Shallow marine chitons (Mollusca : Polyplacophora : Chitonida) are widespread and well described from established morphoanatomical characters, yet key aspects of polyplacophoran phylogeny have remained unresolved. Several species, including Hemiarthrum setulosum Carpenter in Dall, 1876, and especially the rare and enigmatic Choriplax grayi (Adams & Angas, 1864), defy systematic placement. Choriplax is known from only a handful of specimens and its morphology is a mosaic of key taxonomic features from two different clades. Here, new molecular evidence provides robust support for its correct association with a third different clade: Choriplax is placed in the superfamily Mopalioidea. Hemiarthrum is included in Cryptoplacoidea, as predicted from morphological evidence. Our multigene analysis of standard nuclear and mitochondrial markers demonstrates that the topology of the order Chitonida is divided into four clades, which have also been recovered in previous studies: Mopalioidea is sister to Cryptoplacoidea, forming a clade Acanthochitonina. The family Callochitonidae is sister to Acanthochitonina. Chitonoidea is resolved as the earliest diverging group within Chitonida. Consideration of this unexpected result for Choriplax and our well-supported phylogeny has revealed differing patterns of shell reduction separating the two superfamilies within Acanthochitonina. As in many molluscs, shell reduction as well as the de novo development of key shell features has occurred using different mechanisms, in multiple lineages of chitons.

Phoronids can be a major component of benthic and planktonic marine communities. Currently, the phoronid world fauna includes ten recognised species, known from adults; however, at least 32 larval forms have been described or documented. This study examined the morphology and 18S rRNA and 28S rRNA genes of two phoronid larvae abundant in Vostok Bay, Sea of Japan. One type was identified as the larval stage of Phoronopsis harmeri, although some distinctive features of this larva differ from the typical description. The morphological and molecular characteristics of the other larva did not match those of described species. According to our morphological results, this second actinotroch larva belongs to the genus Phoronis, but differs morphologically and molecularly from all the known species in the genus, all of which are represented in GenBank for the markers employed here. Taken together, our data suggest that the second actinotroch larva belongs to an undescribed phoronid species. The adult form of this actinotroch has never been identified, but our data suggest a close relationship with Phoronis pallida. The existence of a putative new phoronid species is also confirmed by presence of competent phoronid larvae, which are found in different aquatic areas, have a unique set of morphological features, and whose belonging is still not established.

Setobaudinia Iredale, 1933 is a genus of camaenid land snails endemic to the Western Australian Kimberley. It comprises 20 currently recognised species, most of which occur within the north-western high precipitation zone between the Admiralty Gulf and Collier Bay and within less than 60 km distance from the coast. Exceptionally, two species are found on isolated limestone outcrops in the drier interior of the Victoria River District, Northern Territory. By studying the differentiation in shell and genital anatomy as well as in the mitochondrial markers 16S and COI, we revise the taxonomy of Setobaudinia and describe new taxa. The Northern Territory species S. victoriana Solem, 1985 is identified as a member of the genus Trachiopsis, which otherwise comprises species from the York Peninsula, Queensland. The species Damochlora spina Solem, 1985 is shown to be a member of the genus Setobaudinia. A new species from the eastern Kimberley has been identified as the sister group of Setobaudinia. It is placed in the new genus Kymatobaudinia for exhibiting morphological characteristics that differ from those of all other Setobaudinia species. In addition, we describe nine new species from coastal areas and islands off the cost throughout the south-west to north-west Kimberley: S. angustilabiata, sp. nov.; S. colmani, sp. nov.; S. incisa, sp. nov.; S. kessneri, sp. nov.; S. latilabiata, sp. nov.; S. longiflagellata, sp. nov.; S. malbyana, sp. nov.; S. minima, sp. nov.; S. plana, sp. nov.

We tested competing theories on the origins of the New Zealand fauna using thomisid spiders as a model group. These theories can be broadly described as old and vicariant versus young and recent (dispersal). To test these theories, a phylogenetic analysis was undertaken based on cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and 28S rRNA sequence data, with smaller datasets (histone H3, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) dehydrogenase subunit 1 and a combined dataset) used to improve resolution of internal branches. The monophyly of New Zealand thomisid subfamilies and of individual taxa were also assessed using these data. Our data supports the separation of New Zealand clades from their Australian counterparts. Evidence of recent dispersal to New Zealand by Australian stephanopines combined with our proposed maximum divergence date of 5.3 mya indicates that the New Zealand thomisids are a younger lineage than previously suspected. Several other gene targets (internal transcribed spacer units 1 and 2, wingless and 18S rRNA) were examined but did not generate sufficient reliable data to contribute to the analysis. Corrected p-distance values for COI indicate that Sidymella angularis, a widely distributed and morphologically variable stephanopine species, is a single taxon. Three undescribed endemic species exhibited molecular and morphological distinctiveness from previously described New Zealand thomisids.

Metasomal elongation is a common feature in species of various parasitoid Hymenoptera, probably due to adaptive morphological convergence to similar parasitoid strategies. The braconid subfamily Doryctinae is perhaps where this feature has evolved the most times independently. Here we recognise a new Neotropical doryctine wasp genus with a petiolate first metasomal tergum, based on molecular and morphological analysis. The phylogenetic affinities of the new genus within Doryctinae and the relationships among six of its described and three potentially cryptic, undescribed species were reconstructed using sequence data from three genes, wingless, 28SrDNA and COI. The new genus is resolved in a clade together with Semirhytus Szépligeti, Johnsonius Marsh and Parallorhogas Marsh. These four genera share vein m-cu of the hind wing slightly curved distally and the propodeum with a distinct lateral and median longitudinal carina and an apical areola. The relationships recovered among the examined species suggest a South American origin for the new genus and its subsequent diversification into Central America and Mexico. Described as Bolivar, gen. nov., this new taxon comprises eight species, two species previously placed within Notiospathius Matthews & Marsh, B. ornaticornis (Cameron), comb. nov., and B. bribri (Marsh), comb. nov., and six new species (B. ecuadorensis, sp. nov., B. helmuthi, sp. nov., B. pittieri, sp. nov., B. risaraldae, sp. nov., B. teres, sp. nov. and B. tuxtlae, sp. nov.).

The Australian endemic plant bug genus Rayieria Odhiambo (Heteroptera : Miridae : Bryocorinae : Monaloniina) is revised. Ten species are described as new to science: Rayieria acaciae, sp. nov., R. albaornata, sp. nov., R. decorata, sp. nov., R. frontalis, sp. nov., R. gearyi, sp. nov., R. grandiocula, sp. nov., R. kennedyi, sp. nov., R. minuta, sp. nov.. R. queenslandica, sp. nov., and R. rubranigra, sp. nov. Rayieria braconoides (Walker) and R. tumidiceps (Horváth) are synonymised with R. basifer (Walker), syn. nov. Diagnoses, descriptions, distribution records and host-plant information for all species are given. Digital habitus illustrations of males and females are provided for most species and sexes where available. Male and female genitalia are illustrated for each species. A key to all species is given. Phylogenetic analysis of the ingroup relationships of Rayieria is given, based on 11 ingroups, 16 outgroups and 56 morphological characters. The analysis supports monophyly of Rayieria and establishes a clade comprising all other elongate monaloniine genera, inclusive of Arthriticus Bergroth, Ragwelellus Odhiambo, Helopeltis Signoret and Monalonion Herrich-Schaeffer. Braconid-mimic species of Rayieria are reported. Host-plant associations for this genus and the subtribe Monaloniina are discussed.