The Psocoptera (Insecta: Psocodea) of St Helena and Ascension Island (South Atlantic) with a new record from South Africa

The Psocoptera (Insecta: Psocodea) of St Helena and Ascension Island (South Atlantic) with a new record from South Africa. - Four new species are described: Cerobasis atlantica Lienhard sp. n. (Trogiidae) from St Helena, Sphaeropsocopsis insularum Lienhard sp. n. (Sphaeropsocidae) from St Helena and Ascension Island, Indiopsocus mendeli Lienhard sp. n. (Psocidae) from Ascension Island and Waste helenae Lienhard sp. n. (Psocidae) from St Helena. The latter is closely related to the St Helena endemic Blaste basilewskyi Badonnel; this could be an example of sympatric speciation. Helenatropos abrupta Lienhard, formerly supposed to be a St Helena endemic, is for the first time recorded from South Africa and its male is described; it may have been introduced to St Helena. The recently published doubtful record of the Mexican species Cerobasis maya Garcia Aldrete from Ascension Island is confirmed. The male of the blind cave-dwelling St Helena endemic Sphaeropsocopsis myrtleae Lienhard & Ashmole is described for the first time; its genital morphology indicates a close relationship to the African Sphaeropsocopsis reisi Badonnel. Several other species are recorded for the first time from one or both of these islands. The number of species recorded from St Helena is raised to 23 (6 endemics), that from Ascension Island to 13 (2 endemics). A checklist of the 27 psocid species recorded from these islands is presented and a brief biogeographical analysis is provided.