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Although the complex evolutionary history of lichen-forming fungi has gained considerable attention, particularly regarding the long-debated role of these organisms in shaping early terrestrial ecosystems, the evolution of lichenivory and its potential impact on the diversification of lichenophages have been largely neglected. With > 800 described species worldwide and a broad geographical distribution, the tribe Helopini (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) represents a diverse, yet poorly studied, group of predominantly lichenophagous beetles. Using a dataset of 52 ingroup taxa and five gene fragments, a first phylogenetic hypothesis of the tribe was generated, which was subsequently used for reconstructing the ancestral state of the trophic and habitat associations of the beetles and for estimating a time frame of diversification. Our phylogenetic reconstruction sheds light on the higher-level systematics of the tribe, supporting the current subtribal division of the group while also providing a framework for understanding the intergeneric relationships within subtribes. The results also indicate an Early Cretaceous origin of the tribe, highlighting the close association between Helopini and lichen-forming fungi since the emergence of the group. Nevertheless, at least seven independent switches from lichenophagy to alternative feeding habits have occurred since the middle Eocene, which can be linked temporally to transitions from forests to open habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One new species, Megalopinus puthzianus spec. nov. from the Malacca Peninsula in Malaysia and Thailand, which was previously interpreted as Megalopinus hirashimai Naomi, 1986 is described. The species M. hirashimai is redescribed and its aedeagus is illustrated for the first time. The synonymy of Megalopinus tangi Puthz, 2012 and Megalopinus lapsus Mainda, 2022 syn. nov. (replacement name for M. modestus Puthz, 2021 nec (Sharp, 1886) is stated. The spelling of Megalopinus brancuccii Puthz, 2021 is established as the correct original spelling of this taxon and measurements and elytral punctuation numbers of additional specimens are added. A new record of Megalopinus creberrimus (L. Benick, 1941) with deviating coloration is reported from Mindanao (Philippines), and at the same time a new elytral puncture-row is designated: epipleural row - a row directly lateral to the sublateral row. Furthermore, the second male specimen of Megalopinus rolandmuelleri Mainda, 2022 is reported from Mindanao, Philippines, with additional measurements and elytral punctuation numbers. Finally, an updated checklist of all extant Megalopinus species of the Oriental and Australasian regions is presented.

In this paper there were presented faunistical data recorded from different areas of the western half of Romania during 2023. There were recorded 112 species belonging to five classes, 26 orders and 99 genera. Some species are rare or protected in Romanian fauna. Perillus bioculatus Fabr is mentioned for the first time in the northwestern Romania. Isodontia mexicana Saus and Pseudeuophrys lanigera Sim are mentioned for the first time in the Bihor county and probably in the northwestern Romania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Anamycetaea Strohecker, 1975, established for Anamycetaea keralae , a single species from India, was originally placed in the diverse endomychid subfamily Mycetaeinae and has subsequently been considered a member of the subfamily Anamorphinae based on closed mesocoxal cavities, a postulated synapomorphy of this group. Recent molecular research resulted in raising Anamorphinae to family level and revealed this group to be distantly related to Endomychidae sensu stricto. However, Anamycetaea has been 'neglected' since description. Our detailed study of this genus has been possible due to new material collected from Oriental and Australian regions. Striking overall similarity to the endomychine genus Tharina and a tentorium with anterior arms fused medially (separated in almost all Anamorphidae) have raised our doubts and led to further investigation of the phylogenetic placement of this enigmatic genus within Endomychidae sensu lato (handsome fungus beetles). Phylogenetic analyses of molecular and morphological datasets were conducted under Bayesian (BI), maximum likelihood (ML) and parsimony (MP) frameworks. Our results recovered Anamycetaea as belonging to the family Endomychidae, in the subfamily Endomychinae, distant from Anamorphidae. The close affinity to Stenotarsus and allies was strongly supported in all analyses. Based on material studied, A. keralae is described in detail here and includes description of previously unknown male genitalia. Four new species are also described, extending the ragne of the genus to the Australian region: Anamycetaea borneensis sp. nov. (from Borneo), A. novoguineensis sp. nov. and A. papuensis sp. nov. (from Papua New Guinea) and A. queenslandica sp. nov. (from Australia). Illustrations of morphological details and diagnoses are provided for each species. A key to the species of the genus is also presented. ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:90BAA954-7849-4FA9-997B-061FE7BB5702 The genus Anamycetaea , established for a single species from India, was initially classified in the endomychid subfamily Mycetaeinae and subsequently in Anamorphinae (recently raised to family level in Anamorphidae). The morphology has not been seriously examined since the original description and the systematic position has remained unclear. New material from the Oriental and Australian regions enabled us to study this genus in detail. We described four new species, and performed phylogenetic analyses of molecular and morphological data revealing that Anamycetaea belongs to the subfamily Endomychinae within Endomychidae sensu stricto , distant from Anamorphidae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our aim was to investigate the among-populations diversity of prey composition in Eurasian Reed Warblers' diets via their droppings, both to assess the ecological validity of this sampling method and to test whether the prey species most abundant in fecal samples were also the most present in the Italian study site. We collected fecal samples at four sites throughout Italy, for a total of 144 samples. Within reedbeds, the breeding habitat of the Eurasian Reed Warbler, we also collected arthropods by carrying out entomological sweepings at one of the study sites. Within the fecal samples, we identified dozens of prey species, belonging mainly to Araneae, Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera and Aphidoidea taxa, whose compositions were not statistically different among sites. The commonest prey species were Coleoptera in the droppings (68.5%) and Diptera in the reedbeds (31.3%), although the latter was less numerous in the fecal samples. The diets of different Italian populations of Eurasian Reed Warbler emerging from our study underline a strong Coleopteran presence, without differences across Italy. Fecal samples appear to be an exhaustive method to study variation in Eurasian Reed Warbler diet and its ecological importance; however, although potential caveats do exist, such as the possible under-representation of Diptera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chrysomelidae on the islands of Vietnam has been poorly known. In this study, we investigated the diversity of Chrysomelidae on Phu Quoc Island in Kien Giang province, Southern Vietnam. Specimens were collected from Phu Quoc national park and the buffer zone forest. First, all specimens were ordered into a morph-species operational taxonomic unit (OTU). We collected 52 morphological OTUs of 31 genera and 5 subfamilies, 20 of which were identified as level species. Then, all morphological OTUs were extracted, amplified, and sequenced from the 658 bp fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. A total of 63 DNA barcode sequences of 13 species and 27 morphological OTUs were successfully sequenced and assigned to 32 Barcode Index Numbers (BIN) in Bold. In the comparison, between morphological OTUs and BINs, the number of OTUs was reduced to 20 species and 24 OTUs (a total of 44 OTUs). The number of species on Phu Quoc Island is estimated to be 1.38x –1. 96 × greater. A total of 32 BINs were generated from this study, 30 of which were new to Vietnam and 28 of which were new to BOLD. The results of this study provide the first document of the leaf beetle fauna on Phu Quoc island and the first DNA Barcoding data for Chrysomelidae from this region in Vietnam, as well as additional documents of leaf beetles on islands from another world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted under laboratory conditions at Department of Entomology Lab, College of Agriculture, JNKVV, Jabalpur (MP) during 2019-20. The screening of chickpea varieties viz. JG 63, JG 16, JG 12, JG 14, JG 24, JG 36, JG 11, JAKI 9218 and RVG 201 were studied against the pulse beetle infestation. The varieties, JG 36 and JG 12 were most preferred host for egg laying, while least preferred varieties were JG 11 and JAKI 9218.The maximum mean adult emergence was in JG 36 and minimum in JAKI 9218. The maximum seed damage up to (69.33%) was observed in JG 36, while minimum (43.33%) damage occurred in JAKI 9218. The weight loss was highest in JG 36 with (63.33) per cent and was lowest in JAKI 9218 (38.67%). Germination per cent was recorded in varieties JAKI 9218 showed the average highest infected seed germination (24.67%), while variety JG 36 showed lowest infected seed germination (7.33%). And Germination per cent was recorded in varieties JG 14 showed the average highest Healthy seed germination (92.67%), while variety RVG 201 showed lowest Healthy seed germination (74.67%). Overall on the basis of above parameters JAKI 9218 was most tolerant variety and JG 36 was most susceptible variety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postglacial dispersal and colonization processes have shaped community patterns in sub‐Arctic regions such as Churchill, Manitoba, and Canada. This study investigates evolutionary community structure within the beetle (Coleoptera) families of Churchill and tests whether biological traits have played a role in governing colonization patterns from refugial and southerly geographic regions. This study quantifies sub‐Arctic beetle phylogenetic community structure for each family using the net relatedness index (NRI) and nearest taxon index (NTI), calculated using publicly available data from the Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD); compares patterns across families with different traits (habitat, diet) using standard statistical analysis (ANOVA) as well as phylogenetic generalized least squares (PGLS) using a family‐level beetle phylogeny obtained from the literature; and compares community structure in Churchill with a region in southern Canada (Guelph, Ontario). These analyses were also repeated at a genus level. The dominant pattern detected in our study was that aquatic families were much better represented in Churchill compared to terrestrial families, when compared against richness sampled from across Canada and Alaska. Individually, most families showed significant phylogenetic clustering in Churchill, likely due to the strong environmental filtering present in Arctic environments. There was no significant difference in phylogenetic structure between Churchill and Guelph but with a trend toward stronger clustering in the North. Fungivores were significantly more overdispersed than other feeding modes, predators were significantly more clustered, and aquatic families showed significantly stronger clustering compared to terrestrial. This study contributes to our understanding of the traits and processes structuring insect biodiversity and macroecological trends in the sub‐Arctic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

საქართველოს ჭიამაიების (Coccinellidae) ფაუნა 84 სახეობით არის წარმოდგენილი. მერკვილაძე, ყვავაძის (2002) სახეობების სიას დაემატა ორი სახეობა (S. biflammulatus and S. montazerii), მაგრამ ჩეკლისტში შეტანილი ერთი სახეობის (T. connatus) არსებობა ქვეყნის ტერიტორიაზე საეჭვოა; ორი სახეობა გადაყვანილია სინონიმში. ნაშრომში წარმოდგენილი 30 სახეობა არ არის რეგისტრირებული პალეარქტიკის ხეშეშფრთიანთა კატალოგში (Kovář 2007). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on the intraguild egg predation of Coccinella transversalis and Menochilus sexmaculatus were undertaken in the Bio-control Laboratory, Department of Entomology, IGKV, Raipur, Chhattisgarh during the year 2019-20 and 2020-21. Egg predation of M. sexmaculatus by different growth stages of C. transversalis was found to be significant. Among all the stages of C. transversalis, female beetle was found to be highly voracious towards the heterospecific egg predation. Maximum egg predation,i.e. 22.66 of M. sexmaculatus was observed by the female beetle of C. transversalis which was on par with the 4th instar larvae (19.10) followed by 3rd instar larvae (14.70) and male beetle (10.40) of C. transversalis and minimum predation was further observed in the 2rd instar larvae (2.50) and no predation was observed in the 1st instar larvae of C. transversalis. Egg predation of C. transversalis by different growth stages of M. sexmaculatus also varied significantly. Among all the stages of M.sexmaculatus, 4th instar larvae were found to be highly voracious towards the heterospecific egg predation. Maximum egg predation, i.e. 24.67 of C. transversalis was observed by the 4th instar larvae of M. sexmaculatus which was on par with the 3rd instar larvae (24.44), followed by female beetle (23.33) and male beetle (16.89) of M. sexmaculatus and minimum predation was also observed in the 2rd instar larvae (7.33) and no predation was observed by the 1st instar larvae of M. sexmaculatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais (Motschulsky) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is one of the most damaging pests of stored cereals causing severe damage to stored grains. In current investigation, six open pollinated maize varieties viz. JALAL (white), AZAM (white), SADAF (yellow), ZARD LOCAL (yellow), KASHMIRI (yellow) and PAHARI (white) were screened out in the laboratory of Entomology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan for their relative susceptibility/resistance to maize weevil. The experiment was laid out following completely randomized design (CRD) with 5 replicates. Results revealed that minimum (23.8) days to adult emergence of maize weevil were recorded when it was reared on variety Azam; whereas; maximum (34.2) days were recorded on variety Sadaf. Total number of F1 adults emerged were maximum (91) in Azam while minimum (62) in variety Sadaf. Percent infestation of maize kernels was maximum (39.01%) in Azam while minimum (25.80%) was recorded in variety Sadaf. Percent weight loss was maximum in Azam i.e. 26.12% while minimum percent weight loss (16.88%) was recorded in Sadaf. Maximum longevity (68.4 days) of adult weevils was recorded on Azam while minimum (53.4 days) was recorded on variety Sadaf. All the tested varieties had no significant effect on the sex ratio of emerged weevils. High germination percentage was recorded in Sadaf (90%) whereas; low germination was found in Azam (57%). The grain hardness test indicated that yellow varieties including Sadaf, Zard local and Kashmiri had maximum hardness having 317, 302.33 and 296 N grain hardness, whereas; white varieties i.e. Pahari, Jalal and Azam had minimum values of grain hardness i.e. 264.33, 251.66 and 238.33 Newton. The present work has shown that Azam is the most susceptible variety and should not be stored for longer periods whereas; Sadaf is the resistant variety against maize weevil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first molecular phylogeny of the tribe Sepidiini is inferred from analyses of DNA sequence data from the following five loci (CAD , wg , COI , COII , 28S rRNA). Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses were performed on a dataset containing 41 taxa, of which a majority represent Molurina (27) and Phanerotomeina (6). The resulting topologies were used to discuss phylogenetic placement and diagnostic characters of all of the genera representing Molurina. Within the subtribe, the results revealed paraphyly of the genus Psammodes. The P. vialis species-group, currently classified within Psammodes , was recovered as sister to all other Molurina genera. Based on this topology and morphological investigations, a new genus named Toktokkus gen. nov. is established. Within Phanerotomeina, Ocnodes is paraphyletic with regard to Tarsocnodes. In order to restore the monophyly of Ocnodes , the subgenus Chiliarchum stat. nov. is elevated to generic level. Finally, as the homology of female terminalia structures has never been fully assessed for Sepidiini, a comparative study of ovipositor morphology was conducted. As a result, this paper presents the first fully annotated ovipositors for tok-tokkie beetles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asymmetric interference competition, where one species is behaviorally dominant over another, appears widespread in nature with the potential to structure ecological communities through trade-offs between competitive dominance and environmental tolerance. The details of how species interact and the factors that contribute to behavioral dominance, however, are poorly known for most species, yet such details are important for understanding when and why trade-offs occur. Here, we examine behavioral interactions between two species of burying beetles (Coleoptera: Silphidae) that compete for limited breeding resources (i.e., small vertebrate carcasses) in nature, to identify behaviors involved in interference competition and to test if large body size, species identity, or time of arrival best predict behavioral dominance among species. To test these ideas, we placed samesex individuals of Nicrophorus orbicollis (early to mid-summer breeder) and N. tomentosus (late summer to fall breeder) into an enclosure together with a 25-30 g mouse carcass (Mus musculus). We then video-recorded all behaviors, including neutral and aggressive interactions, for 13 h per trial (N = 14 trials). For each interaction, we assigned a winner based on which beetle retained its position instead of fleeing or retained possession of the carcass; the overall behavioral dominant was determined as the individual that won the most interactions over the length of the trial. We found that large body size was the best predictor of behavioral dominance. In most interactions, N. orbicollis was larger and dominant over N. tomentosus; however, when N. tomentosus was larger they outcompeted smaller N. orbicollis, illustrating the importance of body size in aggressive contests. The order of arrival to the carcass (priority effects) did not predict behavioral dominance. The larger size and abundance of N. orbicollis in nature suggest a competitive asymmetry between the species, supporting the idea that N. orbicollis constrains the ability of N. tomentosus to breed earlier in the summer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predator species under field conditions can face different and variable densities of prey species. This work evaluated the functional response of the neotropical lady beetle Eriopis connexa (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) subjected to different densities of the aphids Brevicoryne brassicae and Aphis craccivora (Hemiptera: Aphididae). Thus, predation rates were analyzed of fourth-instar larvae and one-day old adults of the lady beetle preying upon the aphids at constant densities of 20, 40, 50, 60, and 70 aphids with 15 repetitions per density. The aphids were offered on 5 cm leaf discs of each plant host. The handling times and attack rates were 0.03 h-1 and 0.27 h-1 for larvae and 0.03 h-1 and 0.15 h-1 for adults fed B. brassicae and 0.59 h-1 and 0.35 h-1 for larvae and 0.70 h-1 and 0.95 h-1 for adults fed A. craccivora, respectively. Both larva and adult lady beetles increased predation rate as a function of prey density offered, with an estimated maximum number of prey consumed of 30.3 and 31.6 B. brassicae and 36.3 and 34.6 of A. craccivora by larva and adult lady beetles at the highest prey density, respectively. In conclusion, larvae and adults of E. connexa exhibited a type II functional response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biology of Platynaspis saundersi (Crotch) was studied under laboratory conditions at the Department of Entomology, Dr YSP University of Horticulture and Forestry, Himachal Pradesh, India. The mean preoviposition period was 7.00± 0.21 days, while the oviposition period was 43.50± 0.35 days. The female lays 130.30± 5.96 eggs and the hatching was 86.32± 3.12%, with incubation period being 5.0± 0.47 days and the larval period was for 12.40± 0.35 days. The observed prepupal and pupal periods were 1.50± 0.48 and 7.50± 0.21 day, with longevity of male and female being 70.00± 2.00 and 79.00± 0.89 days, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metallactus canescens sp. nov., Metallactus aemulus sp. nov., Metallactus diaguita sp. nov., Metallactus nugator sp. nov. are described from Northern and Central Argentina. The new species are very similar to one another regarding their external look but can be distinguished above all on the basis of internal characters, in particular the morphology of the aedeagal median lobe. Besides, some traits of their external features, i. e. the thick dorsal setosity and the weak metallic hue, look quite uncommon within the genus Metallactus Suffrian, 1866 and remind of some species of genus Coscinoptera Lacordaire, 1848 (in particular C. tibialis Harold, 1875) and other undescribed species belonging to the genus Griburius Haldeman, 1849. This might be due to some kind of adaptive convergent evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of the present paper was to offer a complete list of staphylinid species (Staphylinidae, Coleoptera) preserved in the entomological collections of some museums of public scientific institutions ofthe Republic of Moldova. In addition, we included rove beetle species which were documented as present on the territory of our country but their individuals were not found in any studied collections. We have investigated three entomological collections that are significant in terms of size and are very important for biodiversity, from the Republic of Moldova: the Collection of the Museum of Entomology within the Institute of Zoology. the Entomological Collection of the Institute of Physiology, Genetics and Plant Protection and the "N. Zubowsky" Entomological Collection of the NMENH. The specimens stored in these collections were collected in more than 220 collecting sites in different periods: 1917-1937, 1954-2020 and 1966-1999. The given list represents 261 rove beetle species, grouped in 12 subfamilies: Omaliinae, Proteininae, Tachyporinae, Habrocerinae, Aleocharinae, Oxytelinae, Oxyporinae, Scaphidiinae, Steninae, Paederinae, Staphylininae and Pselaphinae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type specimens from the collection of beetles (Coleoptera) deposited in the Department of Entomology, National Museum, Prague, are currently being catalogued. In this part of the catalogue dealing with the Staphylinini subtribe Philonthina (Staphylinidae: Staphylininae) we present information on types of 278 species level taxa. Except for the general collection, the type material comes mostly from the recently acquired collection of the late Lubomír Hromádka. A new substitute name, Philonthus acervulus nom. nov., is proposed for Philonthus zosterops Hromádka, 2013, a junior primary homonym of Philonthus zosterops Hromádka, 2011. One new combination is established: Eccoptolonthus terezae (Hromádka, 2016) comb. nov. from Pseudohesperus Hayashi, 2008. Philonthus zosterops Hromádka, 2011 is synonymized with P. mesophoyx Hromádka, 2016, syn. nov. Correct original spellings of Philonthus terathopius Hromádka, 2012 and Philonthus crecopsis Hromádka, 2013 are fi xed. The type locality and distribution of Philonthus camelus Hromádka, 2008 is corrected from Tanzania: Kilimandjaro to the Republic of the Congo: Bouansa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thorictus merkli sp. n. from Afghanistan is described, illustrated and compared with similar species. With 5 figures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diversity and role of the gut microbiota of insects is a rapidly growing fi eld of entomology, primarily fueled by new metagenomic techniques. Whereas endosymbionts in the guts of xylophagous or herbivorous insects are well studied, the microbiomes in moss-eating (bryophagous) insects remain uncharacterized. Using the Illumina MiSeq platform, we determined the composition of microbiomes in the gut, abdomen and on the body surface of two bryophagous species: Simplocaria semistriata (Fabricius, 1794) and Curimopsis paleata (Erichson, 1846) (Coleoptera: Byrrhidae). Gut microbiomes differed substantially from abdominal microbiomes in the same individuals, which indicates the need to separate them during dissection. Microbiomes in the gut and abdomen differed markedly from surface microbial assemblages. Gut microbiomes in bryophages had the highest MOTU richness, diversity and relative rarity. The eudominant bacteria in the guts and abdomens of bryophages were Novosphingobium, Bradyrhizobium, Ralstonia and Caulobacter, which are responsible for the detoxifi cation of secondary metabolites or nitrogen fi xation. These are less common in the surface samples and, therefore, likely to be associated with the specifi c ability of bryophages to feed on mosses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field experiment on effectiveness of different biorational insecticides against mealybug (Maconellicoccus hirsutus Green) and spiralling whitefly (Aleurodicus disperses Russel) and their safety to natural enemies in guava were carried out at Experimental Farm, Division of Entomology and Nematology, IIHR, Bangalore, India during 2015-16. All the treatments were significantly superior over untreated check. Results indicated that the maximum reduction of mealybug population was recorded in the treatment of organic salt 30 WS @ 5 ml/l (2.32 mealy bugs/three shoots) followed by spinosad 45 SC @ 0.2 ml/l (2.45 mealy bugs/three shoots) after first and second spray respectively. Whereas less population of spiralling whitefly was recorded in spinosad treated plot (2.06 spiralling whiteflies/three leaves). Safety of natural enemy's concern dimethoate 30 EC @1.6 ml/l, azadirachtin 10000 ppm @1 ml/l and Neem soap @ 10 g/l were found to be more harmful to coccinellid beetles and recorded very less beetle population, while Organic salt 30 WS @ 4 ml/l, L. lecanii @ 2 g/l and spinosad 45 SC @ 0.2 ml/l were the safest chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is the first comprehensive work on the pupae of Staphylinidae. It is the first-ever attempt to employ the morphological characters of these pupae in phylogenetic analysis. The study shows that the external structures of Staphylinini pupae could be a useful, alternative source for assessing the relationships of certain taxa within a tribe. The paper also includes an illustrated key to the identification of pupae at the subtribe and generic levels (Abemus, Acylophorus, Astrapaeus, Atanygnathus, Bisnius, Creophilus, Emus, Erichsonius, Gabrius, Hesperus, Heterothops, Neobisnius, Ocypus, Ontholestes, Philonthus, Quedius, Quedionuchus, Rabigus, Staphylinus, and Tasgius) of the tribe Staphylinini, found in Europe. Based on current knowledge of the morphology of pupal stages of Staphylinini species, eight morphological pupal types are presented: Acylophorus, Astrapaeus, Atanygnathus, Erichsonius, Heterothops, Philonthus, Quedius and Staphylinus. The paper also comments on pupal habitat, phenology and morphology in the context of antipredator and environmental adaptations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chloroform extract of rough cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium L) was evaluated for its insecticidal properties at the Department of Entomology, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, against banana leaf and fruit scarring beetle (Besilepta subcostatum). Direct spray method was carried out with different concentrations (7, 5, 3, 2, 1 and 0.5%). Among all the concentrations highest mortality (100.00%) was found at 7.0% after 72 hours. The LC50 value was found to be 1.12% after 72 hours of treatment. Thus, the Xanthium strumarium extract has insecticidal potential against the target insect which can be the alternative for synthetic insecticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australoclerus opitzi sp. n. is described from a specimen collected near Tolga, northern Queensland. A differential diagnosis is provided to distinguish the new species from A. bartletti Opitz, the type of the hitherto monotypic genus Australoclerus Opitz. Genus level characters for Australoclerus are discussed. High resolution images are provided for both species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Termitophily in some rove beetles is commonly attributed to the striking termite worker resemblance that is provided by the beetles' hypertrophic ('physogastric') abdomen. However, a termite nest may offer to a termitophile additional benefits, such as a continuously repaired shelter. 2. This could apply to Corotoca melantho (Aleocharinae: Corotocini), a viviparous obligatory termitophile staphylinid beetle species. While conferring morphological congruence to its host worker termites, its physogastry may impair mobility, leading to vulnerability and the need for a secure environment. It seems plausible to hypothesise that physogastry in C. melantho would imply in interactions between this termitophile and its host termites as well as its host termitarium. 3. This study provides evidence to build such a hypothesis by inspecting the morpho‐anatomical reproductive traits of this termitophile. It was found that a gradient of growth stages of embryos and larvae in the oviduct explains physogastry in females while pointing to iteroparity. The asynchronous development of oocytes in females, combined with a full developing sequence of sperm cells indicative of continuous spermatogenesis in males, suggests frequent matings. 4. While improving guest–host similarity, physogastry and flightlessness should confer vulnerability to pregnant females, forcing C. melantho to seek close and sheltered environments. These could facilitate the frequent male–female contacts demanded by iteroparity. It is possible, therefore, that physogastry in C. melantho is not only associated with the termites themselves but also with the physical structure of the termitarium. Thus, C. melantho can be hypothesised to be a termitariophile in addition to being a termitophile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we describe a new species of Cerambycidae of the Genus Brachyta, Subgenus Fasciobrachyta, close to Brachyta balcanica (Hampe, 1870). The new species, very likely associated as larvae with roots of Paeonia officinalis, was collected in the Majella National Park (Abruzzo, Italy) and its phylogenetic position clearly reveals a Transadriatic origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution of the three Italian species of Rhysodidae was reviewed by re-examining published data, museum conserved and newly collected specimens. Rhysodes sulcatus chronogeonemy encloses a large majority of old findings and only two recently confirmed active populations are recorded after the year 2000. Omoglymmius germari shows a similar picture, with only one recent record (2018) in the Pollino National Park (Basilicata) but a small number of active populations after 2000. Clinidium canaliculatum populations are in a much better conservation status, with about 50 new sites detected after 2000 in the Sila National Park. Threats and research/monitoring needs have been discussed for each species and new IUCN status proposed for Italian populations: Critically Endangered (CR) for Rhysodes and Omoglymmius, Near Threatened (NT) for Clinidium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Afrotropical genus Opisthozemius Kolbe, 1916 is revised. The genus now includes four species, one of which is described as new: Opisthozemius naamae sp. nov., from Tanzania and Zambia. Opisthozemius sulcithorax Damoiseau, 1967, from Java, is removed from the genus Opisthozemius and included in Euparagogus gen. nov. Opisthozemius honestus is placed in synonymy with Opisthozemius vittatus (new synonymy). A key for the identification of the species of Opisthozemius and some distributional data are also given. O. appendiculatus is quoted for the first time from Ghana; O. vittatus for the first time from Central African Republic, Ghana and Uganda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global agricultural intensification and expansion has led to the spread of a fairly cosmopolitan insect fauna associated with arable land and pasture. Studies of modern expansion and intensification of agriculture have shown profound effects in terms of declines in biodiversity, with implications for current nature conservation. However, modern entomological studies of farmland faunas do not consider if such effects occurred over a longer period of time or are merely a modern phenomenon. We examine the substantial British archaeoentomological dataset for the development of beetle (Coleoptera) faunas in a range of intensively farmed archaeological landscapes dating from the late Neolithic through to the early Medieval period (c. 24,000 cal. BC–AD 900). The archaeological beetle fauna typically consisted of generalist species which still dominate modern farmland. Our analysis indicates that there is an essentially stable 'core group' of taxa that repeatedly occur regardless of period, location or the specific nature of the archaeological feature involved. On the basis of this result, we argue that the effects of the expansion of intensive farming on insect faunas seen in the modern world are a continuation of a longer pattern. We suggest that this is an example of human econiche replacement and ecosystem engineering. The approach taken here is applicable elsewhere in the world, and we offer suggestions for future British and international research strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first comprehensive molecular phylogeny of the darkling beetle tribe Pedinini is inferred from analyses of DNA sequence data from the following six loci: 12S rRNA, 28S rRNA, cytochrome c oxidase subunit II (COII), wingless (wg), CAD/rudimentary (CAD2) and arginine kinase (ArgK). Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses were performed for a dataset of 79 species, representing all seven pedinoid subtribes. Low-coverage genome sequencing methods were used to obtain sequences from pinned historical specimens representing taxa crucial for the phylogeny. The results reveal that Pedinini is paraphyletic with regard to Helopinini. In contrast, monophyly of the majority of the subtribes (except Melambiina) is supported. Three main clades are recovered: 'Dendaroid' (Dendarina and Melambiina), 'Pedinoid' (Helopinini, Leichenina and Pedinina) and 'Platynotoid' (Eurynotina and Platynotina). Phylogenetically important characters defining these clades are documented, and their relevance/validity in phylogenetic studies is discussed. A new tribal-level classification is proposed. In order to restore the monophyly of Pedinini, Helopinini is included as a subtribe, and the names of the previously designated Helopinini subtribes are synonymized with the nominal one. Pythiopina is synonymized with Dendarina. The genus Ostorius is considered as a synonym of Adelonia. An identification key to the revised Pedinini subtribes is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Gnomidolon from Colombia is described and illustrated: Gnomidolon franciscoi sp. nov.; and the previous key for the genus is modified to include the new species. The male of Gnomidolon hamatum Linsley, 1935 is described and illustrated for the first time. Additionally, a chromatic variation in some species of Hexoplonini from Colombia is reported and the geographical distribution of four species is expanded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Arion-Panin entomological collection belonging to the Research-Development Institute for Plant Protection contains material collected by Sergius Panin, George Arion and also pieces collected by Franz Salay. The collecting period covers the interval comprised mostly between 1930-1950, but the oldest pieces date back around 1890-1900.. The insects are pinned, their disposition inside the boxes is original and the conservation status is generally good, considering the age of the collection. Label data contain details of locality and date,. useful in terms of historical distribution records for the investigated specimens. The Coleoptera material was used in the elaboration of i) the first Romanian Coleoptera identification key and ii) the elaboration of four of the Coleoptera fascicules of the „Fauna of Romania" monographic series, Holotypes of two Coleoptera species described by Panin are conserved. The collection catalogue is presently lost. Writing a collection catalogue (first for Coleoptera) together with cleaning of the pieces and implementation of standard conservation measures would increase the value and lifespan of the collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adult and larval evidence is given for removing the Old World subgenera Aethinodes Blackburn, Lasiodites Jelínek and Plesiothina Kirejtshuk from the North American genus Phenolia Erichson and considering each of them a separate genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New data on the distribution, biology and ecology of the longhorn beetles occurring in southern and eastern regions of Kazakhstan are presented together with a list of 78 species that were collected during two entomological expeditions conducted in May and June 2017. New localities of some rare taxa endemic to this region of Asia, such as Psilotarsus brachypterus brachypterus (Gebler, 1830), Stenocorus minutus (Gebler, 1841) and Dorcadion crassipes crassipes Ballion, 1878 are given. Exocentrus stierlini Ganglbauer, 1883 is recorded from Kazakhstan for the first time. Moreover, the occurrence of three species: Amarysius duplicatus Tsherepanov, 1980, Rhopaloscelis unifasciatus Blessig, 1873 and Saperda alberti Plavilstshikov, 1916, which were recently found in the country, is also confirmed. Furthermore, high-quality photographs of several unique taxa, i.e. Psilotarsus brachypterus pubiventris (Semenov, 1900), Xylotrechus adspersus (Gebler, 1830), X. alakolensis Karpiński & Szczepański, 2018, Anoplistes galusoi (Kostin, 1974), A. jacobsoni Baeckmann, 1904 and Oberea kostini Danilevsky, 1988 along with images of their habitats and feeding galleries are also presented. New localities of species considered serious pests or invasive, such as Turanium scabrum (Kraatz, 1882) and Trichoferus campestris (Faldermann, 1835), respectively, are also given. A new synonymy is proposed: Cerambyx scalaris Linnaeus, 1758 = Cerambyx hieroglyphicus Pallas, 1773, syn. n. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanisms of host shift in phytophagous insects are poorly understood. Among the many proposed processes involved, sexual selection via semiochemicals has recently been suggested. This hypothesizes that sexual communication using pheromones is modified as a result of development on a new host, and such plant-induced phenotypic divergence in mate recognition cues can lead to reproductive isolation between host lines. We tested this hypothesis on Acanthoscelides obtectus, an oligophagous bruchid of Phaseolus vulgaris beans worldwide, which also develops in acceptable non-hosts, such as chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). Male sex pheromone blends of the bean, chickpea and chickpea/bean host lines during artificially induced host shifts showed different composition. Bean-reared females did not distinguish between blends, whereas chickpea and chickpea/bean females preferred the chickpea male pheromone. However, electrophysiological (EAG) responses to male odour of antennae of the three female host lines were similar, all preferring bean-reared males. Egg-laying choice tests revealed a uniform preference for bean seeds across female host lines, even after multiple generations, whereas larvae did not distinguish between bean and chickpea seeds. We conclude that the development of divergent chemical signalling systems during host shifts does not facilitate the evolution of host races in A. obtectus, because oviposition preferences remain unaffected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conserving populations of environmentally vulnerable insect species requires a greater understanding of the factors that determine their abundance and distribution, which requires detailed knowledge of their population and community ecology. Chemical ecological tools such as pheromones can be used for non-destructive monitoring of scarab beetle populations, enabling European countries to detect and, in some cases, map the range of some of these species, proving a valuable technique for monitoring elusive saproxylic beetles. In this paper, we investigated the behavioural and chemical ecology of the noble chafer, Gnorimus nobilis L., a model insect species of conservation concern across a Europe-wide distribution, and a red-listed UK Biodiversity Action Plan priority species. We identified a potential pheromone of adult beetles using electrophysiological recordings, behavioural measurements and field trials in the UK. Gnorimus nobilis is highly unusual in that although both sexes produce, at high metabolic cost, the natural product 2-propyl (E)-3-hexenoate, it only attracts males. This pattern of chemical signalling makes the classification of the compound, based on current semiochemical terminology, somewhat problematic, but in our view, it should be termed an aggregation pheromone as a consequence of the production pattern. Since both sexes emit it, but apparently only males respond positively to it, 2-propyl (E)-3-hexenoate may reflect an intermediate evolutionary stage towards developing into a sex-specific signal. From an applied perspective, our study provides a model for the non-invasive surveillance of cryptic vulnerable insect species, without the need for habitat searching or disturbance, and continuous human monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise estimation time of death is one of key task of forensic entomology. Especially interesting is Coleofauna present at all stages of cadaver decomposition. The morphological identification of Coleoptera species from varying life stages to species level is time-consuming and needs highly qualified entomologists. Among different molecular methods of species identification very promising is high-resolution melting PCR. It allows fast single-tube assignment of analyzed sample to species based on amplicon melting profile. The object of this study were different specimens of Coleoptera collected at pig cadavers in Łomna (central Poland) during 2012 - 2014. Specimes were identified to species by experts of corresponding Coleoptera families. From 120 collected specimens belonging to four families and twelve species HRM-PCR correctly identified specimens belonging to three families and eight species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural ponds are rich in biodiversity, contributing greatly to regional aquatic biodiversity. Artificial reservoirs used for irrigation can be significant additional features of the landscape. They infill the local natural pondscape, and are attractors for aquatic insects. Here, we determine the extent to which artificial reservoirs represent the local natural pond biota, and how they contribute to the pondscape in conservation corridors used to mitigate the impact of plantation forestry in a global biodiversity hotspot. We did this by: 1) identifying the environmental factors, including plants, that drive dragonfly, water beetle, and water bug species richness, diversity and composition, and 2) determining the value of natural ponds vs. artificial reservoirs for maintaining the population size and expanding the area of occupancy for dragonflies, beetles and bugs in conservation corridors. While vegetation cover was central for maintaining species richness and composition of the assemblages in general, many other environmental variables are necessary to encourage the full suite of local diversity. Artificial reservoirs are attractive habitats to many species, overall increasing area of occupancy for 75% of them (ranging from 62–84% for different taxa). These reservoirs provide complementary alternative habitats to natural ponds, leading to improved ecological resilience across the pondscape. We conclude that maintaining a diverse and heterogeneous pondscape is important for conserving local aquatic insect diversity, and that artificial reservoirs increase the local area of occupancy for a range of pond insects in conservation corridors, and improve the biodiversity value of these pondscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the fast evolutionary change in Tricodes alvearius. It mentions the resemblance of insects on a variety of things like flowers, bird droppings, snakes and thorns. It highlights the unusual resemblance of beetle Tricodes alvearius and bug Graphosoma italicum to window shutters. The varying colors of the insects are also emphasized.

The new Afrotropical nemognathine genus Zoltanzonitis is described. Species herein assigned have until now been placed in the Palaeotropical genus Zonitoschema based on their elongate, filiformantennae and greatly enlarged eyes, but are distinguished by the distinctly shorter antennomere II (0.5 or less the length of III), the absence of sclerotised rings in the male ejaculatory ductus and the emarginate ventriteVinmales. Thenewgenus includes five sub-Saharan species belonging to two distinct phenetic groups. New combinations for all species are proposed as well as the following new synonymies: alluaudi, burgeoni elongaticeps var. surcoufi and posticalis = natala; elongaticeps and jansei = testaceiventris. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A taxonomic synopsis and analysis of the potential distribution of the three Cotinis species found in Colombia are presented, based on the revision of 212 specimens deposited in 20 entomological collections. Based on collection information and geo-referencing locality data, the rate of record accumulation over time and observed distribution for each species were examined. Potential distribution maps were generated following biogeographic, bioclimatic, conservation, and expert criteria. Potential distribution models were made according to the amount and degree of record spatial aggregation. Cundinamarca, Tolima, Magdalena, and Sucre are the departments with the greatest number of species occurrence data. The analysis of potential distribution showed that Cotinis columbica is restricted to Andean ecosystems, while Cotinis lebasi is showing potential distribution in humid tropical forest areas in Colombia. On the other hand, the Jackknife test indicated that available data for Cotinis barthelemyi do not provide a potential distribution model better than would be expected from chance. With the increase in comprehensive taxonomic monographs, which compile high quality collection data, this type of analysis could be implemented for other groups of Scarabaeoidea in Colombia to evaluate the temporary and spatial representativeness of sampling across different scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]