New records of the River Shark Glyphis (Carcharhinidae) reported from Cape York Peninsula, northern Australia

The distribution of the river shark Glyphis in northern Australia is extended with new records of occurrence in the Gulf of Carpentaria and a reassessment of historical survey data from Cape York Peninsula. Nine new specimens of Glyphis sp. A were collected in 2005 from the Weipa region on the Queensland coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria. A re-examination of archival records from 1978-86 marine and estuarine fish surveys in the Gulf of Carpentaria and along the northern Queensland East Coast allowed a further nineteen Glyphis specimens to be identified. Combined this gives twenty-eight new records of Glyphis specimens from the coasts of Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. Common habitat characteristics for all captures were turbid, shallow, fast running tidal water in the upper reaches of coastal rivers. The substrate was generally muddy and the rivers lined with mangrove. In all surveys the representation of Glyphis was low, being less than 1% of the total shark captures historically and 0.002 sharks 50 m net hour-1 in Weipa 2005. The size range captured was 1000-1800 mm total length historically and 705-1200 mm total length from Weipa 2005, with none recorded as sexually mature. Diagnostic characteristics of the Weipa specimens, identified as Glyphis sp. A, were: lower jaw teeth protruding and "spear-like"; second dorsal fin greater than half the height of the first dorsal fin; the snout relatively short and fleshy in the lateral view; pectoral fin ventral surface black in colouration; the precaudal vertebral count between 118 and 123; and the total vertebral count between 204 and 209.

Revision of the Australian stiletto fly genus Acatopygia Krober (Diptera: Therevidae: Agapophytinae)

The endemic Australian stiletto fly genus Acatopygia Krober is revised. Acatopygia pulchella Krober and Acatopygia paradoxa (Krober) are redescribed and a neotype for A. paradoxa designated. A new species, Acatopygia olivacea sp. nov., is described and a key to Acatopygia species is presented.

New species of Laxotela Winterton & Irwin from Australia (Diptera: Therevidae: Agapophytinae)

Two new species of the endemic Australian stiletto fly genus Laxotela Winterton & Irwin are described and figured. Laxotela elongata sp. nov. is described from Queensland while Laxotela plata sp. nov. is described from south-eastern mainland Australia. Laxotela ornata (Krober) comb. nov. (originally Spatulipalpa Krober) was recently placed as incertae sedis within Therevidae, but is herein transferred to Laxotela. A revised key to Laxotela species is presented.

New species of Nanexila Winterton & Irwin and Taenogera Krober from Australia (Diptera: Therevidae)

Two new species are described in each of the closely related genera Nanexila Winterton & Irwin and Taenogera Krober. Nanexila atricauda sp. nov. and Nanexila jimrodmani sp. nov. are described. The phylogenetic placement and diagnostic characteristics of these new species and other species recently transferred to Nanexila are discussed. Taenogera luteola sp. nov. and Taenogera brunnea sp. nov. are distinctive species described from female specimens collected in Queensland. Taenogera is diagnosed in light of these new species and a revised key to species presented.

New species of Acraspisoides Hill & Winterton and Bonjeania Irwin & Lyneborg (Diptera: Therevidae: Agapophytinae), with the description of a new genus

The stiletto fly subfamily Agapophytinae is diverse and species rich in Australasia, with numerous undescribed species. A new species of Acraspisoides Hill & Winterton, A. monticola sp. nov., is described from females collected in montane localities in eastern Australia. Eight new species of Bonjeania Irwin & Lyneborg are also described, raising the total number of known species to 18. Five new species, B. affinis sp. nov., B. apluda sp. nov., B. bapsis sp. nov., B. webbi sp. nov. and B. zwicki sp. nov., all have a distinctive, forward-protruding head with antennae on a raised tubercle. Two other new species, B. argentea sp. nov. and B. jefferiesi sp. nov., are closely related to B. segnis (White), with very similar shaped male genitalia and body shape. An eighth species, B. lambkinae sp. nov., is closely related to B. clamosis Winterton & Skevington. Bonjeania and Acraspisoides are diagnosed and revised keys to species presented. An unusual new therevid, Vomerina humbug gen. et sp. nov., is also described and figured based on a series of males from New South Wales. This new genus likely represents the sister taxon to Bonjeania.

Kaurimyia gen. nov.: Discovery of Apsilocephalidae (Diptera: Therevoid clade) in New Zealand

A new genus (Kaurimyia thorpei gen. et sp. nov.) of the enigmatic fly family Apsilocephalidae (Asiloidea) is described from New Zealand. Kaurimyia thorpei gen. et sp. nov. is described and figured from male and female specimens, one of which was collected in Kauri forest near Auckland (North Island). While superficially similar to Apsilocephala Krober, this new genus shows closer affinities to Clesthentia White (=Clesthentiella Nagatomi, Saigusa, Nagatomi et Lyneborg syn. nov.) from Tasmania based on genitalic characters such as aedeagus shape and non-articulated surstyli. Apsilocephalidae is presently known from just a few extant species in North America and Tasmania (Australia), although extinct species are recorded from the Holarctic and Oriental regions. This is the first description of the family from New Zealand.

Identification and host-plant associations of Australian Sericothripinae (Thysanoptera, Thripidae)

The Sericothripinae is a largely tropical group of about 140 species that are often strikingly bicoloured and have complex surface sculpture, but for which the biology is poorly known. Although 15 genera have been described in this subfamily, only three of these are currently recognised, with five new generic synonymies indicated here. In Australia, Sericothrips Haliday is introduced, with one European species deployed as a weed biological control agent. Hydatothrips Karny comprises 43 species worldwide, with six species found in Australia, of which two are shared with Southeast Asia, and four are associated with the native vine genus, Parsonsia. Neohydatothrips John comprises 96 species worldwide, with nine species in Australia, of which one is shared with Southeast Asia and two are presumably introduced from the Americas. Illustrated keys are provided to the three genera and 16 species from Australia, including six new species [Hydatothrips aliceae; H. bhattii; H. williamsi; Neohydatothrips barrowi, N. bellissi, N. katherinae]. One new specific synonym is recognised [Hydatothrips haschemi Girault (= H. palawanensis Kudo)], also four new generic synonyms [Neohydatothrips John (= Faureana Bhatti; Onihothrips Bhatti; Sariathrips Bhatti; Papiliothrips Bhatti); Sericothrips Haliday (= Sussericothrips Han)].

A new species of Pseudatrichia Osten Sacken (Diptera: Scenopinidae) from North America

A new species of the North American genus Pseudatrichia Osten Sacken is described. Pseudatrichia bezarki sp. nov. is described based on a male and female reared from wood-boring beetle galleries in Pinus sp. from Arizona (United States).

New species of Metatrichia Coquillett (Diptera: Scenopinidae) from Australia and Venezuela

Two new species of the cosmopolitan genus Metatrichia Coquillett are described. Metatrichia dhimurru sp. nov. is described from Arnhem Land (Northern Territory), Australia and represents the third species of the genus to be described from the Australasian region. Metatrichia venezuelensis sp. nov. from Venezuela is the third extant species of the genus to be described from the New World.

Genera of fungivorous Phlaeothripinae (Thysanoptera) from dead branches and leaf-litter in Australia

An illustrated key is provided for the identification of 39 genera of Thysanoptera-Phlaeothripinae with species that live in association with dead branches and leaf-litter in Australia and are considered to be fungus-feeding. Seven of these gen-era are not previously recorded from this continent, including un-named species of Deplorothrips, Malacothrips, Mystro-thrips, Preeriella and Tylothrips, together with Azaleothrips lepidus Okajima and Terthrothrips ananthakrishnani Kudo. A brief generic diagnosis is provided for each genus, together with comments on systematic problems and numbers of species. Copyright © 2013 Magnolia Press.

Australian spore-feeding thrips of the genus Phaulothrips (Thysanoptera, Idolothripinae)

Breeding by several of the spore-feeding species in the genus Phaulothrips is shown to be associated with abandoned tunnels of bees and scolytid beetles, as well as with the dead seed capsules of Eucalyptus species. The breeding sites for other species in the genus remain unknown, but 16 species are here recognised from Australia, of which the following six are newly described: P. daguilaris, P. flindersi, P. kingae, P. kranzae, P. oakeyi, P. whyallae. Copyright © 2013 Magnolia Press.

Genera of the leaf-feeding Dendrothripinae of the world (Thysanoptera, Thripidae), with new species from Australia and Sulawesi, Indonesia

Character states used in distinguishing taxa within the Thripidae subfamily Dendrothripinae are discussed, and a key presented to the 11 genera recognized worldwide. Comments on each of these genera are provided, together with keys to the species from Australia of Dendrothrips, Ensiferothrips and Pseudodendrothrips. From Australia are described, four new species of Dendrothrips, one of Pseudodendrothrips, and a remarkable new species of Ensiferothrips that has required a re-diagnosis of that genus. Another new species of Ensiferothrips is described from Sulawesi, thus greatly extending the known geographical range of this previously Australian genus. © 2016 Magnolia Press.