Search

First North American records are presented for Cryptocephalus moraei (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera: Cryptocephalinae) and Psylliodes dulcamarae (Koch, 1803) (Coleoptera: Galerucinae: Alticini), as confirmed by morphology and DNA barcoding. Additional information is presented about phenology and host use for C. moraei, the first European Cryptocephalinae to be found elsewhere as conclusively adventive. Cryptocephalus moraei is expected to have no ecological impact on its host, the adventive Hypericum perforatum Linnaeus (Hypericaceae). However, P. dulcamarae, the second recently discovered flea beetle associated with the adventive Solanum dulcamara Linnaeus (Solanaceae), probably does harm that host. Both species are hypothesised to have arrived from Europe with woody plant material imported with soil during 1960–1965. A literature review of introduced Chrysomelidae found that Canada and the United States of America are together home to 68–78 species of adventive Chrysomelidae. All non-Bruchinae species among these are both native to Europe and occur either in Canada or both Canada and United States of America, except for intentionally introduced biological control agents and two species that feed on Eucalyptus L’Héritier de Brutelle (Myrtaceae). This suggests a dominant role of accidental introductions of cool-climate European species in recent unplanned additions to the fauna of leaf-feeding Chrysomelidae in North America.

The Chinese species of Phorocardius Fleutiaux, 1931 have been studied and six species are described as new: P. alterlineatus Ruan & Douglas, sp. nov.; P. flavistriolatus Ruan & Douglas, sp. nov.; P. minutus Ruan & Douglas, sp. nov.; P. rufiposterus Ruan & Douglas, sp. nov.; P. yunnanensis Ruan & Douglas, sp. nov.; and P. zhiweii Ruan, Douglas & Qiu, sp. nov. Lectotypes are designated for Cardiophorus comptus Candèze, 1860, Cardiophorus contemptus Candèze, 1860, Phorocardius magnus Fleutiaux, 1931, and Cardiophorus manuleatus Candèze, 1888. The holotype is identified for Cardiophorus yanagiharae Miwa, 1927. Phorocardius florentini (Fleutiaux, 1895) and P. manuleatus (Candèze, 1888) are newly reported from China; P. comptus (Candèze, 1860) is excluded from the Chinese fauna. A key to the 11 Phorocardius species known from China is given. Phorocardius is newly recorded from deep within the Palearctic Region. The procoxal cavities of P. rufiposterus Ruan & Douglas, sp. nov. are closed, which is different from all other species of Phorocardius. An annotated checklist of the 21 Phorocardius species of the world is provided. Additionally, Phorocardius contemptus (Candèze, 1860), comb. nov. is transferred from Cardiophorus to Phorocardius; four species are transferred from Phorocardius to Displatynychus: Displatynychus bombycinus (Candèze, 1895), comb. nov., Displatynychus pakistanicus (Platia & Ahmed, 2016), comb. nov., Displatynychus sobrinus (Laporte, 1840), comb. nov., and Displatynychus tibialis (Platia & Ahmed, 2016), comb. nov.

The Canadian Entomologist and its associated publications (Supplements of The Canadian Entomologist and Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada) have served as important outlets for taxonomic contributions on arthropods since 1868. A survey of beetle (Coleoptera) publications therein has revealed that 2276 species-group, 136 genus-group, and seven family-group taxa were first described in 492 scientific articles. New beetles were described in 67 families by 165 authors. We document trends of beetle descriptions over time, by taxonomic group and by the origin of the new taxa. We also provide biographical notices of the entomologists who described the new taxa. We believe that The Canadian Entomologist will continue to be coveted as a suitable outlet for taxonomic works in the future.

Cardiophorus carinatus Mathison and Douglas sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Elateridae) is described from the Lake Wales Ridge ecosystem of Florida, USA. In addition, C. robustus LeConte, 1853, is rediscovered in North America from Massachusetts, Maine, and Rhode Island.

The prior genus-level classification of Cardiophorinae had never been assessed phylogenetically, and not revised since 1906. A phylogeny for Cardiophorinae and Negastriinae is inferred by Bayesian analyses of 163 adult morphological characters to revise the generic classification. Parsimony analysis is also performed to assess the sensitivity of the Bayesian results to the choice of optimality criterion. Bayesian hypothesis testing rejected monophyly for: Negastriinae; Cardiophorinae (but monophyletic after addition of four taxa); Cardiophorini; cardiophorine genera Aphricus LeConte, 1853; Aptopus Eschscholtz, 1829; Cardiophorus Eschscholtz, 1829; Cardiotarsus Eschscholtz, 1836; Paracardiophorus Schwarz, 1895; Phorocardius Fleutiaux, 1931; Dicronychus sensu Platia, 1994; Dicronychus sensu Méquignon, 1931; Craspedostethus sensu Schwarz, 1906 (i.e., including Tropidiplus Fleutiaux, 1903); Paracardiophorus sensu Cobos, 1970, although well-supported alternative classifications were available for only some. Based on taxonomic interpretation of phylogenetic results: Nyctorini is syn. n. of Cardiophorini; Globothorax Fleutiaux, 1891 (Physodactylinae), Margogastrius Schwarz, 1903 (Physodactylinae), and Pachyelater Lesne, 1897 (Dendrometrinae) are transferred to Cardiophorinae. The following changes are proposed for cardiophorine genera: Aptopus Eschscholtz, 1829 is redefined to exclude Horistonotus-like species; Coptostethus Wollaston, 1854 is subgenus of Cardiophorus; Dicronychus Brullé, 1832 and Diocarphus Fleutiaux, 1947, Metacardiophorus Gurjeva, 1966, Platynychus Motschulsky, 1858, and Zygocardiophorus Iablokoff-Khnzorian and Mardjanian, 1981 are placed at genus rank; Paracardiophorus Schwarz, 1895 is redefined based on North American and Eurasian species only; Horistonotus Candèze, 1860 redefined to include species with multiple apices on each side of their tarsal claws; Patriciella Van Zwaluwenburg, 1953 is syn. n. of Aphricus LeConte, 1853; Teslasena Fleutiaux, 1892 (Physodactylinae) is syn. n. of Globothorax Fleutiaux, 1891. The following new genera are described: Austrocardiophorus (type species: Cardiophorus humeralis Fairmaire and Germain, 1860); Chileaphricus (type species: Aphricus chilensis Fleutiaux, 1940); Floridelater (type species: Coptostethus americanus Horn, 1871, transferred from Negastriinae to Cardiophorinae). Paradicronychus (nomen nudum), is syn. n. of Cardiophorus Eschscholtz, 1829. Generic reassignments to make Cardiodontulus, Cardiophorus, Cardiotarsus, Paracardiophorus consistent with phylogenetically revised genus concepts resulted in 84 new combinations. Lectotypes are designated for 29 type species to fix generic concepts: Anelastes femoralis Lucas, 1857; Aphricus chilensis Fleutiaux, 1940; Athous argentatus Abeille de Perrin, 1894; Cardiophorus adjutor Candèze, 1875; Cardiophorus florentini Fleutiaux, 1895; Cardiophorus inflatus Candèze, 1882; Cardiophorus luridipes Candèze, 1860; Cardiophorus mirabilis Candèze, 1860; Cardiophorus musculus Erichson, 1840; Cardiotarsus capensis Candèze, 1860; Cardiotarsus vitalisi Fleutiaux, 1918; Craspedostethus rufiventris Schwarz, 1898; Elater cinereus Herbst, 1784; Elater minutissimus Germar, 1817; Elater sputator Linnaeus, 1758; Elater thoracicus Fabricius, 1801; Eniconyx pullatus Horn, 1884; Esthesopus castaneus Eschscholtz, 1829; Gastrimargus schneideri Schwarz, 1902; Globothorax chevrolati Fleutiaux, 1891; Horistonotus flavidus Candèze, 1860; Horistonotus simplex LeConte, 1863; Lesnelater madagascariensis Fleutiaux, 1935; Oedostethus femoralis LeConte, 1853; Phorocardius solitarius Fleutiaux, 1931; Platynychus indicus Motschulsky, 1858; Platynychus mixtus Fleutiaux, 1931; Triplonychus acuminatus Candèze, 1860; Tropidiplus tellinii Fleutiaux, 1903. A key to genera and diagnoses are provided for all genera and subgenera. A bibliographic synonymy includes references for all taxonomic changes to genera and new species through 2015.

This study demonstrates the power of DNA barcoding to detect overlooked and newly arrived taxa. Sixty-three species of Coleoptera representing 25 families are studied based on DNA barcode data and morphological analysis of the barcoded specimens. Three of the species involve synonymies or previous taxonomic confusion in North America, while the first Canadian records are published for 60 species. Forty-two species are adventive in North America, and 40 of these adventive species originate from the Palaearctic region. Three genera are recorded from the Nearctic region for the first time:CoelostomaBrullé, 1835 (Hydrophilidae),ScydmoraphesReitter, 1891 (Staphylinidae), andLythrariaBedel, 1897 (Chrysomelidae). Two new synonymies are established:Mycetoporus triangulatusCampbell, 1991 (Staphylinidae) is a junior synonym ofMycetoporus reicheiPandellé, 1869,syn. nov.whileBledius philadelphicusFall, 1919 (Staphylinidae) is a junior synonym ofBledius gallicus(Gravenhorst, 1806),syn. nov.The previously suggested move ofCtenicera tigrina(Fall, 1901) to the genusPseudanostirusDolin, 1964 (Elateridae) is formalized, resulting inPseudanostirus tigrinus(Fall, 1901),comb. nov.

The beetle fauna of Canada was assessed, including estimates of yet unreported diversity using information from taxonomists and COI sequence clusters in a BOLD (Barcode of Life Datasystems) COI dataset comprising over 77,000 Canadian records. To date, 8302 species of Coleoptera have been recorded in Canada, a 23% increase from the first assessment in 1979. A total of 639 non-native beetle species have become established in Canada, with most species in the Staphylinidae (153 spp.), Curculionidae (107 spp.), Chrysomelidae (56 spp.) and Carabidae (55 spp.). Based on estimates from the taxonomic community and our BOLD dataset, we estimate that slightly more than 1000 beetle species remain to be reported from Canada, either as new records or undescribed species. Renewed enthusiasm toward and financial support for surveys, especially in the central and western provinces of Canada will be critical for detecting, documenting and describing these species. The Barcode of Life database is still far from comprehensive for Canadian Coleoptera but substantial progress has been made and the number of Barcode Index Numbers (BINs) (as candidate species) has reached nearly 70% of the number of species reported from Canada. Comparison of BINs to observed species in a group of Canadian Staphylinidae suggests that BINs may provide a good estimate of species diversity within the beetles. Histeridae is a diverse family in Canada that is notably underrepresented in BOLD. Families such as Mordellidae, Scraptiidae, Latridiidae, Ptiliidae and Scirtidae are poorly known taxonomically in Canada and are represented in our BOLD dataset by many more BINs than recorded species.

In this first part of the World catalogue of genus-group names in Elateridae, a nomenclatural review of the genera belonging to ten subfamilies is provided. All names are given with author name, year, and page of publication, type species, and type fixation. We list 132 valid genera in Agrypninae, 2 in Campyloxeninae, 4 in Hemiopinae, 11 in Lissominae, 2 in Oestodinae, 8 in Parablacinae, 2 in Physodactylinae, 2 in Pityobiinae, 1 in Subprotelaterinae, and 7 in Tetralobinae. Genera Anathesis Candèze, 1865, Antitypus Candèze, 1882, Chrostus Candèze, 1878, Dorygonus Candèze, 1859 (with subgenus Rygodonus Fleutiaux, 1932), and Macromalocera Hope, 1834 are tentatively placed as Agrypninae incertae sedis. Paradrapetes villosus Fleutiaux, 1895 is designated as the type species for Paradrapetes Fleutiaux, 1895. Two new gen-era are proposed based on species previously incorrectly used as type species for Abiphis Fleutiaux, 1926 and Lycoreus Candèze, 1857. These genera are Neoabiphis Kundrata & Bouchard, gen. n. (type species: Elater nobilis Illiger, 1800) and Neolycoreus Kundrata & Bouchard, gen. n. (type species: L. regalis Candèze, 1857), respectively. The following new combinations are proposed for species hitherto included in Abiphis Fleutiaux, 1926: Neoabiphis candezei (Alluaud, 1896), comb. n., N. fairmairei (Fleutiaux, 1903), comb. n., N. goudoti (Fleutiaux, 1942), comb. n., N. insignis (Klug, 1833), comb. n., N. nobilis (Illiger, 1800), comb. n., and N. viettei (Girard, 1966), comb. n. The following new combinations are proposed for species hitherto included in Lycoreus Candèze, 1857: Neolycoreus alluaudi (Candèze, 1900), comb. n., N. corpulentus (Candèze, 1899), comb. n., N. cyclops (Candèze, 1865), comb. n., N. decorsei (Fleutiaux, 1903), comb. n., N. dux (Candèze, 1857), comb. n., N. goudotii (Laporte, 1838), comb. n., N. madagascariensis (Gory, 1832), comb. n., N. oculipennis (Fairmaire, 1903), comb. n., N. orbiculatus (Schwarz, 1901), comb. n., N. regalis (Candèze, 1857), comb. n., N. sicardi (Fleutiaux, 1942), comb. n., N. triangularis (Fleutiaux, 1942), comb. n., N. triocellatus (Laporte, 1838), comb. n., and N. vicinus (Fleutiaux, 1942), comb. n. The following new combinations are proposed for species hitherto incorrectly included in Plectrosternus Lacordaire, 1857: Legna rufa (Lacordaire, 1857), comb. n., L. convexa (Vats, 1991), comb. n., L. coolsi (Schimmel, 1996), comb. n., and L. foveata (Patwardhan & Athalye, 2012), comb. n. This research revealed a nomenclatural problem threatening the stability of the well-established valid genus name Adelocera Latreille, 1829. An application to the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature will be necessary in this case to maintain stability. Additionally, we act here as First Re-visers (ICZN 1999, Art. 24.2) in giving precedence to Lucarius Gistel, 1848 (Staphylinidae) over Lucarius Gistel, 1848 (Elateridae)., This study was supported by the internal grant of the Faculty of Science, UP Olomouc, Czech Republic (IGA_PrF_2019_024; RK, MK), the Moscow State University research project No. АААА-А16-116021660095-7 (AP), and the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Brasil, research grant 304620/2014-9/PQ-Sr (CC).

Elateridae represents one of the largest families within Coleoptera, yet their interrelationships remain under-investigated. Molecular data are missing for most lineages, especially for the species-poor suprageneric taxa. In this study, we investigated the limits and phylogenetic position of Pityobiinae sensu Calder (1996), a group of several small genera from the New World and Australasia, using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods. We merged new sequence data with those deposited in GenBank, producing a final matrix of 178 terminal taxa and covering the main click-beetle subfamilies. The resulting topologies showed Elaterinae as sister to remaining click-beetle lineages, and Agrypninae as sister to the Morostomatinae + Dendrometrinae + Cardiophorinae + Negastriinae clade. Members of Hemiopinae, Lissominae, Thylacosterninae and Pityobiinae formed basal lineages within Elateridae − Elaterinae. We found Lissominae to be polyphyletic, including Thylacosterninae as a terminal lineage and with Oestodini forming an independent lineage outside that clade. Therefore, the subfamily Oestodinae stat. nov. was reinstated for the North American genera Oestodes LeConte and Bladus LeConte. The Australian genera Dicteniophorus Candeze, Drymelater Calder and Stichotomus Candeze were transferred from Dendrometrinae to Elaterinae. Pityobiinae was recovered as two distant lineages in all analyses and correspondingly the subfamily is reduced to contain only the North American Pityobius LeConte and tentatively the South American Tibionema Solier, for which we have no DNA sequences. Additionally, we propose Parablacinae subfam. nov. for the remaining former pityobiine genera from Australia and New Zealand. The new subfamily includes Parablax Schwarz, Metablax Candeze, Wynarka Calder, Xuthelater Calder, Tasmanelater Calder, Parasaphes Candeze and also Ophidius Candeze, which is transferred here from Elaterinae. We failed to find universally diagnostic synapomorphies in adult morphology for Parablacinae, a common problem in elaterid taxonomy. Future research, including a comprehensive phylogeny of the subfamily and re-examination of the morphology of its species is crucial to understanding the limits and classification of this lineage.

The formerly monotypic genus Blaiseus, known from Vietnam, is redescribed and nine new species are described and illustrated: B. fujianus new species (P.R. China), B. daklakensis new species (Vietnam), B. laoensis new species (Laos), B. malayensis new species (Malaysia), B. nothoafricanus new species (South Africa), B. zamoranoensis new species (Honduras), B. guatemalensis new species (Guatemala), and B. chiapasensis new species and B. mexicanus new species from Mexico. Morphological character states of the protibia, hind wing and aedeagus not previously observed in Elateridae are described and illustrated. A female specimen of Blaiseus (B. zamoranoensis) is first described here and displays a fossorial morphology type with reduced wings and eyes. Blaiseus is hypothesized to be at least 20 million years old based on its known geographic distribution and apparent female flightlessness.

The name Exoeolus is reinstated for the replacement name Brounaeolus Hyslop. Two species are recognized here, one of which is new to science (Exoeolus brouni sp. nov.). Exoeolus obsoletus (Broun) and E. punctatus (Broun) are new junior synonyms of E. rufescens (Broun). Both recognized species are described and taxonomically important characters are presented. Distribution maps are presented. A lectotype is designated for E. rufescens, which was described from two specimens without former designation of a type.

AllCardiophorusspecies found in Canada and the United States of America east of the Rocky Mountains are keyed and all but those with the majority of their ranges west of the Rocky Mountains are revised. Eleven species are recognized, three of which are new to science (C. catskillensissp. nov.,C. destinensissp. nov., andC. panamapolissp. nov.).Cardiophorus floridaeCandèze andC. angustatusBlanchard are synonymized underC. convexus(Say). All 11 are described and taxonomically important characters are presented. Distribution maps are presented for each species. The following lectotypes are designated for species that were described from more than one specimen without former holotype designation:C. angustatus,C. floridae,C. erythropusErichson,C. gagatesErichson,C. togatusHorn,C. robustusLeConte,C. convexulusLeConte, andC. amictusMelsheimer. The following neotypes were designated to replace destroyed type specimens:C. cardisce(Say) andC. convexus.

A phylogeny is presented for the Elateridae, inferred from parsimony and Bayesian analyses of 175 adult morphological characters. Analyses using non gap-weighted morphological data yielded results compatible with each other and some published classifications, while gap-weighted parsimony analysis did not. Bayesian posterior probabilities for the monophyly of the Elateridae and the elaterid subfamilies Athoinae (sensu Dolin 1975), Cardiophorinae (including Exoeolus Broun), Denticollinae (sensu Stibick 1979a), Elaterinae (sensu Stibick 1979a), Hypnoidinae (sensu Stibick 1976) and Lissominae (sensu Calder et al. 1993) were less than 0.05. The bioluminescent genus Pyrophorus was found to be an apical member of the mostly non-bioluminescent Agrypninae, supporting the hypothesis of at least one independent origin of bioluminescence in the Elateridae. The closest relatives to the Cardiophorinae minus Exoeolus were found in the Negastriinae. The subfamilies Cardiophorinae + Negastriinae + Tropihypnus Reitter together rendered the Hypnoidinae (or the tribe Hypnoidini of Denticollinae) paraphyletic. Lesnelater madagascariensis Fleutiaux (the type species of Lesnelater Fleutiaux) is synonymised under the type species of Pachyelater Lesne: P. madagascariensis (Lesne) so that Lesnelater is a new synonym of Pachyelater. The genus Exoeolus Broun is transferred from the Cardiophorinae to the Hemiopinae; the fossil genus Crioraphes Iablokoff-Khnzorian is transferred to the Elaterinae incertae sedis; the fossil genera Pseudocardiophorites Dolin, and Protocardiophorus Dolin are transferred to Elateroidea incertae sedis. Dolin’s (1976) hypothesis of a Jurassic origin of the Cardiophorinae was not supported by fossil evidence.

"This paper describes and discusses several stakeholders' perspectives of agricultural change in eastern Madagascar. The historic and current government-sponsored attempts to facilitate the end of swidden agriculture in eastern Madagascar have largely failed due to particular cultural beliefs held by the rural farmers. The Malagasy government is implementing several agricultural and social policies designed to promote biodiversity conservation and increase crop yields to meet the increased needs of the rising human population. One key aspect of planned agricultural change ignored by the Malagasy government is the impact this change will have on the rural farmers' belief system connected with their traditional agriculture, tavy (swidden agriculture as termed and practised by the Malagasy). As the current plan of the Malagasy government stands, only the political, agricultural, ecological, and economic problems of the agricultural change are part of policymaking. In addition to perspectives from government-sponsored programmes, economic and cultural viewpoints from local rice sellers and rural farmers are presented."

The species composition of hoverflies (Syrphidae), click beetles (Elateridae), and bees (Apoidea) was studied to determine whether there was a positive response in these flower-seeking insect groups to gaps in the canopy created through single-tree selection harvesting of Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) and Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis) in hardwood forests of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence forest region of Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario. There were significantly more hoverflies and bees collected in forest stands harvested within the previous five years than in wilderness zone (unharvested at least for 40 years) stands or stands harvested 15-20 years previously (old logged stands). Click beetles, especially Selatosomus pulcher (LeConte), were collected most often in old logged stands. Bees and click beetles were collected significantly later in the season in logged than in wilderness zone stands. Malaise traps resulted in higher capture rates for syrphids than pan traps, and only with these higher capture rates did we detect a significant increase in species richness in recently logged stands over that in wilderness stands. Changes in the numbers and phenology of flower-visiting insects may impact on reproductive success of flowering plants of the forest understory and deserves further study.