Aegiochus gracilipes (Hansen, 1895) a senior synonym of Aegiochus tara Bruce, 2009 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Aegidae)

Aegiochus gracilipes Hansen, 1895 was described from a single immature specimen accompanied by three figures (Hansen 1895). Hansen (1916) subsequently reported the species without figures. Over the next 100 years A. gracilipes only appeared in the literature as a citation in larger review and cataloguing studies. Most significantly, Bruce (2009) transferred A. gracilipes from Aega Leach, 1815 to Aegiochus Bovallius, 1885, as part of a broader study redefining the morphological characters used to distinguish Aegiochus. To the present day A. gracilipes, described from the north-eastern Atlantic off the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, is known only from the original figures and its limited primary description.

Review of the tribe Amorphopini (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae: Metrodorinae): Pygmy moss-lichen tetrigids from the Amazon rainforest

The tribe Amorphopini Günther, 1939 is reviewed. It consists of two genera: Amorphopus Seville, 1838 and Eomorphopus Hankock, 1907 with three Neotropical species: Amorphopus notabilis Serville, 1838, Eomorphopus antennatus (Bolívar, 1887), and Eomorphopus granulatus Hancock, 1907. Two species are transferred from Amorphopus to the genera Metrodora Bolívar, 1887 and Crimisus Bolívar, 1887, and two new combinations are proposed: Metrodora gibbosula (Walker, 1871), comb. nov. and Crimisus humeralis (Walker, 1871), comb. nov. New synonyms are proposed: Amorphopus notabilis Serville, 1838 = Amorphopus griseus Bolívar, 1887, syn. nov.; Metrodora gibbosula (Walker, 1871) = Platytettix reticulatus Hancock, 1906, syn. nov.; and Crimisus humeralis (Walker, 1871) = Allotettix bolivianus Brunner, 1913, syn. nov. Neotypes of Amorphopus notabilis and Eomorphopus antennatus as well as the lectotype of E. granulatus are designated. The description of Amorphopus testudo Saussure, 1861 is based on an immature specimen and we considered it as nomen dubius and the type depository of Eomorphopus purpurascens is unknown so we considered it, too, as nomen dubius. The tribe Amorphopini and all included taxa were redescribed and illustrated. A key to the genera and species is provided. Data on distribution, behavior, camouflage with lichens, polychromy, as well as ecological aspects of the species are reported.

Aspects of gorgonopsian paleobiology and evolution: insights from the basicranium, occiput, osseous labyrinth, vasculature, and neuroanatomy

Synapsida, the clade including therapsids and thus also mammals, is one of the two major branches of amniotes. Organismal design, with modularity as a concept, offers insights into the evolution of therapsids, a group that experienced profound anatomical transformations throughout the past 270 Ma, eventually leading to the evolution of the mammalian bauplan. However, the anatomy of some therapsid groups remains obscure. Gorgonopsian braincase anatomy is poorly known and many anatomical aspects of the brain, cranial nerves, vasculature, and osseous labyrinth, remain unclear. We analyzed two gorgonopsian specimens, GPIT/RE/7124 and GPIT/RE/7119, using propagation phase contrast synchrotron micro-computed tomography. The lack of fusion between many basicranial and occipital bones in GPIT/RE/7124, which is an immature specimen, allowed us to reconstruct its anatomy and ontogenetic sequence, in comparison with the mature GPIT/RE/7119, in great detail. We explored the braincase and rendered various skull cavities. Notably, we found that there is a separate ossification between what was previously referred to as the “parasphenoid” and the basioccipital. We reinterpreted this element as a posterior ossification of the basisphenoid: the basipostsphenoid. Moreover, we show that the previously called “parasphenoid” is in fact the co-ossification of the dermal parasphenoid and the endochondral basipresphenoid. In line with previous descriptions, the anatomy of the osseous labyrinth is rendered in detail, revealing a unique discoid morphology of the horizontal semicircular canal, rather than toroidal, probably due to architectural constraints of the ossification of the opisthotic and supraoccipital. In addition, the orientation of the horizontal semicircular canal suggests that gorgonopsians had an anteriorly tilted alert head posture. The morphology of the brain endocast is in accordance with the more reptilian endocast shape of other non-mammaliaform neotherapsids.

Aspects of gorgonopsian paleobiology and evolution: insights from the basicranium, occiput, osseous labyrinth, vasculature, and neuroanatomy

Synapsida, the clade including therapsids and thus also mammals, is one of the two major branches of amniotes. Organismal design, with modularity as a concept, offers insights into the evolution of therapsids, a group that experienced profound anatomical transformations throughout the past 270Ma, eventually leading to the evolution of the mammalian bauplan. However, the anatomy of some therapsid groups remains obscure. Gorgonopsian braincase anatomy is poorly known and many anatomical aspects of the brain, cranial nerves, vasculature, and osseous labyrinth, remain unclear. We analyzed two gorgonopsian specimens, GPIT/RE/7124 and GPIT/RE/7119, using propagation phase contrast synchrotron micro-computed tomography. The lack of fusion between many basicranial and occipital bones in the immature specimen GPIT/RE/7124 allowed us to reconstruct its anatomy and ontogenetic sequence in comparison with the mature GPIT/RE/7119. We examined the braincase and rendered various skull cavities. Notably, there is a separate ossification between what was previously referred to as the “parasphenoid” and the basioccipital. We reinterpreted this element as a posterior ossification of the basisphenoid: the basipostsphenoid. Moreover, the “parasphenoid” is a co-ossification of the dermal parasphenoid and the endochondral basipresphenoid. Our detailed examination of the osseous labyrinth reveals a unique discoid, rather than toroidal, morphology of the horizontal semicircular canal that probably results from architectural constraints of the opisthotic and supraoccipital ossifications. In addition, the orientation of the horizontal semicircular canal suggests that gorgonopsians had an anteriorly tilted alert head posture. The morphology of the brain endocast is in accordance with the more reptilian endocast shape of other non-mammaliaform neotherapsids.

Aspects of gorgonopsian paleobiology and evolution: insights from the basicranium, occiput, osseous labyrinth, vasculature, and neuroanatomy

Synapsida, the clade including therapsids and thus also mammals, is one of the two major branches of amniotes. Organismal design, with modularity as a concept, offers insights into the evolution of therapsids, a group that experienced profound anatomical transformations throughout the past 270Ma, eventually leading to the evolution of the mammalian bauplan. However, the anatomy of some therapsid groups remains obscure. Gorgonopsian braincase anatomy is poorly known and many anatomical aspects of the brain, cranial nerves, vasculature, and osseous labyrinth, remain unclear. We analyzed two gorgonopsian specimens, GPIT/RE/7124 and GPIT/RE/7119, using propagation phase contrast synchrotron micro-computed tomography. The lack of fusion between many basicranial and occipital bones in the immature specimen GPIT/RE/7124 allowed us to reconstruct its anatomy and ontogenetic sequence in comparison with the mature GPIT/RE/7119. We examined the braincase and rendered various skull cavities. Notably, there is a separate ossification between what was previously referred to as the “parasphenoid” and the basioccipital. We reinterpreted this element as a posterior ossification of the basisphenoid: the basipostsphenoid. Moreover, the “parasphenoid” is a co-ossification of the dermal parasphenoid and the endochondral basipresphenoid. Our detailed examination of the osseous labyrinth reveals a unique discoid, rather than toroidal, morphology of the horizontal semicircular canal that probably results from architectural constraints of the opisthotic and supraoccipital ossifications. In addition, the orientation of the horizontal semicircular canal suggests that gorgonopsians had an anteriorly tilted alert head posture. The morphology of the brain endocast is in accordance with the more reptilian endocast shape of other non-mammaliaform neotherapsids.

Revision of the spider genus Gippsicola Hogg, 1900 (Araneae: Segestriidae)

Gippsicola Hogg is one of the four genera included in the family Segestriidae. Currently this monotypic Australian genus is represented by Gippsicola raleighi Hogg, 1900, a species described based on an immature specimen from Victoria, Australia. In this work we present a taxonomic revision of this genus, with an elucidative diagnosis, redescribing G. raleighi based on detailed morphologic characters of adult male specimens. Also, we are describing three new species: Gippsicola robusta n. sp. and G. lineata n. sp., both represented by males and females, and G. minuta n. sp., only known by the male. We provide some enlightenment on the systematics of Gippsicola and putative synapomorphies for the subfamily Segestriinae.

Notes on the Indo-West Pacific shrimp genus Athanopsis Coutière, 1897 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Alpheidae), with the description of a new species associated with echiurans (Annelida, Thalassematidae)

The Indo-West Pacific alpheid shrimp genus Athanopsis Coutière, 1897 is briefly reviewed. Athanopsis platyrhynchusCoutière, 1897, the type species, is reassessed using Coutière’s illustrations and morphological notes scattered throughouthis monograph of the family Alpheidae (Coutière 1899). Athanopsis brevirostris Banner & Banner, 1981, originally de-scribed on the basis of a single immature specimen missing both chelipeds, is reported and illustrated based on fresh ma-terial from Madagascar and southern Japan. Athanopsis gotoi sp. nov. is described based on two fresh specimens fromsouthern Japan, both found associated with thalassematid echiurans, and an additional, older museum specimen from In-donesia. The colour patterns of A. brevirostris, A. gotoi sp. nov., A. saurus Anker, 2011, A. rubricinctuta Berggren, 1991,and A. australis Banner & Banner, 1982, are contrasted to facilitate their identification in the field. A morphology and colour based key to all presently known species of Athanopsis is also provided.

Description of the final instar nymph of Homeoura nepos (Selys, 1876) (Odonata: Coenagrionidae)

The description of the nymph of Homeoura nepos (Selys, 1876) by Calvert (1948) was based on a single, immature specimen from São Paulo, Brazil which lacked gills. The nymphs of H. chelifera (Selys) and H. lindneri (Ris) were described by Lozano et al. (2009), who considered Calvert's description of the nymph of H. nepos doubtful.