefine the efficacy of teaching practices. By examining teaching practices through data obtained from interviews and classroom observations at a further education college, this article justifies disrupting our current common sense by which quality is defined in the landscape of educational policies and research. It is necessary, first, to try to unsettle the so-called discourse of evidence-based teaching, resulting in the production and dissemination of universalised pedagogical forms. By exploring how ecological factors affect institutional hierarchies and influence teaching practices, I challenge the notion that power relations in education are solely one-directional and oppressive. Insights from theory and teaching practices suggest that there are new forms of power at play, drawing attention to the concept I refer to as ‘transphenomenal awareness', and offering a more profound understanding of the significance of transcending the confines of pedagogical determinism that presently guides educational policymaking.