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Three new species of Phyllophaga are described from northeastern Mexico: P. (s.str.) gramma n. sp. from grasslands near Monterrey city, state of Nuevo Leon; P. (s.str.) jeanmathieui n. sp. from mixed forests of Sierra Chipinque, Nuevo Leon; and P. (Listrochelus) pinophilus n. sp. from pine-oak forests of mountains in Nuevo Leon and Coahuila. Illustrations of diagnostic structures and comments about the relations of each species are provided. Se describen tres especies nuevas de Phyllophaga procedentes del noreste de México: P. (s.str.) gramma n. sp. de los pastizales cercanos a la ciudad de Monterrey, Nuevo León; P. (s.str.) jeanmathieui n. sp. de los bosques mixtos de la Sierra de Chipinque, Nuevo León; y P. (Listrochelus) pinophilus n. sp. de los bosques mixtos en las montañas de Nuevo León y Coahuila. Se incluyen ilustraciones de las estructuras diagnósticas y comentarios sobre las relaciones de cada una de las especies descritas

Important missing specimen data are provided for the original description of Ozophora woodruffi Slater (2005: 245) (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae), along with additional comparative relationships. Because of the missing type information, according to ICZN rules (1999), the species became a nomen nudum. This paper now serves to validate the name, and authorship becomes Slater (2012).

The small Caribbean island of Navassa (U.S. possession) is unoccupied by humans, but recent surveys have detected a surprising number of endemic (precinctive) invertebrates. A new species of May beetle, Phyllophaga navassa, is here described and compared to the Hispaniolan Phyllophaga fauna. The large genus Phyllophaga Harris is estimated to contain over 500 species (Morón 1997:229); perhaps the largest genus of New World Scarabaeidae. In the recent revision of the species for the island of Hispaniola (Woodruff and Sanderson 2004), 48 species were treated, of which 22 were described as new. All 48 are endemic only to Hispaniola, and many have restrictive distributions within the island. The Island of Navassa lies only 56 km west of the tip of Haiti, so it was somewhat surprising to learn that this endemic new species was abundant there. Discovery of these, and a narrative of the survey of the island, was documented by Steiner and Swearingen (1998, 2000), and Swearingen (1999). They reported collecting more than 600 terrestrial arthropod morphospecies, estimated to be 30% endemic. Additional information on habitat was provided by Nearns and Steiner (2006) in the description of a new species of Plectromerus Haldeman (Cerambycidae), and by Steiner (2008) in a report on Carabidae known from the island. The island has been a U.S. possession since 1856, when it was claimed under the “Guano Act”, and it was mined for phosphates during the latter part of the 19th century. The U.S. Coast Guard operated a lighthouse there from 1929 to 1996. It was acquired by the U.S. Department of Interior, and in 1999 it was designated as the Navassa National Wildlife Refuge under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The herpetology of the island was treated by Powell (1999). The island is only 5 kilometers square, with no beaches, and abrupt cliffs reaching heights of 20 meters. The central forest is about 70 meters elevation, where many specimens were collected. The geology was studied by

The first New World amber member of the family Lucanidae is described from the Dominican Republic. Its age is presumed to be Miocene (20-30 million YBP). It is also the fourth known amber species, the second Miocene fossil species, the second fossil species in the subfamily Syndesinae, and the first species (fossil or extant) of Lucanidae from the entire Caribbean. It is especially interesting because it is a member of the Australasian genus Syndesus MacLeay. Other such disjunct Dominican amber insect fossils are also discussed.

In the eastern United States, the genus Cotinis Burmeister previously contained only C. nitida (L.), the common economic pest known as the "Green June Beetle". A new species from the Florida Keys, Cotinis aliena, is here described and illustrated. A checklist is provided for the genus, which includes 27 valid New World species, and 44 synonyms.

The mango flower beetle, Protaetia fusca (Herbst), an Asiatic pest of several commercial crops, was first found in Florida in 1985. All subsequent Florida specimens are recorded here, as well as the first documented records from the Bahamas and Barbados. Illustrations are provided and comparisons are made to the similar native Euphoria sepulcralis (Fabricius), which is also recorded for the first time from the Bahamas. Extensive host records and a bibliography (especially tracking P. fusca spread in Hawaii) are included.

With this study, the fauna of Hispaniolan Phyllophaga is now composed of 48 species, all of which are endemic (precinctive), including 22 new species described herein (4 attributed to Woodruff and Sanderson: approxima, bonfils, jimenezi, rex; 18 to Woodruff: aceitillar, alcoa, androw, baoruco, carnegie, davidsoni, eladio, haitiensis, jaragua, larimar, marcano, nunezi, ortizi, pedernales, rawlinsi, rustica, santachloe, toni). Additionally, allotypes are described for 7 species with previously unknown males (aliada, canoa) or females (esquinada, fossoria, imprima, kenscoffi, panicula), and 6 new country records (Dominican Republic) are provided (aliada, leptospica, minutissima, panicula, permagna, recorta). Of the 48, only 1 male remains unknown (barrosa), and 9 females are missing (aceitillar, carnegie, costura, davidsoni, espina, garrota, probaporra, rustica, toni); 32 are recorded only from the Dominican Republic, and 5 are known only from Haiti. The 727 Figures include 50 habitus illustrations for all species, as well as SEM photos of male and female genitalia, and other salient morphological characters. The discovery of “sister species,” on opposite sides of the Enriquillo basin, provides significant data to support the 2 island concept; 15 species are known only from the paleo “south island,” and 23 are restricted to the “north island”. RESUMEN: De acuerdo con este estudio, la fauna de Phyllophaga en la isla Española, en el mar Caribe, está compuesta por 48 especies, todas endémicas (precinctivas), incluyendo a 22 nuevas especies aquí descritas (4 atribuídas a Woodruff y Sanderson: approxima, bonfils, jimenezi, rex; 18 a Woodruff: aceitillar, alcoa, androw, baoruco, carnegie, davidsoni, eladio, haitiensis, jaragua, larimar, marcano, nunezi, ortizi, pedernales, rawlinsi, rustica, santachloe, toni). Adicionalmente, se describen los alotipos de 7 especies, de las cuales no se conocían los machos (aliada, canoa) o las hembras (esquinada, fossoria, imprima, kenscoffi

With this study, the fauna of Hispaniolan Phyllophaga is now composed of 48 species, all of which are endemic (precinctive), including 22 new species described herein (4 attributed to Woodruff and Sanderson: approxima, bonfils, jimenezi, rex; 18 to Woodruff: aceitillar, alcoa, androw, baoruco, carnegie, davidsoni, eladio, haitiensis, jaragua, larimar, marcano, nunezi, ortizi, pedernales, rawlinsi, rustica, santachloe, toni). Additionally, allotypes are described for 7 species with previously unknown males (aliada, canoa) or females (esquinada, fossoria, imprima, kenscoffi, panicula), and 6 new country records (Dominican Republic) are provided (aliada, leptospica, minutissima, panicula, permagna, recorta). Of the 48, only 1 male remains unknown (barrosa), and 9 females are missing (aceitillar, carnegie, costura, davidsoni, espina, garrota, probaporra, rustica, toni); 32 are recorded only from the Dominican Republic, and 5 are known only from Haiti. The 727 Figures include 50 habitus illustrations for all species, as well as SEM photos of male and female genitalia, and other salient morphological characters. The discovery of “sister species,” on opposite sides of the Enriquillo basin, provides significant data to support the 2 island concept; 15 species are known only from the paleo “south island,” and 23 are restricted to the “north island”. RESUMEN: De acuerdo con este estudio, la fauna de Phyllophaga en la isla Española, en el mar Caribe, está compuesta por 48 especies, todas endémicas (precinctivas), incluyendo a 22 nuevas especies aquí descritas (4 atribuídas a Woodruff y Sanderson: approxima, bonfils, jimenezi, rex; 18 a Woodruff: aceitillar, alcoa, androw, baoruco, carnegie, davidsoni, eladio, haitiensis, jaragua, larimar, marcano, nunezi, ortizi, pedernales, rawlinsi, rustica, santachloe, toni). Adicionalmente, se describen los alotipos de 7 especies, de las cuales no se conocían los machos (aliada, canoa) o las hembras (esquinada, fossoria, imprima, kenscoffi

With this study, the fauna of Hispaniolan Phyllophaga is now composed of 48 species, all of which are endemic (precinctive), including 22 new species described herein (4 attributed to Woodruff and Sanderson: approxima, bonfils, jimenezi, rex; 18 to Woodruff: aceitillar, alcoa, androw, baoruco, carnegie, davidsoni, eladio, haitiensis, jaragua, larimar, marcano, nunezi, ortizi, pedernales, rawlinsi, rustica, santachloe, toni). Additionally, allotypes are described for 7 species with previously unknown males (aliada, canoa) or females (esquinada, fossoria, imprima, kenscoffi, panicula), and 6 new country records (Dominican Republic) are provided (aliada, leptospica, minutissima, panicula, permagna, recorta). Of the 48, only 1 male remains unknown (barrosa), and 9 females are missing (aceitillar, carnegie, costura, davidsoni, espina, garrota, probaporra, rustica, toni); 32 are recorded only from the Dominican Republic, and 5 are known only from Haiti. The 727 Figures include 50 habitus illustrations for all species, as well as SEM photos of male and female genitalia, and other salient morphological characters. The discovery of “sister species,” on opposite sides of the Enriquillo basin, provides significant data to support the 2 island concept; 15 species are known only from the paleo “south island,” and 23 are restricted to the “north island”. RESUMEN: De acuerdo con este estudio, la fauna de Phyllophaga en la isla Española, en el mar Caribe, está compuesta por 48 especies, todas endémicas (precinctivas), incluyendo a 22 nuevas especies aquí descritas (4 atribuídas a Woodruff y Sanderson: approxima, bonfils, jimenezi, rex; 18 a Woodruff: aceitillar, alcoa, androw, baoruco, carnegie, davidsoni, eladio, haitiensis, jaragua, larimar, marcano, nunezi, ortizi, pedernales, rawlinsi, rustica, santachloe, toni). Adicionalmente, se describen los alotipos de 7 especies, de las cuales no se conocían los machos (aliada, canoa) o las hembras (esquinada, fossoria, imprima, kenscoffi

With this study, the fauna of Hispaniolan Phyllophaga is now composed of 48 species, all of which are endemic (precinctive), including 22 new species described herein (4 attributed to Woodruff and Sanderson: approxima, bonfils, jimenezi, rex; 18 to Woodruff: aceitillar, alcoa, androw, baoruco, carnegie, davidsoni, eladio, haitiensis, jaragua, larimar, marcano, nunezi, ortizi, pedernales, rawlinsi, rustica, santachloe, toni). Additionally, allotypes are described for 7 species with previously unknown males (aliada, canoa) or females (esquinada, fossoria, imprima, kenscoffi, panicula), and 6 new country records (Dominican Republic) are provided (aliada, leptospica, minutissima, panicula, permagna, recorta). Of the 48, only 1 male remains unknown (barrosa), and 9 females are missing (aceitillar, carnegie, costura, davidsoni, espina, garrota, probaporra, rustica, toni); 32 are recorded only from the Dominican Republic, and 5 are known only from Haiti. The 727 Figures include 50 habitus illustrations for all species, as well as SEM photos of male and female genitalia, and other salient morphological characters. The discovery of “sister species,” on opposite sides of the Enriquillo basin, provides significant data to support the 2 island concept; 15 species are known only from the paleo “south island,” and 23 are restricted to the “north island”. RESUMEN: De acuerdo con este estudio, la fauna de Phyllophaga en la isla Española, en el mar Caribe, está compuesta por 48 especies, todas endémicas (precinctivas), incluyendo a 22 nuevas especies aquí descritas (4 atribuídas a Woodruff y Sanderson: approxima, bonfils, jimenezi, rex; 18 a Woodruff: aceitillar, alcoa, androw, baoruco, carnegie, davidsoni, eladio, haitiensis, jaragua, larimar, marcano, nunezi, ortizi, pedernales, rawlinsi, rustica, santachloe, toni). Adicionalmente, se describen los alotipos de 7 especies, de las cuales no se conocían los machos (aliada, canoa) o las hembras (esquinada, fossoria, imprima, kenscoffi

With this study, the fauna of Hispaniolan Phyllophaga is now composed of 48 species, all of which are endemic (precinctive), including 22 new species described herein (4 attributed to Woodruff and Sanderson: approxima, bonfils, jimenezi, rex; 18 to Woodruff: aceitillar, alcoa, androw, baoruco, carnegie, davidsoni, eladio, haitiensis, jaragua, larimar, marcano, nunezi, ortizi, pedernales, rawlinsi, rustica, santachloe, toni). Additionally, allotypes are described for 7 species with previously unknown males (aliada, canoa) or females (esquinada, fossoria, imprima, kenscoffi, panicula), and 6 new country records (Dominican Republic) are provided (aliada, leptospica, minutissima, panicula, permagna, recorta). Of the 48, only 1 male remains unknown (barrosa), and 9 females are missing (aceitillar, carnegie, costura, davidsoni, espina, garrota, probaporra, rustica, toni); 32 are recorded only from the Dominican Republic, and 5 are known only from Haiti. The 727 Figures include 50 habitus illustrations for all species, as well as SEM photos of male and female genitalia, and other salient morphological characters. The discovery of “sister species,” on opposite sides of the Enriquillo basin, provides significant data to support the 2 island concept; 15 species are known only from the paleo “south island,” and 23 are restricted to the “north island”. RESUMEN: De acuerdo con este estudio, la fauna de Phyllophaga en la isla Española, en el mar Caribe, está compuesta por 48 especies, todas endémicas (precinctivas), incluyendo a 22 nuevas especies aquí descritas (4 atribuídas a Woodruff y Sanderson: approxima, bonfils, jimenezi, rex; 18 a Woodruff: aceitillar, alcoa, androw, baoruco, carnegie, davidsoni, eladio, haitiensis, jaragua, larimar, marcano, nunezi, ortizi, pedernales, rawlinsi, rustica, santachloe, toni). Adicionalmente, se describen los alotipos de 7 especies, de las cuales no se conocían los machos (aliada, canoa) o las hembras (esquinada, fossoria, imprima, kenscoffi

Earlier this year, at the age of 85, Major Jacob Brodzinsky passed away at his home in Santo Domingo. It is with great sadness that I write this obituary, because "Jake" was a great personal friend and professional colleague for over 30 years. He leaves a wife, Marianela (Mañeña) Lopez-Penha, whom he married on April 26,1964, and two lovely daughters, Sibylla and Raquel.

With the description of Brachypsectra vivafosile n. sp., from the Cabo Rojo desert area of Hispaniola, the beetle family Brachypsectridae now contains 4 described species. The family was originally known from the Dominican Republic by Miocene amber fossils of larvae. Genitalia are illustrated for the first time for the family. Relationships of the family within the Elateroidea are briefly discussed.

Because I've studied Dominican Amber for 25 years, this article began as a simple request for me to review a recent book: "Life in Amber" by George 0. Poinar, Jr., Stanford university Press. 350p.; 37 color and 154 black and white photos; 8 maps. Publication date: Sept. 25, 1992. Price: $55.00. It was soon obvious that the volume and nature of my comments precluded a simple review. My paraphrased title is a minor semantic difference with Dr. Poinar's, although I doubt that he would write of "Life in Egyptian Tombs". Creatures preserved for 30 to 40 million years should at least be "Former Life in Amber". So much for trivia.