The Archiborborinae comprise a diverse clade of flies in the family Sphaeroceridae. This thesis presents the first phylogenetic analysis and a thorough taxonomic revision of the subfamily. The phylogenetic revision includes morphological data from all species, and molecular data from a subset of 21 ingroup species. Although the group here treated as the Archiborborinae has been traditionally treated as a tribe within the subfamily Copromyzinae, analysis of morphological, molecular, and combined datasets supports the monophyly of the Archiborborinae and shows that the Archiborborinae and Copromyzinae are not sister taxa. The Copromyzinae are more closely related to the Sphaerocerinae and possibly to the enigmatic genus Pycnopota than they are to the Archiborborinae. The elevation of the clade to subfamily rank is supported on the basis of this evidence. Basal relationships within the Archiborborinae are difficult to resolve, but the phylogenetic evidence generally supports a division of the subfamily into the following 8 genera: Antrops Enderlein 1909, Penola Richards 1941, Frutillaria Richards 1961, Boreantrops gen. nov., Coloantrops gen. nov., Maculantrops gen. nov., Photantrops gen. nov., and Poecilantrops gen. nov. The genus Archiborborus, until recently a paraphyletic assemblage including most of the described species in the subfamily, is treated as a junior synonym of Antrops (syn. nov.) All genera are described and a generic key is provided. A total of 122 species, including 25 previously described and 89 new, are fully described and illustrated; another 8 new species are diagnosed but not formally named.

We report on a small collection of parachuting frogs from Sumatra and Java. Three new species are described. Rhacophorus achantharrhena is similar to R. dulitensis and R. prominanus and differs from these species by a suite of characters including morphology of the supratympanic fold, digital webbing, coloration, and morphometrics. These three species are unusual in having white visceral and parietal peritonea. Rhacophorus catamitus is a small species similar to R. angulirostris and differing from this species by having a calcar at the heel and reduced digital webbing. Rhacophorus barisani resembles R. baluensis but differs from this species in color pattern, habitus, webbing of the fingers, and morphology of the dermal appendages. A new specimen of Sumatran R. pardalis is described and compared to the holotype of R. pulchellus. Rhacophorus prominanus is reported from Gunung Rajabasa, Lampung. Two specimens are described and compared to Bornean R. dulitensis and R. prominanus from the Malay Peninsula. Rhacophorus tunkui Kiew is a junior subjective synonym of Rhacophorus prominanus Smith. Finally, we describe new specimens of Rhacophorus margaritifer from Cibodas, Java, Skeletons of the new species and of R. margaritifer are described in detail. Superficial jaw and throat musculature appears to be relatively conservative within the genus.

Submitted by Jorge Cativo (jcativo@gmail.com) on 2018-05-23T22:12:32Z No. of bitstreams: 2 VariedadesdeespeciesdeorquideasencontradasnaAmazoniaClaudiaLimaCabral.pdf: 87962 bytes, checksum: 67b14c047c6db4395f97de1f2c5a1203 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-05-23T22:12:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 VariedadesdeespeciesdeorquideasencontradasnaAmazoniaClaudiaLimaCabral.pdf: 87962 bytes, checksum: 67b14c047c6db4395f97de1f2c5a1203 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-03-02 / Dichaea bragae is a pendulous plant, small, reaching five centimeters in length, the flower reaches five centimeters and has a structure called the lip, which is a modified petal. It is a landing structure of insect pollinators. The flower of Anathalis manausesis, according to the researcher, is only 3 millimeters (mm) and its leaf is less than 1 centimeter (cm). It is considered the smallest of the species already described. Brazil registers more than three thousand types of orchids. In Amazonas, there are about 300. According to the biologist, Amazonian orchids have characteristics similar to those of other regions. They can be found mainly in the so-called Amazonian campinaranas, areas with sandy soils, and also in the canopy of trees. Orchids have a preference, a need for light, a diffuse light. And the treetops are an ideal environment for them. In a dense ombrophilous forest, which is a tall forest, with trees up to 25 or 30 meters, you can hardly see orchids. / La Dichaea bragae es una planta péndula, pequeña, llegando a cinco centímetros de longitud, la flor llega a cinco centímetros y presenta una estructura llamada labelo, que es un pétalo modificado. Es una estructura de aterrizaje de insectos polinizadores. La flor de la Anathalis manausesis, de acuerdo con el investigador, tiene sólo 3 milímetros (mm) y su hoja mide menos de 1 centímetro (cm). Se considera la menor de las especies ya descritas. Brasil registra más de tres mil tipos de orquídeas. En el Amazonas, son cerca de 300. De acuerdo con el biólogo, las orquídeas de la amazonia tienen características similares a las de otras regiones. Se pueden encontrar, principalmente, en las llamadas campinaranas amazónicas, áreas con suelos arenosos, y también en la copa de árboles. Las orquídeas tienen preferencia, una necesidad de luz, una luz difusa. Y la copa de los árboles es un ambiente ideal para ellas. En un bosque de ombrófilo denso, que es un bosque alto, con árboles de hasta 25 o 30 metros, difícilmente usted puede ver orquídeas. / A Dichaea bragae é uma planta pêndula, pequena, chegando a cinco centímetros de comprimento, a flor chega a cinco centímetros e apresenta uma estrutura chamada labelo, que é uma pétala modificada. É uma estrutura de pouso de insetos polinizadores. Já a flor da Anathalis manausesis, de acordo com o pesquisador, tem apenas 3 milímetros (mm) e sua folha mede menos de 1 centímetro (cm). Ela é considerada a menor das espécies já descritas. o Brasil registra mais de três mil tipos de orquídeas. No Amazonas, são cerca de 300. De acordo com o biólogo, as orquídeas da amazônia têm características semelhantes às de outras regiões. Elas podem ser encontradas, principalmente, nas chamadas campinaranas amazônicas, áreas com solos arenosos, e também na copa de árvores. Orquídeas têm preferência, uma necessidade de luz, uma luz difusa. E a copa das árvores é um ambiente ideal para elas. Em uma floresta de ombrófila densa, que é uma floresta alta, com árvores de até 25 ou 30 metros, dificilmente você consegue enxergar orquídeas

We describe a new species of Bolivian Telmatobius from the Cordillera Oriental of the Andes. The new species occurs in cloud forests of the Department of Santa Cruz and adjacent Cochabamba and is similar to T simonsi Parker. Telmatobius simonsi is herein redescribed, and data on osteology, variation, and distribution are provided for both species.

We describe two new species of Phrynopus from cloud forests in Cochabamba, Bolivia. The new species are assigned to the P. peruanus group and are characterized by the presence of basal webbing, distinctive coloration, and by having the first finger shorter than the second. The first of these new species was collected near Montepunko in Parque Nacional Carrasco and is known from eight males and six females. Among its distinctive characteristics are round cream-colored glands on its flanks. A second species is known from one male and one female collected near "Zona de Aguirre" near the northwest border of the park. V and X-shaped blotches and a dorsum that is smooth except for dorsolateral and scapular folds characterize this species. Musculature has rarely been described for species of Phrynopus. The species from Montepunko has unusual gular and thigh musculature that is quite unlike other species of the genus.

No description available.

The scrub pythons (Morelia amethistina complex) are revised based on museum specimens and new material recently collected in eastern Indonesia. Morelia kinghorni (formerly M. amethistina kinghorni) and M. amethistina (formerly M. amethistina amethistina) are recognized as species, and three new species are described. The phylogenetic relationships of scrub pythons are resolved using morphological and molecular characters Scrub pythons are most closely related to Morelia boeleni and have undergone both ancient divergences and a relatively recent radiation. The distribution of scrub pythons corresponds well with areas of endemism recognized in earlier studies of other taxa. Their distribution and evolution appears to have been shaped by combined effects of dispersal and vicariance. Scrub python populations exhibit interesting color and pattern polymorphism and ontogenetic change, and these characteristics vary among populations.

Sub-Saharan Africa is home to nine described species of Dignomus Wollaston, 1862. Study and dissection of specimens has led me to the hypothesis that there are nine undocumented species in this region. Descriptions and images of the new species are presented and discussed, along with a compiled list of all described species from the Sub- Saharan region. The probable biology as geographic distributions for members of the genus are also given. Additionally, a phylogenetic analysis of 95 species of bostrichoids using CO1 molecular data was done with a focus on the origins of Dignomus and Pseudomezium. parsimony and bayesian analyses were run, the later providing evidence that Pseudomezium derived genus of Dignomus. Support was also found for a monophyletic Ptininae (i.e., the spider beetles) but not for the bostrichids, and anobiids. More data will be needed to clarify the relationships among the taxa of Bostrichoidea.

Proposals for the internal relationships and classification of the bostrichoids are currently poorly supported, and almost all are based on morphology alone. This study improves upon on previous phylogenetic analyses of the group by including more taxa using the standard genes for many phylogenetic analyses. Cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 (CO1), 28S small subunit rRNA, and 16S small subunit rRNA mitochondrial genes were sequenced or obtained from Genbank, then analyzed using parsimony and Bayesian analyses. Topologies differed depending on genes used. A three gene tree and a two gene (28S and CO1) tree both supported relationships in which a basal bostrichid clade was sister to Ptinidae s. s. + anobiids, with another bostrichid clade within the ptinids. Current bostrichid and anobiid subfamilies tested were not supported as monophyletic in any of the trees obtained. Additionally, five new species of spider beetles in the genus Meziomorphum Pic from South Africa are described including M. endrödyi, M. boroveci, and M. nama from the Richtersveld, M. bulla from south-central Namaqualand, and M. cederbergensis from the Cederberg. Genitalia are illustrated for the genus for the first time for six of the 10 species now known. A brief discussion of the evolution of generic morphology and biology as well as the relationships of the genus to other spider beetle groups are also provided. Finally, a revision of the genus Eutaphroptinus is presented. Eutaphroptinus pseudonatalensis is considered a synonym of Eutaphroptinus natalensis. New species records of E. natalensis are also provided, as well as illustrations of the genus.

The eastern Nearctic fauna of Blepharicera Macquart (Diptera: Blephariceridae) is revised to include twenty-three species, six of which are new to science. Descriptions of the larvae, pupae, and adults of B. amnicula n. sp., B. conifera n. sp., B. crista n. sp., B. enoristera n. sp., B. hillabee n. sp., and B. opistera n. sp. are presented. Keys to instar IV larvae, pupae, and adults of all eastern Blepharicera (except B. caudata Courtney) are provided. Phylogenetic studies were conducted to determine the relationships between eastern and western Nearctic Blepharicera and among species within these groups. Larvae, pupae, and adults were available for all known Nearctic species except B. caudata and B. micheneri Alexander. Molecular data acquired from two genes and morphological data for 44 characters were used to test previous phylogenetic hypotheses on the historical relationships and biogeography of Nearctic Blepharicera. Analyses using maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference were conducted. Resulting phylogenies support monophyly of the B. tenuipes and B. micheneri groups and suggest that multiple species complexes may exist within the B. tenuipes group.