Patterns of genetic diversity in the groundwater fauna of Australia have largely focused on obligate stygobites of relatively large size, namely, crustaceans. Oligochaete worms, with their smaller size and broader ecological niches, provide a contrasting model in which to examine such patterns. Genetic diversity in subterranean oligochaetes in the Pilbara region of Western Australia were examined using one nuclear (18S) and two mitochondrial (COI, 12S) regions. The observed variation was assessed at three levels of hydrology – river basin, creek catchment, and individual bore or site – to document geographic patterns. Most species appeared to be restricted to an individual catchment; however, five species, representing three families, were widespread, with some haplotypes being shared between bores, catchments and even basins. General patterns suggest that while hydrology plays a role in the distribution of oligochaete species, it does not always confine them to catchments, in contrast to patterns observed in groundwater isopods and amphipods in the region. We suggest that intrinsic characteristics of oligochaetes, such as body size, shape, reproductive strategy and ecological requirements, may have allowed them greater dispersal within the subterranean biome of the Pilbara. In particular, oligochaetes may occupy subterranean and surface waters, increasing their opportunities for dispersal.

Zethus Fabricius is the largest genus within the Eumeninae and is currently divided into four subgenera. Three of them, namely, Z. (Zethoides), Z. (Zethus) and Z. (Zethusculus), are further subdivided into species-groups. The Zethus smithii species-group is among a few that present an elongated stem in the second metasomal tergum, but possess no other distinctive features. Here, a cladistic analysis under implied weighted characters was conducted. The Z. smithii-group was recovered as paraphyletic in relation to Z. hilarianus-group and, thus, both were combined into a single group named after the latter. Furthermore, the species of the Z. smithii species-group (sensu Bohart & Stange) were revised. Zethus dicomboda dicomboda and Z. dicomboda prixii were synonymised. Five new species were described: Z. alessandroi, sp. nov., Z. kaapora, sp. nov., Z. mesocarinatus, sp. nov., Z. pontagrossensis, sp. nov. and Z. scrobalis, sp. nov. A key to the species is provided.

Birds harbour a wide array of other taxa in their nests or in their plumage, which either have an ectoparasitic or commensal relationship with the host. We report on the discovery of a cheliferid pseudoscorpion found in the plumage and nests of the sociable weaver bird (Philetairus socius) in southern Africa. The nests of these communal birds are the largest of any bird, and may contain up to 500 individuals. The pseudoscorpion is likely to have a mutualistic relationship with the birds, most likely preying on other small invertebrates in the nests. Molecular data derived from two populations of the pseudoscorpion found divergence levels of 1.1% in cytochrome oxidase 1 (CO1), and an analysis of CO1 and two rRNA genes (18S and 28S) found a close relationship with Chelifer and Parachelifer in the tribe Cheliferini, which is supported by the morphology of the male genitalia. The molecular analysis also suggests that Beierius may not belong to the Cheliferini. The pseudoscorpion found in association with the sociable weaver represents a new genus and species, Sociochelifer metoecus Harvey, sp. nov.

Cryptic species are frequently being discovered in refugial habitats, such as desert springs and groundwater systems. Unfortunately, many of these taxa remain as unnamed entities years after their initial discovery. Recent advances in the use of molecular data and coalescent analyses allow DNA-based delimitation of species to move from single locus, tree-based methods to multilocus coalescent analyses. This study compares two DNA-based approaches to delimit species of putatively cryptic freshwater amphipods (Chiltoniidae) from desert springs in central Australia. In addition, a morphometric analysis of 11 characters was undertaken to determine whether the DNA-delimited species were morphologically distinguishable. The single locus method results in identification of lineages that are not supported as species under the multilocus coalescent analyses. We conclude that Wangiannachiltonia guzikae King, 2009, as currently circumscribed, represents six genetically distinct amphipod species, and we describe and name these species despite no clear diagnosable morphological differences. Critically, all of these newly recognised species have extremely limited distributions, which increases the biodiversity significance of their desert spring habitat.

Prevention of DNA degradation is essential to conducting molecular analyses of field-captured specimens. This is especially important for projects that incorporate participation of non-specialists in research, such as agency monitoring of pests, or citizen science, where standard methods of preservation may be inaccessible. We examined efficacy of three common alternative products as a substitute for 95% ethanol or pure propylene glycol in preserving DNA: alcohol-based hand sanitiser and propylene and ethylene glycol-based automobile antifreeze. We subjected Xylosandrus compactus ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera : Curculionidae : Scolytinae) to each preservative for two or seven days under direct outdoor exposure and assessed relative quantity of intact DNA by performing real-time polymerase chain reaction amplification of a single-copy nuclear marker. Amplification was observed in all treatments and electrophoresis of the amplified product showed clear bands of the appropriate weight. Successful amplification of the target gene was verified by sequencing the amplified control. No statistically significant differences were found between the cycle threshold values of any treatment. Our results suggest that alcohol-based hand sanitiser and automobile antifreeze can successfully preserve DNA for short-term storage and serve as effective substitutes for laboratory-grade preservatives in citizen science projects, large-scale trapping projects or by professionals.

The family Salifidae is a predaceous leech taxon in the suborder Erpobdelliformes. Although Salifidae is widely distributed in the African, Oriental, Indo-Malayan, Sino-Japanese and Australasian regions, the phylogenetic relationships of the family Salifidae have never been tested using molecular data obtained from leeches collected from the family distributional range. A salifid species was collected for the first time in Vietnam, and relevant morphological and molecular data are presented here. Because the Vietnamese salifid species possesses unique morphological characteristics among the known salifid species, this species is herein described as a new species, Salifa motokawai, sp. nov. Phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear 18S rRNA and histone H3, as well as mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, tRNA^Cys, tRNA^Met, 12S rRNA, tRNA^Val, 16S rRNA, tRNA^Leu and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 markers demonstrate that the Vietnamese salifid species is a close congener with the African Salifa perspicax and the Malagasy Linta be. Furthermore, molecular data revealed non-monophyly of the Asian salifid leeches. According to the observed phylogenetic relationships and morphological characteristics of the Vietnamese Salifa motokawai, sp. nov., the current classification of salifid taxa should be revised.

The taxonomy of the Taractrocera ilia complex is revised based on evidence from multiple sources, including phenotypic characters (wing colour pattern elements, morphology of adult and immature stages), ecology and molecular data. Three species are recognised in the complex: T. psammopetra Braby, sp. nov. is restricted to north-western Australia where it has a disjunct distribution (Kimberley and the central Arnhem Land plateau); T. ilia (Waterhouse, 1932) sensu stricto is endemic to the central Arnhem Land plateau where it is narrowly sympatric with T. psammopetra; while T. beta Evans, 1934, stat. nov. is allopatric and endemic to mainland New Guinea. Each species is illustrated and diagnosed based on comparative morphology of the adult stage, including androconia and male and female genitalia, and information on type material, biology, distribution and habitat is summarised and discussed. A phylogenetic hypothesis of the Australian species of Taractrocera based on combined analysis of molecular data (2.6 kb: mitochondrial COI and nuclear CAD, MDH, wingless) revealed that T. psammopetra is monophyletic and sister to T. ilia, with an overall mean divergence of 3.4% between the two species; the genus Taractrocera, however, emerged as polyphyletic. For T. psammopetra and T. ilia, the life history, including details of larval food plant specialisation and morphology of the immature stages, is described for the first time. Larvae of T. psammopetra and T. ilia specialise on ‘resurrection’ grasses, Micraira spp. (Poaceae), which typically grow as moss-like, mat-forming pioneer plants on shallow rock surfaces comprising open sandstone pavements or on rock ledges and under rock overhangs of sandstone cliffs. These food plants, together with the butterflies that they support, are a characteristic element of the sandstone plateaux of the Kimberley and central Arnhem Land, and they exemplify patterns of diversification, endemism and adaptation to these unique environments within the Australian monsoon tropics. Facultative larval diapause is recorded for both T. psammopetra and T. ilia in which larvae (all instars, but particularly the final instar) may suspend feeding for up to six months during the dry season when the food plants typically dehydrate. It is hypothesised that larval diapause may be the most flexible strategy to ameliorate seasonal adversity of the dry season and the onset, duration and inter-annual cycle of monsoon rainfall during the wet season, which is highly variable and unpredictable, given that Micraira can revive rapidly from a desiccated state after rainfall.