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The subgenus Hysterobolus Viereck, 1913 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Blacus) is newly recorded from China. Nine new species are proposed, B. (H.) baishanzuensis sp. nov., B. (H.) flaviceps sp. nov., B. (H.) laculaticornis sp. nov., B. (H.) longiapicalis sp. nov., B. (H.) melanoapicalis sp. nov., B. (H.) niger sp. nov., B. (H.) variegatus sp. nov., B. (H.) xui sp. nov., B. (H.) yunnanensis sp. nov., and one species, B. (H.) chabarovi Belokobylskij, 1995, is newly recorded from China. An updated key to the currently known species of the subgenus Hysterobolus in China is provided.

Blacus (Hysterobolus) melanoapicalis sp. nov. (Figs. 9–10) Material examined. Holotype: ♀, China, Zhejiang, Tianmu Mtn, Xianren Peak (30º21′N, 119º25′E), 27.VII.2011, Song Shengnan, NO. 201102181 (ZJUH). Paratypes: 49 ♀♀, China, Fujian, Wuyi Mtn, Guadun, 1.VII.1985, Huang Donghong, No. 20004198, 20003902, 20003903; 2.VII.1985, Huang Donghong, No. 20003901, 20003902, 20003903, 20003906, 20003907; 25.VII.1985, Huang Donghong, No. 20004200; Fujian, Wuyi Mtn, 20.VII.1985, Lin Naiquan, No. 968113, 968114, 968122, 968125, 968127, 968130, 968146, 968154, 968155, 968157; Fujian, Wuyi Mtn, Erliping, 2. VI.1985, Tang Yuqing, No. 20004172; Fujian, Huanggang Mtn, VI.1980, Huang Juchang, No. 20003957, 20003958, 20003959, 20004127; Zhao Jingwei, No. 20003968, 20003969, 20003971, 20003973; Zhao Xiufu, No. 20004126, 20004128; IX.1981, Huang Juchang, No. 20003960; 9. V.1982, Xu Jianfei, No. 20003780; 28.VII.1984, Huang Juchang, No. 20004129; 6.VII.1985, Chen Xinjin, No. 20004134; Liu Minghui, No. 20004132; 13.VII.1985, Huang Donghong, No. 20004096; 14.VII.1985, Huang Donghong, No. 20004097, 20004098; Tang Yuqing, No. 20004107; Zheng Geng, No. 20004102, 20004103; 1.VIII.1985, Huang Donghong, No. 20003775, 20003960, 20004092; 30.VII.1985, Chen Xinjin, No. 20004113, 20004115, 20004116, 20004118; Liu Minghui, No. 20004123; 3 ♀♀, Fujian, Fuzhou, 22.IX.1984, Wang Jiadong, No. 20004150; 8.X.1984, Wang Jiadong, No. 20004155; Jinshan Park, 16.VII.1984, Liu Changming, No. 20004217; 1 ♀, China, Zhejiang, Tianmu Mtn, 8. VI.1992, Lin Wei, No. 922874; 9 ♀♀, Zhejiang, Tianmu Mtn, Xianren Peak, 2-4. VI.1990, Lou Yonggen, No. 900905; 29.VII.1998, Zhao Mingshui, No. 993644; 30.VII.1998, Zhao Mingshui, No. 993531; 18.VIII.1999, Ma Yun, No. 997608; 25-29.VII.2011, Liu Zhen, No. 201102647; 26.VII.2011, Song Shengnan, No. 201101970; 27.VII.2011, Song Shengnan, No. 201102181; Liu Zhen, No. 201101425, 201101431 (ZJUH). Description. Female. Length of body 2.8 mm, length of fore wing 2.75 mm. Body setosity. Body with long setae, setosity on mesopleuron and propodeum denser. Head. Antennomeres 19; length of first flagellomere 1.4 × second flagellomere; length of first, second, penultimate and terminal flagellomere 4.0, 2.8, 1.45 and 2.8 × their width, respectively; length of maxillary palp 1.2 × height of head; OOL: diameter of posterior ocellus: POL = 11:4:7; frons smooth, with a shallow longitudinal groove in upper second; eyes with short setose, sparse; length of eye in dorsal view 1.2 × temple; occiput distinctly concave; face transversely rugose; temple smooth; clypeus convex, smooth, slightly punctate; width of clypeus 2.3 × its medial height; tentorial pits large, distance between pits 1.9 × distance from pit to eye; malar suture absent, length of malar space 2.75 × basal width of mandible, mandible with long setae. Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.4 × its height; side of pronotum smooth dorsally, remainder coarsely reticulate; precoxal sulcus wide, with some long striae, reaching anterior edge of mesopleuron; notauli complete, wide and crenulate, with some short transversely rugae in anterior third; mesoscutal lobes rather convex; scutellar sulcus with median carina only; scutellum reticulate, its lateral carina lamelliform; propodeal tubercles small, obtuse apically, lateral apical angle almost 90°; surface of propodeum rugulose. Wings. Fore wing: parastigma small; length of pterostigma 5.0 × its maximum width; length of vein r 1.5 × width of pterostigma; vein r arising almost from middle of pterostigma; 1-CU1:2-CU1 = 15:16. Hind wing: 1r-m:1- M = 5:7; M+CU about subequal to 1-M; 2-1A present and short, branched posteriorly. Legs. Fore leg tibial spur large and long; hind coxa coarsely rugose dorsally, with distinct dorsal carina; length of femur, tibia and basitarsus of hind leg 5.7, 9.5 and 8.0 × their width, respectively; fore tarsal claws with blackish bristles. Metasoma. Length of first tergite 1.75 × its apical width, widened apically, rugose; dorsal carinae distinct in basal 0.4; remainder of tergites smooth; length of ovipositor sheath 0.15 × length of fore wing. Colour. Reddish-brown; stemmaticum, propodeum and metasomal first tergite dark reddish-brown; palpi, labrum, mandible, tegulae, all legs yellow; clypeus yellowish-red; scapus, 5 apical flagellomeres dark brown, remainder of flagellomeres brownish; parastigma and basal of pterostigma white; side of pronotum yellowish-red, remainder reddish-brown; most mesonotum and scutellum yellowish-red, consistent with dorsal head, mesoscutum companied with reddish-brown, the reddish-brown area on middle lobe separate from each other; metasomal second tergite yellowish-brown, remainder of metasomal tergites and sternum, ovipositor and sheath, veins and pterostigma brown; all basitarsi apically brown; wing membrane slightly infuscate. Variation. Length of first tergite 1.7–1.8 × its apical width; penultimate flagellomere 1.4–1.7 × their width; length of eye in dorsal view 1.0–1.2 × temple; length of fore wing 2.4–2.8 mm; length of ovipositor sheath 0.15– 0.18 × length of fore wing; dorsally head yellowish-red to reddish-brown, similar to mesonotum, propodeum and metasomal first tergite reddish-brown to blackish, remainder of metasomal tergites and sternum brownish to dark brown; 5 (or at most 6) apical flagellomeres dark brown. Male. Unknown. Biology. Unknown. Distribution. China (Zhejiang, Fujian) Etymology. The specific name refers to the dark apical flagellomeres and is derived from “ melanos ” (Greek for black) and “ apex ” (Latin for top). Notes. The new species is similar to B. (H.) fuscitibialis van Achterberg, 1988 because the scutellum is coarsely rugose, the malar suture absent, the first metasomal tergite widened apically, and the face transversely rugose, but differs by having the precoxal sulcus with long striae (only with a few medium-sized striae in B. fuscitibialis), the hind leg brownish (hind tibia infuscated medially), fore claw with blackish bristles (brownish), length of malar space 2.75 × basal width of mandible (2.0 ×), dorsal carinae distinct in basal 0.4 of tergite (basal 0.7), and length of ovipositor sheath 0.15 × length of fore wing (0.18 ×).

Key to Chinese species of subgenus Hysterobolus Viereck 1 Vein M+CU of hind wing distinctly shorter than vein 1-M; penultimate flagellomere quadrate, about as long as wide (Fig. 6C); length of malar space 3.0 × to basal width of mandible; first metasomal tergite about 2.1 × longer than its apical width (Fig. 6F)......................................................................... B. ( H.) laculaticornis sp. nov. - Vein M+CU of hind wing about subequal to vein 1-M; penultimate flagellomere distinctly longer than wide (Fig. 8D); length of malar space at most 2.8 × basal width of mandible; first tergite usually 1.5–1.8 × longer than wide apically (Figs 2H, 4H, 8E, 10J, 12F, 16F, 18E), except in B. variegatus (Fig.14E)........................................................ 2 2 Length of vein r of fore wing almost equal to width of pterostigma; antennomeres 20; length of hind basitarsus 10.0 × its width; head yellow....................................................................... B. ( H.) flaviceps sp. nov. - Length of vein r of fore wing 1.1–1.5 × width of pterostigma; antennomeres less than 20; length of hind basitarsus 7.1–8.8 × its width; colour of head variable........................................................................... 3 3 Malar suture present................................................................................... 4 - Malar suture absent.................................................................................... 5 4 Vein 2-CU1 of fore wing 1.2 × longer than vein 1-CU1 (Fig. 18F); face largely smooth; precoxal sulcus narrow, striae very short (Fig. 18G)..................................................................... B. ( H.) yunnanensis sp. nov. - vein 2-CU1 of fore wing 2.2 × longer than vein 1-CU1(Fig. 20I); face transversely rugose; precoxal sulcus wide, striae long (Fig. 20F)............................................................ B. ( H.) chabarovi Belokobylskij, 1995 5 Hind tibia yellow or reddish-brown....................................................................... 6 - Hind tibia dark brown or blackish-brown.................................................................. 8 6 First metasomal tergite 1.5 × longer than its apical width (Fig. 8E); length of pterostigma 3.5 × its maximum width; length of terminal flagellomere 3.0 × its width; body generally black............................. B. ( H.) longiapicalis sp. nov. - First tergite 1.7–2.1 × longer than its apical width; length of pterostigma 5.0 × its maximum width; length of terminal flagellomere 2.8 × its width; body generally reddish-brown............................................................... 7 7 Length of first flagellomere 1.7 × second flagellomere; scutellum smooth medially; antennomeres 18; occiput slightly concave (Fig. 14A); hind tibia reddish-brown; 2–3 apical flagellomeres dark brown; first metasomal tergite about 2.1 × longer than its apical width (Fig. 14E)............................................................ B. ( H.) variegatus sp. nov. - Length of first flagellomere 1.4 × second flagellomere; scutellum rugose medially; antennomeres 19; occiput distinctly concave (Fig. 10A); hind tibia yellow; 5–6 apical flagellomeres dark brown; first tergite 1.7–1.8 × longer than its apical width (Fig. 10J)........................................................................ B. (H.) melanoapicalis sp. nov. 8 Fore claw of ♀ with blackish bristles (Fig. 12I); face weakly rugose (Fig. 12B); striae of precoxal sulcus medium-sized; vein 2-1A of hind wing absent (Fig. 12H)...................................................... B. ( H.) niger sp. nov. - Fore claw of ♀ with brownish bristles (Figs 2J, 16I); face coarsely rugose (Figs 2B, 16B); striae of precoxal sulcus long; vein 2-1A of hind wing present (Figs 2M, 18F).................................................................. 9 9 Terminal flagellomere 2.7–2.9 × longer than wide; first discal cell of fore wing acute (Fig. 16H); setose part of ovipositor sheath slightly longer, 0.21 × length of fore wing; mesoscutum largely dark brown to black; hind femur dark brown to blackish-brown............................................................................... B. ( H.) xui sp. nov. - Terminal flagellomere about 2.2 × longer than wide; first discal cell of fore wing truncate (Fig. 2L); setose part of ovipositor sheath slightly shorter, 0.18 × length of fore wing; mesoscutum yellowish-brown; hind femur yellow............................................................................................. B. ( H.) baishanzuensis sp. nov., Published as part of Lu, Qian-Yu, Achterberg, Cornelis Van, Tang, Pu & Chen, Xue-Xin, 2023, The discovery of the subgenus Hysterobolus Viereck, 1913 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Brachistinae, Blacini, Blacus) in China, with description of nine new species, pp. 472-498 in Zootaxa 5293 (3) on page 473, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5293.3.3, http://zenodo.org/record/7961330, {"references":["Belokobylskij, S. A. (1995) New and rare species of the genus Blacus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from the Russian Far East. European Journal of Entomology, 92 (2), 449 - 467."]}

Blacus (Hysterobolus) baishanzuensis sp. nov. (Figs. 1–2) Material examined. Holotype: ♀, China, Zhejiang, Qingyuan, Baishanzu, 18.VII.1994, Wu Hong, No. 946835 (ZJUH). Description. Female. Length of body 2.3 mm, length of fore wing 2.35 mm. Body setosity. Body with dense pubescence, pubescence on propodeum denser than on remainder. Head. Antennomeres 19; length of first flagellomere 1.6 × second flagellomere; length of first, second, penultimate and terminal flagellomere 4.75, 3.0, 1.3 and 2.2 × their width, respectively; length of maxillary palp 0.9 × height of head; OOL: diameter of posterior ocellus: POL = 11:3:5; frons smooth, with a very shallow longitudinal groove in upper half; eyes with short sparse setae; length of eye in dorsal view 1.0 × temple; occiput slightly concave; face transversely rugose; temple smooth; clypeus convex, slightly punctate, smooth; width of clypeus 3.0 × its medial height; tentorial pits large, distance between pits 2.3 × distance from pit to eye; malar suture absent, length of malar space 2.0 × basal width of mandible, mandible with setae. Mesosoma. Length of mesosoma 1.4 × its height; side of pronotum smooth dorsally, remainder coarsely reticulate; precoxal sulcus wide, with some long striae, reaching the anterior edge of mesopleuron; notauli complete, wide and crenulate; mesoscutal lobes rather convex; scutellar sulcus with distinct median carina and four weakly developed carinae; scutellum convex, reticulate, its lateral carina lamelliform, distinctly protruding apically; propodeal tubercles small, the left acute apically, the right obtuse apically, lateral apical angle slightly less than 90°; surface of propodeum rugulose. Wings. Fore wing: parastigma small; length of pterostigma 4.7 × its maximum width; length of vein r 1.3 × width of pterostigma; vein r arising slightly from apical of pterostigma; 1-CU1:2-CU1 = 11:15. Hind wing: 1r-m:1- M = 17:23; M+CU about subequal to 1-M; 2-1A present and short, branched posteriorly. Legs. Hind coxa coarsely rugose dorsally, with distinct dorsal carina; length of femur, tibia and basitarsus of hind leg 5.0, 9.2 and 7.7 × their width, respectively; fore tarsal claws with brownish bristles. Metasoma. Length of first tergite 1.8 × its apical width, widened apically, longitudinally rugose, dorsal carinae distinct in basal 0.5; remainder of tergites smooth; length of ovipositor sheath 0.18 × length of fore wing. Colour. Brown; scape, head (dorsal and frontal) dark brown, palpi, labrum, mandible, tegulae, all legs (except hind coxa and tibia, all basitarsi) yellow; flagellomeres dark brown, but medial flagellomeres yellow; parastigma and base of pterostigma white; side of pronotum and mesopleuron reddish-brown; mesoscutum yellowish-brown; propodeum and first metasomal tergite black; remainder of metasoma, ovipositor and sheath, veins and pterostigma brown; hind tibia apically dark brown; all basitarsi dark brown; wing membrane slightly infuscate. Male. Unknown. Biology. Unknown. Distribution. China (Zhejiang). Etymology. The specific name refers to the name of the collection site. Notes. The new species is similar to B. (H.) robustus Haeselbarth, 1973 because the scutellum is coarsely rugose, the malar suture absent, length of eye in dorsal view as long as temple, length of the penultimate flagellomere 1.3 × its width, and the hind tibia darkened apically, but differs by having a more setose body (sparser setose in B. robustus), the temples more narrowed behind eyes in dorsal view and also in anterior view, the notauli completely crenulate (at least partly simple), the fore claw with brownish bristles (blackish), length of the malar space 2.0 × basal width of mandible (1.7 ×), length of the first tergite 1.8 × its apical width (1.4–1.5 ×), and dorsal carinae of first tergite distinct in basal 0.5 (in basal 0.3).

In a paper about a new species of Apanteles (Microgastrinae)(Liu & Chen, 2023), we regret the omission of one author Jun-hua Chen in the second place of the author list who did great job in construction of the ZJUH collection for this study and the mistake in institution order and corresponding author. We provide the correct information below. Zhen Liu1, 2, Jun-hua He1, Xue-xin Chen1 1 Institute of Insect Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China. 2 Zoology Key Laboratory of Hunan Higher Education, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hunan University of Arts and Science, Changde 415000, China.

Introduction: Chuanxiong, a traditional Chinese medicine, has been proved to treat a variety of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases by promoting angiogenesis. However, the mechanisms of Chuanxiong’s pro-angiogenesis is currently unknown. This study aimed to uncover the effect and mechanisms of Chuanxiong promoting angiogenesis in vivo and in vitro.Methods: First, potential targets were predicted by network pharmacology analysis, and PPI network was established and the pathways were enriched. Then, the chorioallantoic membrane test on quails was applied to assess the proangiogenic effects in vivo. As well, to evaluate the effects in vitro, real-time PCR, western blot analysis, the scratch test, and the tube formation experiment were used. Subsequently, the major metabolic pathways were analyzed using non-targeted metabolomics.Results: As a result of network pharmacological analysis, 51 collective targets of Chuanxiong and angiogenesis were identified, which are mainly associated with PI3K/AKT/Ras/MAPK pathway. And the biological verification results showed that Chuanxiong could increase the vessel numbers and vessel area in qCAM models. Meanwhile, Chuanxiong contributed to HUVEC proliferation, tube formation, migration, by encouraging scratch healing rates and boosting tube branch points. In addition, the levels of VEGFR2, MAPK and PI3K were elevated compared to the control group. The western blot analysis also confirmed Chuanxiong could promote an increase in AKT, FOXO1 and Ras. Furtheremore, metabolomic results showed that the proangiogenic effect of Chuanxiong is associated with glycine, serine and threonine metabolism.Discussion: In conclusion, this study clarified that Chuanxiong could promote angiogenesis in vivo and in vitro via regulating PI3K/AKT/Ras/MAPK pathway.

Neural representation is often described by the tuning curves of individual neurons with respect to certain stimulus variables. Despite this tradition, it has become increasingly clear that neural tuning can vary substantially in accordance with a collection of internal and external factors. A challenge we are facing is the lack of appropriate methods to accurately capture the moment-to-moment tuning variability directly from the noisy neural responses. Here we introduce an unsupervised statistical approach, Poisson functional principal component analysis (Pf-PCA), which identifies different sources of systematic tuning fluctuations, moreover encompassing several current models (e.g.,multiplicative gain models) as special cases. Applying this method to neural data recorded from macaque primary visual cortex– a paradigmatic case for which the tuning curve approach has been scientifically essential– we discovered a simple relationship governing the variability of orientation tuning, which unifies different types of gain changes proposed previously. By decomposing the neural tuning variability into interpretable components, our method enables discovery of unexpected structure of the neural code, capturing the influence of the external stimulus drive and internal states simultaneously.

It is widely known that an optimal nucleotide sequence context immediately upstream of the AUG start codon greatly improves the efficiency of translation initiation of mRNA in mammalian and plant somatic cells, which in turn increases protein levels. However, it is still unclear whether a similar regulatory mechanism is also present in highly differentiated cells. Here, we surveyed this issue in Arabidopsis thaliana sperm cells and found that the sequence context-mediated regulation of translation initiation in sperm cells is generally similar to that in somatic cells. A simple motif of four adenine nucleotides at positions - 1 to - 4 greatly improved the efficiency of translation initiation, and when the motif was present there, translation was even initiated at some non-AUG codons in sperm cells. However, unlike that in mammalian cells, a mainly effective nucleotide site to regulate the efficiency of translation initiation was not present at positions - 1 to - 4 in sperm cells. Meanwhile, different from somatic cells, sperm cells did not use eukaryotic translation initiation factor 1 to regulate the efficiency in a poor context consisting of the lowest frequency nucleotides. All these results contribute to our understanding of the cytoplasmic event of translation initiation in highly differentiated sperm cells.