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Four species of Cerambycidae (Coleoptera) are recorded for the first time for Guinea: Neoplocaederus viridipennis (Hope, 1843), N. iridescens (Atkinson, 1953), N. glabricollis (Hope, 1843) and Olenecamptus triplagiatus Jordan, 1894. Habitus photographs and distribution maps of the four species are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entomopathogenic fungi (EPFs) are a significant group of insect pathogens that are used as microbial insecticides with distinct physiological mechanisms of pathogenicity. During our survey in the middle of March 2020 to early October 2022 on natural EPF as a biological control agent of the longhorn beetle (LHB) Osphranteria coerulescens, new isolates of EPFs were found on LHB larvae in apple orchards of Dargaz, Razavi Khorasan province, Iran. The nBLAST results of this these indigenous isolate indicated the highest similarity to Cladosporium sp. (Ascomycota: Davidiellaceae) with ON307222.1 access number and for EF-1α indicated the highest similarity to Cladosporium sp. with MH724951.1 access number. To assess the virulence of these indigenous isolates of EPF, a series of tests were conducted on the LHB larvae stages. Conidial concentrations 104, 105, 106, 107, and 108 (conidia/ml− 1) caused (10.21 ± 2.1), (23.44 ± 2.4), (28.72 ± 2.6), (33.23 ± 3.1) and (34.02 ± 2.8) % of mortality in LHB, respectively and there was no significant difference between 108 and 107 (conidia/ml−1) concentrations. The mortality results by the time showed that the process did not start until 3 days after treatment, and after that, it sped up. This research gathers new information about cryptic inhabiting larvae which shows considerable potential for this Cladosporium species to be implemented within the microbial control program of the LHB. This research is a new report isolating the pathogenicity of Cladosporium sp. on LHB. These fungal isolates have considerable potential for the microbiological control of the LHB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insects belong to the Arthropoda phylum and are the most numerous animal group in the world, with more than 1.000.000 species. Insects ensure the sustainability of life on earth by pollinating plants, improving soil texture by decomposing organic materials, and providing nutrients to humans. DNA isolation is a necessity for performing analyses such as Sanger sequencing, DNA fingerprinting, and gene-genome analysis. Isolated insect DNA samples can be used to carry out studies such as species identification, taxonomic relations, comparison of insect-plant and -microfauna relations, revealing genomic, population, and genetic diversity, bio-geography determination, combating agricultural pests, etc. In this study, it is aimed to compare three different isolation methods in terms of time and quality for obtaining genetic material from museum samples (old) and new samples of insects. The samples used in this investigation belong to the same insect species of Cerambycidae family (Coleoptera). Samples collected at most 9-12 months ago are considered as "new specimen", whereas "old specimens" consist samples of 7-28 years old. Three DNA isolation protocols: Phenol-Chloroform, Salting Out and DArT seq, are compared in this study. Considering quality gel images and A260/280 and A260/230 values in newly collected samples, the best results in terms of quality were obtained with the phenol-chloroform method. When A260/280 values were examined alone, DArT seq protocol appears to be the most appropriate protocol in terms of purity in both old and new insect samples. In terms of time, the Phenol-chloroform method was found to be the shortest protocol lasting for about 2 h. Accordingly, the phenol-chloroform method was deduced to be the better choice for both old and new insect samples. After concentration adjustments, the obtained DNAs can be used for the next experimental stages or stored as stock material at -20 °C. Determining the appropriate protocol to obtain high-quality DNA in a short time is important for the continuation of the studies. Our findings are important in terms of accelerating the studies for identification and determining systematic status and especially in examining the taxonomic relationships of the insect species. Using molecular taxonomy in addition to classical taxonomy allows the identification of insects on a species basis. These types of studies will generate useful information for researchers who study insect molecular biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pistachio cultivations are damaged by many pests such as beetles including several species that had a wide expansion due to climate change. We investigated the biodiversity of pistachio beetles and their parasitoids based on a barcoding approach. The trapping and rearing of insects present in pistachio branches showed the presence of seven species. These insects were identified using two molecular markers, the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and the region (D2–D3) of the 28S gene of the nuclear ribosomal RNA operon. The obtained sequences allowed the identification of five species with an identity ≥ 97%. However, for the other two species, sequence identity did not exceed 93% and consequently their identification was limited to the genus level. Our results showed that pistachio trees are attacked by four species of beetles, namely Chaetoptelius vestitus (Mulsant & Rey, 1861) (Coleoptera, Curculionidae), Carphoborus perrisi (Chapuis, 1869) (Coleoptera, Curculionidae), Phoracantha semipunctata (Fabricius, 1775) (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) and Sinoxylon sp. (Coleoptera, Bostrichidae). These beetles are parasitized by three identified species: Doryctes leucogaster (Nees, 1834) (Hymenoptera, Braconidae), Cheiropachus quadrum (Fabricius, 1787) (Hymenoptera, Pteromalidae) and Ecphylus sp. (Hymenoptera, Braconidae). This study is the first to record the species C. perrisi and D. leucogaster in Tunisia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study presents an analysis of the Coleoptera fauna in the forests of the Euro-pean Russia in 2022 and 2023, after a fire. Insects were sampled from burned plots (9) in 2010 and 2021, as well as unburned (control) plots (2), and alpha diversity was compared. After processing the material, we examined a total of 12,218 Coleoptera specimens from 38 families and identified 194 species. The families Nitidulidae, Cerambycidae, Elateridae, and Scarabaeidae were the most abundant across all plots. Cerambycidae, Elateridae, Nitidulidae, Staphylinidae, Coccinellidae, and Scarabaeidae exhibited the greatest species diversity. In total, 17 species were found on all plots. Only five species exhibited preferences for some certain plots. Maximum abundance and species diversity were observed on unburned (control) plots. The plots where fires occurred in 2010 and 2021 had the lowest total abundance values for Coleoptera. These fires destroyed almost all potential sites for beetle settlement, feeding, breeding, and shelter. Fires can significantly impact forest ecosystems. However, studies on the effects of fires on insect communities in post-fire plots in natural forests are rare. This study presents an analysis of the Coleoptera fauna in the forests of the Mordovia State Nature Reserve (European Russia) in 2022 and 2023 after a fire. Insects were sampled from burned plots (9) in 2010 and 2021, as well as unburned (control) plots (2), and alpha diversity was compared. After processing the material, we examined a total of 12,218 Coleoptera specimens from 38 families and identified 194 species. The families Nitidulidae, Cerambycidae, Elateridae, and Scarabaeidae were the most abundant across all plots. Cerambycidae, Elateridae, Nitidulidae, Staphylinidae, Coccinellidae, and Scarabaeidae exhibited the greatest species diversity. In total, 17 species were found on all plots, including Cetonia aurata, Protaetia cuprea volhyniensis, Trogoderma glabrum, Carpophilus hemipterus, Epuraea biguttata, Glischrochilus grandis, Glischrochilus hortensis, Glischrochilus quadripunctatus, Soronia grisea, Pediacus depressus, Chrysanthia geniculata, Anastrangalia reyi, Leptura quadrifasciata, Leptura thoracica, Lepturalia nigripes, Rhagium mordax, and Anisandrus dispar. Only five species exhibited preferences for certain plots. Maximum abundance and species diversity were observed on unburned (control) plots. The plots where fires occurred in 2010 and 2021 had the lowest total abundance values for Coleoptera. These fires destroyed almost all potential sites for beetle settlement, feeding, breeding, and shelter. Traps recorded a higher abundance of Coleoptera in the first year after fires compared to the second year. The Coleoptera fauna showed the greatest similarity on the control plots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pines are the most economically important trees in the world and, together with eucalyptus, they dominate commercial forests. But the success of a relatively small number of widely planted species, such as Pinus pinaster, the maritime pine, comes at a price. Pines are attractive to damaging pathogens and insect pests, including the pinewood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the causal agent of pine wilt disease (PWD). Originally described in Japan, PWD has caused widespread destruction to forests in countries such as China, Taiwan, Portugal, Spain and the United States. PWN causes irreparable damage to the vascular system of its pine hosts, leading to mortality within 3 months. Pine sawyer beetles (Monochamus spp.) are key vectors of PWD, introducing the PWN to healthy trees during feeding. Other organisms contribute to PWD spread and development, including bacteria, fungi and bark beetles. Control measures include tree felling to prevent vector transmission of PWN, insecticide treatments, trapping of Monochamus spp. and tree breeding for plant resistance. The PWN is a quarantine pathogen and subject to regular legislation and phytosanitary measures aimed at restricting movement and preventing introduction to new areas. Current research is investigating the use of biopesticides against PWN and Monochamus spp. This review examines the biology, epidemiology, impact and management of PWD through published research, grey literature and interviews with people directly involved in the management of the disease in Portugal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrating host plants in distribution modeling of phytophagous species and disentangling the effect of habitat and bioclimatic variables are key aspects to produce reliable predictions when the aim is to identify suitable areas outside species' native range. To this aim, we implemented a framework of Species Distribution Model aimed at predicting potential suitable areas of establishment for the beetle Psacothea hilaris across the world. Since habitat (including host plants) and bioclimatic variables affect species distribution according to processes acting at different geographical scales, we modeled these variables separately. For the species native range, we fitted a habitat (HSM) and a bioclimatic (BSM) suitability model calibrated on a local and a large scale, respectively; the overall suitability map was obtained as the spatial product of HSM and BSM projection maps. ROC, TSS and Cohen's Kappa obtained in validation confirmed a good predictive performance of modeling framework. Within HSM, host plants played a substantial effect on species presence probability, while among bioclimatic variables, precipitation of the warmer quarter and isothermality were the most important. Native HSM and BSM models were used to realize an overall suitability map at world scale. At global scale, many areas resulted suitable for habitat, some for bioclimate, and few for both conditions; indeed, if the species would not be able to modify its bioclimatic niche, it might not be considered a major invasive species. However, the high rate of range expansion documented for P. hilaris in Northern Italy, a poorly suitable bioclimatic area, suggests a plasticity of the species that requires increasing the level of attention to its invasive potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceresium sinicum ornaticolle Pic, 1907 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is one of the main pests of pomegranate and citrus trees. In this study, we described the complete mitochondrial genome of C. sinicum ornaticolle. The total length of the mitochondrial genome was 15,817 bp, and the entire content of GC was 27.8%. The genome encoded 2 ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs), 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), and 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs). The phylogenetic tree showed that C. sinicum ornaticolle was clustered with Allotraeus orientalis and Zoodes fulguratus. These results will provide the genetic information for understanding the genetic evolution of C. sinicum ornaticolle and the insights to control cerambycid pests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate alternative methods to control longhorn beetle (Oberea linearis) infestations in walnut orchards. Wild isolates of entomopathogenic fungi obtained from soil samples from Greece and Cyprus were tested for their efficacy against adults and larvae of O. linearis. Insect populations were acquired from a heavily infested walnut orchard and individuals were placed in Petri dishes provided with ground walnut wood for larvae and fresh leaves for adults. The tested insects were subjected to 16 different wild isolates from the genera Beauveria, Cordyceps, Metarhizium, and Purpureocillium, where 108 conidia/mL were applied by spraying, and insects were monitored daily for 16 days. The results showed that all the tested fungi resulted in a mortality rate of 66–100%, with Cordyceps fumosorosea exhibiting the highest virulence, causing complete mortality to both larvae and adults. These findings suggest that the management of O. linearis, which has traditionally relied on chemical applications, could transition to an organic approach by utilizing entomopathogenic fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Male cerambycid beetles of the large subfamilies Cerambycinae and Lamiinae produce aggregation-sex pheromones that attract both sexes. The pheromones of many species are conserved among both closely related species (e.g. congeners) and more distantly related species (e.g. different subfamilies), including those endemic to different continents. This parsimony in pheromone structures suggests that multiple species may be attracted to traps baited with blends of pheromones, and such blends are finding use in delineating geographic ranges of native species and in surveillance programs for incursions of exotic species. Here, we present the results of a field experiment conducted at multiple sites in Iowa that tested the effects of deploying ethanol lures in tandem with a 6-component blend of common pheromone components for cerambycine and lamiine species and a 5-component blend that specifically targeted lamiines. Eight cerambycine species showed significant treatment effects, most of which were attracted to the 6-component blend, and ethanol increased attraction for half of these species. Two cerambycine species were attracted only by ethanol. Seven lamiine species were attracted by the lamiine-specific blend, alone or when combined with ethanol, and 3 of these species also were attracted to the 6-component blend. Taken together, these findings provide further evidence that carefully crafted blends of pheromones can be used to monitor the presence or abundance of multiple cerambycid species. Ethanol either increased the number of beetles attracted by pheromones or had no effect, so there is no apparent downside to deploying ethanol lures in combination with pheromones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Batocera horsfieldi (Hope) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is an important pole borer pest. It causes serious harm to various hosts, particularly Juglans regia L. (Juglandaceae). In this study, headspace solid‐phase microextraction (HS‐SPME), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), and electroantennogram (EAG) responses were combined to examine the mechanism by which B. horsfieldi adults locate their host, J. regia. The results showed that J. regia contained 65 volatile compounds in all, with 36 and 42 volatile substances in bark and leaves, respectively. Moreover, terpenes accounted for the largest relative content among the volatile compounds of bark and leaves, 43.4 and 78.9%, respectively. Ten of 19 selected volatile components elicited significant EAG responses in adult B. horsfieldi, which indicated that the pest may prefer certain volatile compounds when selecting a host. Sex and volatile concentration affected the responses of B. horsfieldi. Male adults had the strongest EAG responses to 1‐octen‐3‐ol, whereas female adults had the strongest EAG responses to linalool. Host selection in B. horsfieldi was somewhat positively associated with the concentrations of the effective volatile compounds in the host. Furthermore, B. horsfieldi showed varying preferences for isomers. This work provided data support for the development of insect attractants, and laid a theoretical foundation for the ecological protection of local forestry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The beetle antennae search algorithm (BAS) is inspired by the search behavior of long-horned beetles and is widely used in optimization problems. However, in the typical BAS algorithm, there are problems such as the insufficient optimization ability of beetle individuals and the lack of consideration of historical dynamic information in the algorithm search process, resulting in sufferings from local optimum, low diversity, and imbalanced utilization, etc. To solve these problems, an improved beetle swarm antennae search algorithm based on multiple operators, dubbed MO-BSAS, is proposed. First, the elite opposition-based learning is used to initialize the beetle population, which improves the population diversity and optimization ability of the algorithm; then, the Lévy Flight strategy is used to improve the traditional beetle moving operator. In addition, a multi-operator search strategy determined by the damped sinusoidal probability factor is designed to balance the exploitation and exploration capabilities of the algorithm and speed up its convergence. The MO-BSAS algorithm is compared with BSA and 8 popular or state-of-the-art smart algorithms under 14 different benchmark functions, and the experimental results show that the MO-BSAS algorithm has a shorter convergence time and better convergence accuracy than the algorithms compared, which verifies the effectiveness of the improved algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A Bursaphelenchus species belonging to the hofmanni group (corneolus subgroup) was isolated from a small piece of larval faeces of the longhorn beetle Aeolesthes chrysothrix chrysothrix in its pupal chamber. The chamber was constructed in a dead wood section of Quercus glauca obtained from a live tree. The material was obtained during a management procedure of a garden tree to remove the dead part from live tree. The species is typologically characterised by its three-lined lateral field, the position of its secretory-excretory pore overlapping with the metacorpus anterior half, a very small spicule with distinctive broad and rounded condyles, a flattened trapezoid-shaped rostrum and small flattened cucullus, the presence of seven (P1, P2 and P3 papilliform and P5 gland) male genital papillae, a female vulva with a side flap and female tail forming an elongate conoid with a strongly ventrally curved posterior half and narrowly rounded or digitate tip. The species is typologically close to B. corneolus , sharing a small cucullus and female tail shape, but can be distinguished from the other species by the position of the secretory-excretory pore and the spicule rostrum shape. Phylogenetically, the new species forms a well-supported clade with B. corneolus , but can be distinguished by its clearly separable phylogenetic status inferred from SSU and D2-D3 LSU sequences and the difference in the ITS sequence. The new species is described as B. glaucae n. sp. Although the nematode was isolated from the larval faeces of A. c. chrysothrix , it has not been directly isolated from the insect body to date, thus, the carrier insect of the nematode has not been determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sclerodermus sichuanensis Xiao is an important natural enemy of forest boring pests. We used a two-way selection test to investigate the behavioral mechanisms used by S. sichuanensis when searching for hosts. Y-tube olfactometers and electroantennogram recordings were used to study learning by S. sichuanensis exposed continuously or discontinuously to a mixture of longhorn beetle (Anoplophora chinensis Forster) fecula and wood meal, and to mixtures of A. chinensis fecula and wood meal from different trees, either successively or simultaneously. Following exposure of 4-day-old adult S. sichuanensis to a mixture of A. chinensis fecula and wood meal for 3 d, tropism toward this odor did not improve significantly. After discontinuous exposure to a mixture of A. chinensis fecula and wood meal, adult S. sichuanensis exhibited a habitual response and its tropism to this odor decreased markedly. Five-day-old female S. sichuanensis that previously experienced a mixture of A. chinensis fecula and wood meal from two different host trees (willows, Salix sp., and oriental parasol, Platanus orientalis) or a mixture of A. chinensis fecula and wood meal (willows) during the eclosion period and were then stimulated by the mixture of A. chinensis fecula and wood meal (oriental parasol) at 4 days old exhibited a relatively strong behavioral reaction to mixed stimulation by the two types of substrate information. These observations suggest that the learning behavior of S. sichuanensis is cumulative. The parasitoid can differentiate between two kinds of chemical information experienced simultaneously and recognize the two odors when they are experienced successively. This discovery is important for elucidating the behavioral mechanisms of learning in parasitoids and for the development and application of natural enemy insects for pest control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyanopterus ninghais (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a newly discovered gregarious ectoparasitoid, is a promising biological control agent against the third‐fifth instar larvae of the Japanese pine sawyer, Monochamus alternatus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Effects of constant ambient temperatures (17, 20, 23, 26, 29 and 32°C) on the reproduction and development of the parasitoid were determined in the laboratory. Results showed that the pre‐oviposition periods of C. ninghais decreased gradually with increasing temperatures, ranging from 8.5 d (at 17°C) to 3.4 d (at 32°C). Both the parasitism rates and the number of offspring exhibited a parabolic trend in relation to increasing temperatures, with the highest parasitism rate being 80% (at 29°C) and the maximum number of offspring reaching 7.2 (at 26°C). Temperature did not significantly affect the emergence rate and sex ratio of progeny. The duration of each developmental stage was inversely correlated with temperature within the range of 20 to 32°C. The egg‐to‐adult development time was 32.3 d at 20°C and 12.5 d at 32°C. The developmental threshold temperatures for the egg, larva, pupa, and the entire generation were 8.6, 12.6, 12.8 and 12.1°C, respectively, and the effective accumulated temperatures were 34.3, 51.3, 148.9 and 240.0 Degree‐days, respectively. We concluded that temperatures in the range of 26 to 29°C are the most suitable for the development and reproduction of C. ninghais. These findings provide important information for improving the artificial rearing efficiency and field release of this parasitoid under different temperature conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xylotrechus arvicola represents a significant insect pest impacting Vitis vinifera within the principal wine-producing territories of the Iberian Peninsula. The larvae of this species bore into grapevine wood, resulting in significant structural and biomechanical deterioration to the plant. Compressive and flexural tests were conducted to assess the mechanical properties of wood affected by X. arvicola. Compressive and flexural strength exhibited a decline with the escalation of the Total Damaged Surface Area (TDSA) of the samples, ranging from 0.31% to 0.73% in trunks and from 0.04 to 0.76% in branches, irrespective of the wood moisture content (fresh and dry). The most significant reduction in resistance occurred in affected dry trunks and branches. Notably, the deflection at break for dry samples was lower compared to fresh samples (65.00 and 97.85 mm, respectively). Moreover, the deflection at break for affected fresh samples (164.37 mm) significantly surpassed that of unaffected fresh samples (72.58 mm) and affected dry samples (37.50 mm). It is noteworthy that a higher percentage of TDSA coincided with diminished wood resistance. The percentage of fungal growth symptoms observed in affected wood samples was 66.66% for dry trunks, 75.00% for fresh branches, and 60.00% for dry branches. The damage inflicted by larvae facilitated the spread of grapevine diseases via emergence of holes created by insects upon exiting the wood and through the larval galleries connected to them. This damage also altered the mechanical properties of grapevine plants, with fresh branches exhibiting the most pronounced effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xylotrechus rusticus is one of the major forest trunk borers in China, causing a significant threat to afforestation and forestry engineering construction. Controlling X. rusticus is challenging because of its hidden life habit. The use of natural enemies against X. rusticus is an important strategy for controlling Cerambycidae pests. This is the first study to investigate the effectiveness of Dastarcus helophoroides as a biological control against X. rusticus under indoor and outdoor environments. The expression patterns of CYP6BK3 and CYP6BQ13 genes in various tissues and at different development stages were analyzed to clarify their role in the development of D. helophoroides. The results showed that the parasitism rate of D. helophoroides was the higher when their eggs were released on the larvae of X. rusticus L. indoors. Furthermore, the parasitism rate of D. helophoroides was the highest (86.67%) when their eggs were released on the larvae of X. rusticus in the ratio of 1:100 (host: D. helophoroides) under artificial wood segment simulation. The average parasitism rates of D. helophoroides eggs and adults on the exposed wood segment of the Cerambycidae were 81.83% and 83.29%, respectively. Indoor release of Scleroderma guani increased their parasitic rate on the aged larvae and pupae of X. rusticus. qPCR analysis of CYP450 gene expression showed that CYP6BK3 and CYP6BQ13 genes were expressed at all development stages of D. helophoroides; however, their expression levels were higher in adults than in the larvae. Notably, CYP6BK3 expression was the highest in the adipose tissue, whereas CYP6BQ13 was the highest in the hindgut tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poplars (Populus spp.) are of significant ecological and economic importance. Long-term breeding efforts were aimed mainly at obtaining fast-growing and productive plants and less considered resistance to pests. This study aimed to identify patterns of susceptibility or resistance to Saperda carcharias (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) infestation among clones of Populus hybrids and pure species, focusing on the influence of their placement, seasonal development, stem diameter, height increment, and crossing combinations. Among 34 clones of poplar species and hybrids of Ukrainian and foreign selection, in 2019–2023 S. carcharias infested 14 clones every year. Six clones ('Ivantiivska', 'Kytaiska × pyramidalna', 'Volosystoplidna', 'Novoberlinska-3', 'Robusta', and 'Lada') were the most susceptible to the infestation by S. carcharias. The clones of all presented poplar sections and their crossing combinations, except the Tacamahaca and Leucoides cross, were infested. Greater height increment promoted the infestation by S. carcharias. Ambiguous results were obtained regarding the susceptibility of Populus hybrids compared to pure species to S. carcharias infestations. Considering infestation by S. carcharias and plant placement in the site, it can be concluded that the clones 'Sakrau45-51', 'Deltopodibna', 'Rosijska', 'Slava Ukrayiny', 'Lubenska', 'Rohanska', and 'Nocturne' are resistant to this pest. Selecting native species clones or creating mixed clone plantations could enhance the resilience of poplar plantations to pest threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present paper, the genus Mimomyagrus Breuning, 1970 is synonymized with Combe Thomson, 1864, and Mimomyagrus pfanneri Breuning, 1970 is considered a junior synonym of Combe brianus (White, 1858). The female of Arctolamia sinica Bi & Chen, 2022 is described for the first time and this species is reported as new to Myanmar. Type material of Lamia punctator Fabricius, 1776 [= Anoplophora chinensis (Forster, 1771)], Cerambyx galloprovincialis Olivier, 1800 [= Monochamus galloprovincialis (Olivier, 1800)] and Melanauster granulipennis Breuning, 1938 [= Monochamus guerryi Pic, 1903] are confirmed to be preserved in Natural History Museum, London. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New records of host plants are reported for three species of the genus Chrysobothris Eschscholtz, 1829 (Buprestidae) and four species respectively belonging to the genera Euderces LeConte, 1850, Ancylocera Audinet-Serville, 1834, Elytroleptus Dugés, 1879 and Sphaenothecus Dupont, 1838 (Cerambycidae). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anoplophora glabripennis (Asian longhorn beetle, ALB) and Anoplophora chinensis (Citrus longhorn beetle, CLB) are native forest pests in China; they have become important international quarantine pests. They are found using the same Salix aureo‐pendula host tree of Cixi, Zhejiang province, China. On this host tree, we collected additional beetles that appeared to be morphologically intermediate between ALB and CLB. By using a stereoscope, we observed that there were several bumps on the base of the elytra, which was inconsistent with ALB, which typically has a smooth elytral base, but was more like CLB, which has numerous short tubercles on the elytral base. Given their sympatry and intermediate morphology, we hypothesized that these may represent ALB × CLB hybrids. We studied the genomic profiles for 46 samples (ALB, CLB, and putative hybrids) using genotyping‐by‐sequencing (GBS) providing a reduced representation of the entire genome. Employing principal component analyses on the 163 GBS‐derived single nucleotide polymorphism data, we found putative hybrids tightly clustered with ALB, but genetically distinct from the CLB individuals. Therefore, our initial hybrid hypothesis was not supported by genomic data. Further, while mating experiments between adult ALB and CLB were successful in 4 separate years (2017, 2018, 2020, and 2021), and oviposition behavior was observed, no progeny was produced. Having employed population genomic analysis and biological hybridization experiments, we conclude that the putative hybrids represent newly discovered morphological variants within ALB. Our approach further confirmed the advantage of genome‐wide information for Anoplophora species assignment in certain ambiguous classification cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Invasive insect pests adversely impact human welfare and global ecosystems. However, no studies have compared the future invasion risk of invasive insect pests using a unified scheme. We compared the future range dynamics of 15 of the world's worst invasive insect pests. Although future range dynamics varied substantially among the 15 worst invasive insect pests, most exhibited large range expansions. The Asian tiger mosquito, cypress aphid, and Khapra beetle occurred four times in the top five largest potential ranges under most of the four climate scenarios examined. The Asian longhorned beetle, Asian tiger mosquito, and Formosan subterranean termite were predicted to have the largest range expansions. The Asian longhorned beetle, New Guinea flatworm, Formosan subterranean termite, and red imported fire ant exhibited the largest range centroid shifts. Strategies for their detection and management should be species-specific. This study furthers the understanding of how habitat changes may affect the ecology and shifts in the invasive potential of these insects. Invasive insect pests adversely impact human welfare and global ecosystems. However, no studies have used a unified scheme to compare the range dynamics of the world's worst invasive insect pests. We investigated the future range shifts of 15 of the world's worst invasive insect pests. Although future range dynamics varied substantially among the 15 worst invasive insect pests, most exhibited large range expansions. Increases in the total habitat suitability occurred in more than ca. 85% of global terrestrial regions. The relative impacts of anthropogenic disturbance and climate variables on the range dynamics depended on the species and spatial scale. Aedes albopictus, Cinara cupressi, and Trogoderma granarium occurred four times in the top five largest potential ranges under four future climate scenarios. Anoplophora glabripennis, Aedes albopictus, and Co. formosanus were predicted to have the largest range expansions. An. glabripennis, Pl. manokwari, Co. formosanus, and So. invicta showed the largest range centroid shifts. More effective strategies will be required to prevent their range expansions. Although the strategies should be species-specific, mitigating anthropogenic disturbances and climate change will be essential to preventing future invasions. This study provides critical and novel insights for developing global strategies to combat the invasions of invasive insect pests in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The Asian longhorned beetle (ALB), Anoplophora glabripennis Motschulsky, is a serious wood borer of hardwood trees in North America, Europe, and China, causing substantial economic and ecological losses. Several ALB management strategies have been applied; however, certain drawbacks have been identified with these strategies. To explore effective and environmentally sustainable management options, we investigated the biological characteristics of ALB, including the distribution of frass and emergence holes on trees and preferred branches for ALB foraging and ovipositing. The results showed that 76.31–78.88% of frass holes and 85.08–87.93% of emergence holes were located above a height of 200 cm. Adults showed a preference for feeding on branches 2–3 cm in diameter, and eggs were predominantly laid on 5 cm branches, primarily located above a height of 200 cm. These findings suggest a correlation between the number of ALBs and the height of the tree crown. To test this hypothesis, we investigated whether the number of ALBs decreased when the tree crown was removed above 200 cm (high trunk truncation, HTT). The results revealed a significant decrease in the number after the implementation of HTT. Based on our results we advocate for HTT as an effective ALB management strategy, offering valuable insights into the development of a sustainable approach to controlling the number of ALBs. The Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) causes substantial economic and ecological losses, thus, an environmentally friendly management strategy is needed. Here, we propose high trunk truncation (HTT), the removal of the above 200 cm portion of trees, as a sustainable management strategy to control ALB. To examine the hypothesis, an initial step involved the assessment of various biological characteristics of ALB. Subsequently, a controlled field experiment was carried out utilizing HTT. Finally, HTT was applied in two additional ALB infestation regions. The results of the study of the biological characteristics of ALB showed that 76.31–78.88% of frass holes and 85.08–87.93% of emergence holes were located on branches above 200 cm. Adults preferred to feed on branches 2–3 cm in diameter, ALB eggs were predominantly laid on 5 cm branches, and both were primarily located above 200 cm. These results revealed a correlation between the number of ALBs and the tree crown height. The controlled field experiment showed that the number of ALBs was significantly decreased when the HTT strategy was implemented: approximately 90% of frass holes and 95% of adults were eradicated by HTT compared with the control. Different field surveys involving HTT have shown similar results. These findings provide valuable insights into a sustainable and efficient management strategy for reducing the number of ALBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Adults of the long-horned beetle Monochamus alternatus transmit a small worm, called the pinewood nematode, which causes pine wilt disease. A beetle subspecies in Taiwan (abbreviated 'T') has two generations a year (bivoltinism) due to facultative diapause, whereas another subspecies in Japan (abbreviated 'J') has a one- or two-year life cycle due to obligate diapause. T, with two infection periods a year, will cause more severe disease epidemics if it is introduced into Japan. Inter-subspecies hybridization is expected to inhibit the expression of bivoltinism because many hybrids induce diapause. To predict the effects of introducing T into Japan, the present study investigated copulation duration and the effects of the mating order of males on egg fertilization. The results indicated that a single copulation for more than 65 s supplied sufficient sperm to fertilize a lifetime production of eggs. When T females mated with a T male, the incidence of larval diapause for offspring was 0.15 and increased to 0.31 after females remated with a J male. Consequently, the proportion of second-male sperm used by T females was estimated to be 0.20. The effects of introducing T populations into Japan on the severity of disease epidemics were also discussed. Adults of the pine sawyer Monochamus alternatus are the primary vector of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the causative agent of pine wilt disease. A sawyer subspecies in Taiwan (abbreviated 'T') has two generations a year (bivoltinism) due to facultative diapause, whereas another subspecies in Japan (abbreviated 'J') has a one- or two-year life cycle due to obligate diapause. T, with two infection periods a year, will cause more severe disease epidemics than J if it is introduced into Japan. Inter-subspecies hybridization may inhibit the expression of bivoltinism because many F1 hybrids induce diapause. To predict the effects of introducing T into Japan, the present study investigated copulation duration and late-male sperm precedence to fertilize eggs. The results indicated that a single copulation for more than 65 s supplied sufficient sperm to fertilize a lifetime production of eggs. The incidence of larval diapause was 0.15 for the offspring of T females that mated with a T male and increased to 0.292–0.333 after remating with a J male, while the incidence of larval diapause was 0.900–1.000 for hybrids from T females mated with a J male. Consequently, the estimated proportion of second-male sperm used by T females was 0.185–0.217. The effects of introducing T populations into Japan on the severity of disease epidemics were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One new genus and three new species of Lamiinae are described from Bolivia: Leptocometes wappesi sp. nov. (Acanthocinini); Pentheochaetes pulcherrima sp. nov. (Acanthocinini); and Guarayo phantasmaticus, gen. nov., sp. nov. (Parmenini). The female of Periestola raphaeli is illustrated for the first time, and the differences compared with the male are reported. Estola basiflava is synonymized with Estola densepunctata. The alternative of couplet '36' from the key to South American genera of Acanthocinini with erect setae on elytral surface is modified. The species group name of three Lamiinae is corrected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bioluminescence system of luminescent beetles has extensive applications in biological imaging, protein labeling and drug screening. To explore wild luciferases with excellent catalytic activity and thermal stability, we cloned the luciferase of Pygoluciola qingyu, one species living in areas of high temperature and with strong bioluminescence, by combining transcriptomic sequencing and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The total length of luciferase gene is 1638 bp and the luciferase consists 544 amino acids. The recombinant P. qingyu luciferase was produced in vitro and its characteristics were compared with those of eight luciferases from China firefly species and two commercial luciferases. Compared with these luciferases, the P. qingyu luciferase shows the highest luminescence activity at room temperature (about 25–28 ℃) with similar KM value for d-luciferin and ATP to the Photinus pyralis luciferase. The P. qingyu luciferase activity was highest at 35 ℃ and can keep high activity at 30–40 ℃, which suggests the potential of P. qingyu luciferase for in vivo and cell application. Our results provide new insights into P. qingyu luciferase and give a new resource for the application of luciferases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pheromones play an important role in mate choice in insects, and pheromone synthesis pathways are potential targets for the control of harmful insects, among which desaturation is of great significance in pheromone structural diversity. However, little is known about the desaturase genes regulating pheromone synthesis in Coleoptera. In this study, taking the internationally significant pest Anoplophora glabripennis as a research object, we identified 6 AglaFAD genes, all of which were mapped to the endoplasmic reticulum and shared a highly similar distribution of conserved domains. A phylogenetic analysis showed that AglaFAD1–2 and AglaFAD3–6 exerted desaturation at different positions of the acyl chain, respectively. In regard to the expression levels of these six AglaFADs in both sexes, six tissues and three developmental stages were analyzed by qPCR. Combined with the chemical composition of the female pheromones that have been identified, two candidate genes, AglaFAD2 and AglaFAD5, which are specifically expressed in females, were screened, showing higher expression levels before mating and significantly decreasing after mating. It is speculated that they may be involved in the biosynthesis of contact pheromones in females. These results provide a basis for detailed functional studies of candidate genes in insect pheromone synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on our own field data and using modeling of modern potential ranges (in the MaxEnt program), an assessment of the spatial distribution of the rare representative of the longhorn beetle family, Callipogon (Eoxenus) relictus Semenov 1899, was conducted in northeast Asia (220 geographic locations). The generated maps of the potential range of C. relictus demonstrate a high likelihood of the species' presence in the upland areas of southern far east Russia, the provinces of northeastern China, and the Korean Peninsula. Field data also indicate the extensive association of the species with undisturbed broadleaf and coniferous–broadleaf forests in northeast Asia. Maps of the potential distribution of C. relictus in northeast Asia have been compiled based on four climate change scenarios from the present time to 2070. Under all of the climate scenarios used, it is shown that suitable habitats for the species will persist in certain areas of Primorsky Krai, as well as neighboring provinces of the People's Republic of China and a small enclave on the Korean Peninsula in Gangwon-do province. Significant reduction in suitable conditions for the rare longhorn beetle will occur in the rest of its distribution range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tetraopes longhorn beetles are known for their resistance to milkweed plant toxins and their coevolutionary dynamics with milkweed plants (Asclepias). This association is considered a textbook example of coevolution, in which each species of Tetraopes is specialized to feed on one or a few species of Asclepias. A major challenge to investigating coevolutionary hypotheses and conducting molecular ecology studies lies in the limited understanding of the evolutionary history and biogeographical patterns of Tetraopes. By integrating genomic, morphological, paleontological, and geographical data, we present a robust phylogeny of Tetraopes and their relatives, using three inference methods with varying subsets of data, encompassing 2–12 thousand UCE loci. We elucidate the diversification patterns of Tetraopes species across major biogeographical regions and their colonization of the American continent. Our findings suggest that the genus originated in Central America approximately 21 million years ago during the Miocene and diversified from the Mid-Miocene to the Pleistocene. These events coincided with intense geological activity in Central America. Additionally, independent colonization events in North America occurred from the Late Miocene to the early Pleistocene, potentially contributing to the early diversification of the group. Our data suggest that a common ancestor of Tetraopini migrated into North America, likely facilitated by North Atlantic land bridges, while closely related tribes diverged in Asia and Europe during the Paleocene. Establishing a robust and densely sampled phylogeny of Tetraopes beetles provides a foundation for investigating micro- and macroevolutionary phenomena, including clinal variation, coevolution, and detoxification mechanisms in this ecologically important group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Japanese sawyer beetle, Monochamus alternatus, is not only one of the most important wood boring pest itself, but also a major vector of the invasive pinewood nematode (PWN), which is the causal agent of the devastative pine wilt disease (PWD) and threats the global pine forest. Here, we present a near-complete genome of M. alternatus at the chromosome level. The assembled genome was 792.05 Mb with contig N50 length of 55.99 Mb, which is the largest N50 size among the sequenced Coleoptera insects currently. 99.57% of sequence was anchored onto ten pseudochromosomes (one X-chromosome and nine autosomes), and the final genome harbored only 13 gaps. BUSCO evaluation revealed the presence of 99.0% of complete core genes. Thus, our genome assembly represented the highest-contiguity genome assembly as well as high completeness in insects so far. We identified 20,471 protein-coding genes, of which 20,070 (98.04%) were functionally annotated. The genome assembly of M. alternatus provides a valuable resource for exploring the evolution of the symbiosis between PWN and the vector insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbivorous insects frequently exhibit sexual dimorphism in body size and a variety of other traits. Such differences often lead to distinct behaviors, which may present themselves in insect responses to conspecifics, plant defenses, and feeding. Based on a previous study of a congeneric species, we hypothesized that sexual dimorphism may yield differences in how the host-specific red milkweed beetle Tetraopes tetrophthalmus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) deactivates milkweed defenses, a behavior in which beetles cut latex-delivering veins prior to feeding. We also predicted that beetles would display differences in their subsequent feeding patterns and attraction of conspecifics. Although beetles were size dimorphic (females were larger than males), we did not find consistent differences in the rates of vein cutting or initiation of feeding between males and females. Females did, however, cut more milkweed veins per leaf, and attracted more conspecifics than males. Sex differences in size and other traits were thus associated with differential attraction, but not strongly associated with the overall deactivation of plant defense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The red-necked longhorn beetle, Aromia bungii, is an invasive wood-boring insect that has recently invaded Europe and Japan, seriously damaging stone fruit trees in both native and invaded regions. Rose oxide, including both cis- and trans-isomers, was previously found in the volatiles produced by A. bungii adults, while the inter- and intra-specific behavioral functions of this compound remain unclear. By manually shaking the beetles, a much greater amount of rose oxide was released from the beetles, compared to that released from nondisturbed beetles. Rose oxide was further determined to be original from a white-colored secretion which was immediately sprayed by the beetles that were hand captured or squeezed by tweezers. These findings indicate that this pungent compound putatively has a role as an allomone component released from the defensive secretion by A. bungii adults when threatened, which may be an adaptive defensive strategy against the predation of natural enemies such as insectivorous birds. Y-tube olfactory assays revealed that rose oxide, at a high concentration, was significantly repellent to both sexes of A. bungii adults, suggesting that rose oxide may also have a function in the intraspecific communication of A. bungii. Considering the low price of the commercially available products, this repellent effect of rose oxide may facilitate the development of novel control strategies, such as push–pull strategy, for A. bungii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Our study investigated how different environmental factors influence the diversity and behaviour of wood-boring longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) in Yunnan, China's tropical rainforests and temperate forests. Yunnan is notable for its diverse plant species and varying landscapes. We conducted detailed surveys of beetle and plant populations across several forest plots, using various analytical methods, such as diversity comparisons and distance-decay relationships. We found a marked difference in beetle populations between the two forest types. The tropical rainforests were rich in beetle and tree species, with 212 Cerambycidae and 135 tree species identified. In contrast, the temperate forests had a much smaller population, with only 16 Cerambycidae and 18 tree species. This variation was mainly due to differences in environmental conditions and beetle movement limitations. The varied environment of temperate forests resulted in fewer beetle species and weaker interactions with plants, while the more consistent tropical rainforests supported a greater variety of beetles and stronger plant–beetle relationships. Our research highlights the significant impact of environmental factors, such as habitat variability and movement constraints, on the diversity and ecological interactions of Cerambycidae beetles. These findings are crucial for understanding and managing forest biodiversity, particularly in varying climatic zones. (1) Background: Understanding the relationship between community assembly and species coexistence is key to understanding ecosystem diversity. Despite the importance of wood-boring longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae) in forests, factors affecting their population dynamics, species richness, and ecological interactions remain underexplored. (2) Methods: We surveyed cerambycid beetles and plants within five plots each across three transects in tropical rainforests and temperate forests of Yunnan, China, known for its rich biodiversity and varied elevation gradients. We explored a range of analytical tools, including α-diversity comparisons, distance-decay relationships, redundancy analysis, β-dissimilarity metrics, and various neutral community model analyses. (3) Results: The results revealed a stark contrast between the two forest types: the tropical rainforests hosted 212 Cerambycidae and 135 tree species, whereas the temperate forests had only 16 Cerambycidae and 18 tree species. This disparity was attributed to differences in environmental heterogeneity and dispersal limitations. In temperate forests, pronounced environmental variability leads to steeper distance-decay relationships and reduced α-diversity of Cerambycidae, implying stronger dispersal constraints and weaker plant–beetle associations. Conversely, the more homogenous tropical rainforests exhibited stochastic processes that enhanced Cerambycidae diversity and plant–beetle interactions. (4) Conclusions: Our findings underscore that environmental heterogeneity, dispersal limitations, and host-specificity are pivotal in shaping biodiversity patterns in Cerambycidae, with significant variations across climatic zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infestations of pests are perhaps an anthropogenic catastrophe for trees. Aeolesthes sarta (Sart longhorned beetle—SLB) is one of the most severe pests that cause serious damage to a number of hardwood tree species, i.e., Populus, Salix, Acer, Juglans, and Malus. To investigate people's attitudes towards pest damage cost and future control extent of SLB, a door-to-door method was adopted to survey two major cities (Quetta—QU and Peshawar—PE) of the northwestern region of Pakistan where this pest has caused severe damage. Respondents were asked about SLB pest knowledge, pest damage costs, preferences for control choices, and program extent. According to respondents, more trees (181 ± 1.20 trees/ha/annum) were damaged in QU compared to PE. Populus spp. was the dominant tree genre that attacked and damaged the most. Around 85% of respondents from both cities stated the pest damage cost was calculated as high for QU (480,840.80 ± 4716.94$/annum) compared to PE. Respondents in both locations strongly supported (more than 82%) biological control of future SLB outbreaks. They all agreed that protecting ecologically vulnerable places and wildlife habitats should be the primary priority in a future SLB outbreak. Respondents from both cities who preferred to protect more land area in future SLB outbreaks were calculated to be high for QU (61%) compared to PE (58%). However, city variations in opinions regarding forest-type priority that should be protected and control options were observed. Socio-demographic characteristics were discovered to impact pest damage cost positively, as well as preferred SLB control extent. The findings of this study can help policymakers and forest managers develop publicly permissible pest control plans and make more accurate predictions about future pest outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several fossil beetles from the Late Pliocene (Piacenzian) of Willershausen (Lower Saxony, Germany) previously identified as Tenebrionidae and Staphylinidae are reviewed. One species, formerly determined as "Staphylinoidea" is identified as Euboeus mimonti Boieldieu, 1865 (Tenebrionidae: Helopini). This species is the oldest record of an extant species of darkling beetles, which occurs now in the Balkans and Anatolia. The discovery of Euboeus mimonti in the Late Pliocene of Germany indicates that the range of this species was much wider, and the climate in the Late Pliocene in the modern territory of Lower Saxony was much milder. One species formerly determined as "Alleculidae gen. sp." belongs to the subfamily Alleculinae (Tenebrionidae) and it is identified here as Pseudocistela aff. ceramboides. Two species, misidentified by a previous author as Tenebrionidae belong to Elateridae and Cerambycidae respectively. Generic and species composition, as well as the ratio of extinct and extant beetle taxa in the Willershausen Fossil Lagerstätte are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RESUMO Este trabalho teve por base uma revisão de literatura e observações pessoais dos autores, contendo uma breve descrição sobre danos, controle, inimigos naturais e distribuição geográfica de Oncideres saga que ocorre em algumas espécies botânicas utilizadas na arborização do campus da Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, em Seropédica, RJ.

The long-horned beetle, Trichoferus fissitarsis Sama, Fallahzadeh, and Rapuzzi 2005, is one of the most dangerous pests on fig trees, Ficus carica, in the Kurdistan Region- Iraq. In the current study, this species had been genetically reported in GenBank for the first time. However, it was recorded in Cerambycidae checklists from Iraq by its synonym Hesperophanes sericeus (Fab., 1787). Hereby, for the misidentification of this species and to solve the problem of identification, the molecular technique based on the mitochondrial partial gene mt COXI was exposed, and via this technique, and based on the COXI nucleotide sequence, the phylogenetic analysis was constructed for illuminating the species group, and their relations with other recorded species which belonged to the tribe Hesperophanini Mulsant, 1839. Also, the taxonomic status of this species has been discussed. Meanwhile, some illustrated evidence on the damage signs, host plants and morphological characteristics were constructed, described and illustrated clearly.

In this study, Chlorophorus herbstii (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) was reported for the first time for Greek fauna. Another longhorn beetle, Xylosteus bartoni, has been found in two new localities in the country.

Anthropogenic activities like trade facilitate increasing rates of biological invasions. Asian long-horned beetle (ALB), which is naturally distributed in eastern Asia (China, Korean peninsula), was introduced via wood packing materials (WPM) used in trade to North America (1996) and Europe (2001). We used 7810 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) derived by a genotype-by-sequencing (GBS) approach to decipher the introduction patterns into Europe. This is applied for the first time on European ALB outbreaks from Germany, Switzerland, and Italy, both from still active and already eradicated infestations. The genome-wide SNPs detected signs of small and highly structured populations within Europe, showing clear founder effects. The very high population differentiation is presumably derived from multiple independent introductions to Europe, which are spatially restricted in mating. By admixture and phylogenetic analyses, some cases of secondary dispersal were observed. Furthermore, some populations suggest admixture, which might have been originated by either multiple introductions from different sources into the new sites or recurrent introductions from an admixed source population. Our results confirmed a complex invasion history of the ALB into Europe and the usability of GBS obtained SNPs in invasion science even without source populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A taxonomic revision and redescription of the genus Eurymesosa Breuning, 1938 are presented, including a key to species. Three of the five currently accepted species are considered valid: Eurymesosa ventralis (Pascoe, 1865), Eurymesosa allapsa (Pascoe, 1866) and Eurymesosa ziranzhiyi Yamasako & Lin, 2016. Three junior synonyms are proposed for E. ventralis: Eurymesosa albostictica Breuning, 1962, syn. nov., Eurymesosa affinis Breuning, 1970, syn. nov., and Eurymesosa multinigromaculata Breuning, 1974, syn. nov. Additionally, E. allapsa (Pascoe, 1866) is resurrected from synonyms of E. ventralis. Females of E. allapsa and E. ziranzhiyi Yamasako & Lin, 2016 are described for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The legs of insects play an important role in their daily behaviour, especially reproduction. Entomologists have performed much research on the role of the leg in different behaviours of beetles, an important group in the insect family, but relatively little has been done to study the ultrastructure and transcriptome of their legs. Hence, we systematically studied the ultrastructure and gene expression of the leg of G. cantor, a polygynous beetle, and compared its male and female diversity. In this study, we found the fore-leg, mid-leg and hind-leg of the female were significantly longer than those of the male. From the perspective of intuitive structural differences, we also compared the ultrastructures of the adhesion structure (tarsal) of males and females. The tarsal functional structure of the adult leg mainly includes sensilla and an adhesion structure. The sensilla on the tarsal joint mainly include sensilla chaetica (SCh II, SCh III) and sensilla trichodea (ST II). The adhesion structure includes disc-shaped bristles (di), lanceolate bristles (la), serrated bristles (se), spatula-shaped bristles (spl) and mushroom-shaped bristles (mus). Although there was no significant difference in sensillum distribution or type between males and females, there were significant differences in the distribution and species of adhesion structures between the fore-leg, mid-leg, and hind-leg of the same sex and between males and females. Therefore, different adhesion structures play different roles in various behaviours of beetles. On the other hand, the transcriptome results of male and female legs were screened for a subset of olfaction- and mechanics-related genes. We discovered that the male leg showed upregulation of 1 odorant binding protein (OBP), 2 Olfactory receptors (ORs) and 2 Chemosensory proteins (CSPs). Meanwhile, the female leg showed upregulation of 3 OBPs, 1 OR, 1 Gustatory receptor (GR) and 3 Mechanosensitive proteins (MSPs). An in-depth examination of the ultrastructure and molecular composition of the legs can elucidate its function in the reproductive behavior of G. cantor. Moremore, this investigation will serve as a cornerstone for subsequent research into the underlying behavioral mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces Bityle oriens sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Apomecynini) from Boston, Province of Davao Oriental, Philippines. A catalog of the known species of the genus Bityle is also presented. Coleoptera expeditions need to be undertaken to discover more novel species, especially in the understudied islands of the Philippine archipelago. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecological interactions of biota with natural ecosystems are still poorly understood. In Subtropical Dry forests, several stingless bees utilize cavities within trees for nesting. Due to their lack of morphological traits for creating these cavities, bees rely on other mechanisms to access and utilize hollow spaces. In the Argentinian Dry Chaco region, we set two main objectives: (1) Determine the richness of cavity-nesting bees and describe the characteristics of trees selected as substrates, and (2) identify the mechanisms employed by stingless bees in selecting trees with hollows. Observational records were used to identify bee-nesting sites, while standard vegetation inventory was conducted to assess preference. Structural equation models were employed to establish the selection mechanisms of tree species for nesting. We found 139 nests belonging to three species: Plebeia catamarcensis (n = 118), Plebeia molesta (n = 14), and Lestrimelitta (L.) chacoana (n = 2). Stingless bees, particularly smaller species like P. catamarcensis, specifically select Neltuma trees for nest installation. This preference is attributed to the presence of galleries and hollows within the heartwood, created by the larvae of Criodion angustatum beetle. Although the larval action may harm the mechanical structure of the trees and hasten their demise, it simultaneously creates suitable hollow spaces for the establishment of bee colonies. Further investigations into these species interactions within the forest are necessary to enhance management practices in this threatened ecosystem, recognizing the important ecological role of Neltuma genus as crucial for ensuring the availability of nesting substrates for these native stingless bees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lamiinae (Cerambycidae, Coleoptera) is a striking subfamily due to its members' economic importance and role in the forest ecosystem. Morphological diversity, worldwide distribution and species richness complicate its already intricate phylogenetic relationships. We implemented Maximum Likelihood (ML) and time-scaled Bayesian Inference (BI) analyses to the species from East of Marmara Basin, Türkiye, from the tribes Acanthocinini, Acanthoderini, Agapanthiini, Batocerini, Dorcadionini, Lamiini, Mesosini, Monochamini, Phytoeciini, Phrynetini, Pogonocherini (including Exocentrini) and Saperdini using partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase-I (COI) and 16S rRNA and nuclear 28S rRNA gene regions (2257 base pair alignment length) and Neighbor-Joining (NJ) and ML analysis to the global COI gene region dataset (658 bp). The most recent common ancestor (MRCA) of Lamiinae members included in the analyses was dated ~ 127 million years ago (Mya) in the Cretaceous. The MRCA of Dorcadionini, Lamiini and Monochamini was younger than the common ancestors of the other close tribes. There was a concurrence between resolutions of ML and BI on the affiliations of Dorcadionini and Monochamini to Lamiini and the proximity of Batocerini to Lamiini, Acanthocinini to Acanthoderini, Phrynetini to Pogonocherini, and Phytoeciini to Saperdini. The COI-based NJ and ML gene trees suggest that the closest relatives of most of the sampled Lamiinae species from the East of Marmara Basin were the European conspecifics or congeners. Our results support Dorcadionini and Monochamini as synonyms of Lamiini; and Phytoeciini of Saperdini. Also, they suggest that the emergence of the living tribes included in this study was during the Paleogene, and their intrageneric diversifications occurred during the Cenozoic, mostly the Neogene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of a long-term project on unraveling the use of pheromones in the large beetle family Cerambycidae, field trials were conducted with generic blends of known cerambycid pheromones at a desert site in southern California. In the first year of testing (2022), the species Eustromula valida (LeConte) (subfamily Cerambycinae, tribe Elaphidiini) and Aethecerinus latecinctus (Horn) (Cerambycinae, Trachyderini) were weakly attracted to one of the lure blends. In follow-up trials in 2023, only E. valida were caught, and collection of volatiles from both sexes of E. valida determined that males sex-specifically produced 3-methylthiopropan-1-ol (methionol), a compound that was not in the tested lure blends. Beetles of both sexes were strongly and specifically attracted to this compound in field bioassays, verifying that it is an aggregation-sex pheromone. No sympatric species were attracted to methionol while it was deployed in the field. Several recent studies have identified methionol as a pheromone component for other cerambycid species in both North and South America, suggesting it may represent another common pheromone component within the Cerambycidae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]