Four new species and three synonyms in the hoverfly (Paramixogaster Brunetti 1923)

NEWS - Researchers have assigned four new species and three new synonyms to the hoverfly genus (Paramixogaster Brunetti, 1923) bringing the total number of valid species to the list to 15. This new revision of the new insects could provide a clearer map of the overall structure of the nomenclature.

Paramixogaster has been confusing for some time due to the small number of specimens available for most of the species. This has led to uncertainties in keys and diagnoses. Menno Reemer of the Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden and Hariharakrishnan Sankararaman of the Vanavarayar Institute of Agriculture in Coimbatore have described 15 species of the genus.

The four new species are Paramixogaster halmaherensis Reemer, P. jubata Reemer, P. kodaiana Sankararaman & Reemer, and P. sulawesiana Reemer. Three new synonyms are Paramicrodon decipiens de Meijere (1917) as a junior synonym of Microdon vespiformis de Meijere (1908), Paramixogaster wegneri Keiser (1964), as a junior synonym of Ceratophya indica Doleschall (1857), Microdon subpetiolatus Thompson (2020) as a junior synonym of Microdon contractus Brunetti (1923).

While Paramixogaster huoi Reemer was introduced as a replacement name for P. trifasciatus Huo & Zhao (2022) which is a primary homonym of P. trifasciatus Ssymank & Reemer (2016). Neotypes were assigned to Paramixogaster icariiformis Pendlebury (1927) and Myxogaster variegata Sack (1922). Lectotypes were assigned to Microdon vespiformis de Meijere (1908).

The researchers say that some of the taxonomy of Paramixogaster species is not entirely satisfactory. The main reason is the small number of specimens available for most species. There is at least one additional species that has not been described.

They advise caution when using the key and diagnosis by always carefully comparing specimens with descriptions and photographs. Paramixogaster luxor is very different from other Oriental species in terms of the scutellar calcar and short postpedicel.

The surstylus of the male genitalia is also very different from other species in the genus because. It appears that P. luxor is not included in Paramixogaster. Analysis of molecular traits could help in recovering the phylogenetic affinities of these species, but is not yet available.

Original research

Reemer M, Sankararaman H (2024) Revision of the Oriental species of the hoverfly genus Paramixogaster Brunetti, 1923 (Diptera, Syrphidae, Microdontinae). ZooKeys 1208: 1-48. DOI:10.3897/zookeys.1208.122829

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) manufacture bubble-nets as tools to increase prey intake

NEWS - Humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) create bubble net tools while foraging, consisting of internal tangential rings, and actively control the number of rings, their size, depth and horizontal spacing between the surrounding bubbles. These structural elements of the net increase prey intake sevenfold. Researchers have known that humpback whales create “bubble nets” for hunting, but the new report shows that the animals also manipulate them in a variety of ways to maximize catches. The behavior places humpbacks among the rare animals that make and use their own tools. “Many animals use tools to help them find food, but very few actually make or modify these tools themselves,” said Lars Bejder, director of the Marine Mammal Research Program (MMRP), University of Hawaii at Manoa. “Humpback whales in southeast Alaska create elaborate bubble nets to catch krill. They skillfully blow bubbles in patterns that form a web with internal rings. They actively control details such ...

Jomblang Cave

Jomblang Cave or Luweng Jomblang is a 50-meter vertical collapse doline type cave in Gunung Kidul Regency, Yogyakarta Province, Indonesia. This cave was formed due to geological processes in which soil and vegetation on the surface collapsed to the bottom of the earth into a sinkhole thousands of years ago into ancient forests in the cave. Inside the cave grows endemic vegetation and a place for conservation of ancient plants. Sunlight bursts into 90 meters of Luweng Grubug to form a light pole, illuminating the beautiful flowstone and water dripping from a height in a dark room. Characteristics Jomblang Cave is one of the caves of hundreds of caves in the Gunung Sewu Geopark . This doline collapse cave is formed due to the surface process collapsing and forming a sinkhole. Ancient plants that lived on the surface also fell to the bottom of the earth, adapted and continued to grow until now as a very rare endemic plant. This cave has a mouth hole 50 meters wide and 60 meters ...

Artocarpus altilis var. altilis and Artocarpus altilis var. camansi, the differences

SPECIES HEAD TO HEAD - Genus Artocarpus J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. has more than 70 recorded species of which breadfruit ( Artocarpus altilis (Parkinson) Fosberg) and breadnut ( Artocarpus camansi Blanco) grow in tropical areas, both species are medium to large trees and have many similarities. Some researchers doubt both nomenclatures. I agree that both species should be one species. A. altilis is the domesticated version and widely cultivated in its history, while A. camansi is the original or wild version and has never undergone domestication in history. Both species have overall similarities including the shape and size of habitus, stem, leaves, flowers and fruit. The only differences are in the skin of the fruit and the size of the seeds as an impact of human cultural selection. A. altilis has fruit with a pericarp in the form of small and short thorns, while the number of seeds is small and small in size. A. camansi has fruit with a pericarp in the form of larger and long...

Dlium