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We thank the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board (permit No. CN44-30-4229), the Cape Research Centre (South African National Parks, CRC/2019-2020/012-2012/V1) and Grootbos Private Nature reserve for authorization to collect specimens in the Western Cape province of South Africa.; International audience; The Cape Floristic Region in the Republic of South Africa is a well-recognized hotspot of biodiversity. Although this region is mostly known for its high level of plant diversity and endemicity, it also hosts an understudied and likely diverse arthropod fauna. Here we investigate the evolutionary history and timing of diversification of the apterous weevil genus Phlyctinus (Curculionidae: Entiminae), which is endemic to the coastal area and adjacent mountain ranges of the Cape floristic region and generally associated with sunflower plants (Asteraceae). We use a diverse array of molecular analyses (phylogenetic inference, molecular species delimitation and dating analyses) to analyse a novel molecular dataset of 202 weevil specimens (including 170 Phlyctinus sampled in 60 sites), and sequenced for two mitochondrial and four nuclear gene fragments. Phylogenetic and dating analyses indicate that the genus started diversifying in the late Miocene, with contrasting diversification dynamics for the three inferred clades, which present disjunct distributions. Host plant records and the lack of relatedness of species living in sympatry indicate that the diversification of Phlyctinus was predominantly driven by allopatric (geographic) speciation. We hypothesize that the interplay between topography and recurring cycles of coastline-habitat fragmentation resulting from sea level oscillations spurred the diversification of the most speciose clade, whereas in the two remaining clades populations likely remained connected thus hampering allopatric speciation. Interestingly, this pattern echoes with the role of sea level oscillations as an important driver of the radiation of several lineages in the coastline ecosystems of the Cape Floristic Region.

Weevils from the tribe Derelomini (Curculionidae: Curculioninae) are specialized brood pollinators engaged in mutualistic relationships with several angiosperm lineages. In brood pollination systems, reproductive plant tissues are used for the development of insect larval stages, whereas adult insects pollinate their plant hosts as a reward. The evolutionary history of derelomines in relationship to their hosts is poorly understood and potentially contrasts with other brood pollination systems, wherein a pollinator lineage is usually associated with a single host plant family. In the case of Afrotropical Derelomini, host records indicate a diverse host repertoire consisting of several families of monocot and dicot plants. In this study, we investigate their phylogenetic relationships, timing of diversification and evolution of host use. Our results suggest that derelomine lineages started their diversification ~40 Mya. Reconstructions of host use evolution support an ancestral association with the monocotyledonous palm family (Arecaceae), followed by several shifts towards other plant families in Afrotropical lineages, especially to dicotyledonous plants from the family Ebenaceae (on the genus Euclea L.). Some level of phylogenetic conservatism of host use is recovered for the lineages associated with either palms or Euclea. Multiple instances of sympatric weevil assemblages on the same plant are also unravelled, corresponding to either single or independent colonization events. Overall, the diversity of hosts colonized and the frequency of sympatric assemblages highlighted in non-obligatory plant–derelomine brood pollination systems contrast with what is generally expected from plant–insect brood pollination systems.

Newly generated sequences were deposited in GenBank, and are registered with the following accession numbers: OQ581997–OQ582070(cob), OQ603605–OQ603608(18S), OQ606012–OQ606168(cox1), OQ624960–OQ625111(rrnL), OQ625113–OQ625252(rrnS) and OQ625254–OQ625279(28S) (see Table S2 for details).This study is dedicated to Dr. André Prost, who passed away on February 3, 2023. André Prost was a well-recognized Neuroptera specialist (former secretary of the International Association of Neuropterology), with a special interest for the West African fauna.Merwyn W.Mansell gratefully acknowledges the following organizations and people who contributed to research on antlion diversity in SouthernAfrica: Oppenheimer Generations Research and Conservation, the Tswalu Foundation, and Nicky, Jonathan and Strilli Oppenheimer ,who have actively encouraged and permitted Neuroptera research in their private reserves, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve and Rooipoort; Duncan MacFadyen (Oppenheimer Generations, Head Research and Con-servation), Dylan Smith (Tswalu Kalahari Reserve), who facilitated ourvisits and provided key specimens. Also, (i) the National Parks Boardof South Africa is acknowledged for permits enabling Neuroptera research in the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park (now Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park), the Kruger National Park and Karoo National Park,and the staff of these parks who enabled the visits and provided valuable material: (L.E.O. Braack, A. Braack, H. Braack; Dr S. Joubert), (C.E.O., Kruger Park); (ii) Northern Cape Nature Conservation is thanked for providing permits for the northern Cape region; (iii) the KwaZulu-Natal Parks are acknowledged for permission to work on their reserves. Dr M.K. Seely, Director of the Namib Desert Research Station at Gobabeb is thanked for providing facilities and much scientifico-operation over the years; (iv) the Directorate of Nature Conservation and Recreational Resorts of Namibia are acknowledged for use offacilities at Gobabeb and permission to work in the Namib/NaukluftPark, many years ago. Professor Clarke H. Scholtz (University of Pretoria) is especially thanked for organizing many of the field trips thatprocured important material. Merwyn W. Mansell also gratefullyacknowledges the following people especially, for providing crucial specimens: J.B. Ball (University of Pretoria), A.K. (Tony) Brinkman, A.J.Gardiner, H. de Klerk, P. Hawkes, D.M. Kroon, W. Jubber, A.P. Marais,R.W. Mansell, L.R. Minter, R.G. Oberprieler, H.S Staude, R.D. Stephenand those mentioned in Mansell and Oswald (2023). The JRS Biodiversity Foundation and GBIF are sincerely thanked for funding M.W.Mansell’s Southern African Lacewing project, especially the development of the “Palpares Relational Database” designed by Brian Kenyon,which underpinned the accumulation and collation of much data usedin this presentation, for which he is gratefully acknowledged. Whileworking at icipe (African Insect Science for Food and Health), B. Le Rubenefited from research and collect permits delivered by the KenyaPlant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) (B. Le Ru thanks A. Kibe,B. Musyoka, L. Ngala, G. Okuku and G. Ong’amo) and the Plant Pro-tection Division of the Ministry of Agriculture of Botswana (B. Le Ru EVOLUTION AND SYSTEMATICS OF PALPARINE ANTLIONS thanks C. Nyakumondiwa, R. Mutamisha and E. Moeng). Bruno Michel also thanks the following people for providing several interesting specimens: B.F. Jacobs (Southern Methodist University, USA), M.Martinez (INRAE) and J.-Y. Rasplus (INRAE). We gratefully acknowledge the late A. Prost for communicating important information on the genusNosa. We are also indebted to the following persons whogave us permission to use pictures they took: S. Akame, T. Cardenos,H. de Klerk, G. Kunz, D. Robertson, H. Robertson, H. Roland, W.Roland and A.T. Schoeman. Laboratory facilities were provided by CBGP in France. We are grateful to the Genotoul bioinformatics platform Toulouse Occitanie (Bioinfo Genotoul, https://doi.org/10.15454/1.5572369328961167E12) for providing help and/or computing and/or storage resources.; International audience; Palparine and palparidiine antlions constitute an emblematic clade of large and occasionally colourful insects that are only distributed in the western portion of the Eastern hemisphere, with about half of the known species diversity occurring exclusively in Southern Africa. Little is known about their evolutionary history, and the boundaries and relationships of most genera are still unresolved. In this study, we analyse a molecular dataset consisting of seven loci (five mitochondrial and two nuclear genes) for 144 antlion species and provide the first phylogenetic hypothesis for a representative sampling of Palparini and Palparidiini (62 Palparini species, representing 15 of the 17 known genera, and all three known Palparidiini species). In addition, we reconstruct their timing of diversification and historical biogeography. The resulting tree indicates that several extant palparine genera are polyphyletic or paraphyletic and provides interesting leads that ought to be helpful for future taxonomic revisions; it also enables us to re-evaluate the taxonomic utility and relevancy of a number of morphological characters that were previously used to define some genera. Molecular dating analyses indicate that the most recent common ancestor of both groups originated about 92 million years ago (Ma) in the Late Cretaceous. Finally, the results of historical biogeography analyses provide strong support for an origin in Southern Africa, which further acted as both a cradle of diversification and a springboard for successive waves of northern dispersals.

The resequencing dataset generated during the current study is available in the NCBI SRA (Accession Number: PRJNA639295).Computer programming scripts used in this study are available on GitHub (https://github.com/kiwoong-nam/FAW_invasion).; International audience; The fall armyworm (FAW; S podoptera frugiperda ) is one of the major agricultural pest insects. FAW is native to the Americas, and its invasion was first reported in West Africa in 2016. Then it quickly spread through Africa, Asia, and Oceania, becoming one of the main threats to corn production. We analyzed whole genome sequences of 177 FAW individuals from 12 locations on four continents to infer evolutionary processes of invasion. Principal component analysis from the TPI gene and whole genome sequences shows that invasive FAW populations originated from the corn strain. Ancestry coefficient and phylogenetic analyses from the nuclear genome indicate that invasive populations are derived from a single ancestry, distinct from native populations, while the mitochondrial phylogenetic tree supports the hypothesis of multiple introductions. Adaptive evolution specific to invasive populations was observed in detoxification, chemosensory, and digestion genes. We concluded that extant invasive FAW populations originated from the corn strain with potential contributions of adaptive evolution.

Background Divergent selection on host-plants is one of the main evolutionary forces driving ecological speciation in phytophagous insects. The ecological speciation might be challenging in the presence of gene flow and assortative mating because the direction of divergence is not necessarily the same between ecological selection (through host-plant adaptation) and assortative mating. The fall armyworm (FAW), a major lepidopteran pest species, is composed of two sympatric strains, corn and rice strains, named after two of their preferred host-plants. These two strains have been hypothesized to undergo incipient speciation, based on (i) several lines of evidence encompassing both pre- and post-zygotic reproductive isolation, and (ii) the presence of a substantial level of genetic differentiation. Even though the status of these two strains has been established a long time ago, it is still yet to be found whether these two strains indeed exhibit a marked level of genetic differentiation from a large number of genomic loci. Here, we analyzed whole genome sequences from 56 FAW individuals either collected from pasture grasses (a part of the favored host range of the rice strain) or corn to assess the role of host-plant adaptation in incipient speciation. Results Principal component analysis of whole genome data shows that the pattern of divergence in the fall armyworm is predominantly explained by the genetic differentiation associated with host-plants. The level of genetic differentiation between corn and rice strains is particularly marked in the Z chromosome. We identified one autosomal locus and two Z chromosome loci targeted by selective sweeps specific to rice strain and corn strain, respectively. The autosomal locus has both increased DXY and FST while the Z chromosome loci had decreased DXY and increased FST. Conclusion These results show that the FAW population structure is dominated by the genetic differentiation between corn and rice strains. This differentiation involves divergent selection targeting at least three loci, which include a locus potentially causing reproductive isolation. Taken together, these results suggest the evolutionary scenario that host-plant speciation is a driver of incipient speciation in the fall armyworm.

The mega-diversity of herbivorous insects is attributed to their co-evolutionary associations with plants. Despite abundant studies on insect-plant interactions, we do not know whether host-plant shifts have impacted both genomic adaptation and species diversification over geological times. We show that the antagonistic insect-plant interaction between swallowtail butterflies and the highly toxic birthworts began 55 million years ago in Beringia, followed by several major ancient host-plant shifts. This evolutionary framework provides a valuable opportunity for repeated tests of genomic signatures of macroevolutionary changes and estimation of diversification rates across their phylogeny. We find that host-plant shifts in butterflies are associated with both genome-wide adaptive molecular evolution (more genes under positive selection) and repeated bursts of speciation rates, contributing to an increase in global diversification through time. Our study links ecological changes, genome-wide adaptations and macroevolutionary consequences, lending support to the importance of ecological interactions as evolutionary drivers over long time periods., Arms races between herbivores and plants have likely affected their evolutionary histories, which could have led to their high diversity. Allio et al. find that butterflies shifting to new host plants have more adaptive molecular signatures across their genomes and show repeated bursts of speciation rates.

We thank the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board (Permit No. CN44-30-4229), the Cape Research Centre, South African National Parks (Permit No. CRC/2019-2020/012–2012/V1) and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife permits office, KwaZulu-Natal (Collecting Permit KZN: OP1382-2019) for authorization to collect specimens.; International audience; A new genus of derelomine flower weevil (Curculionidae: Derelomini sensu Franz 2006), Ebenacobius Haran gen. nov., is described to accommodate a clade of species morphologically and phylogenetically distinct from other genera in this tribe. This genus can be diagnosed as follows: protibiae armed with an apical mucro, claws free, eye convexity exceeding the contour of head in dorsal view and forehead with a median furrow. In total, 19 species are recognized in this genus; 14 species are described as new (E. curvisetis Haran gen. et sp. nov.; E. duplicatus Haran gen. et sp. nov.; E. grobbelaarae Haran gen. et sp. nov.; E. hessei Haran gen. et sp. nov.; E. hippopotamorum Haran gen. et sp. nov.; E. kuscheli Haran gen. et sp. nov.; E. mulanjensis Haran gen. et sp. nov.; E. oberprieleri Haran gen. et sp. nov.; E. rectirostris Haran gen. et sp. nov.; E. san Haran gen. et sp. nov.; E. pedi Haran gen. et sp. nov.; E. thoracicus Haran gen. et sp. nov.; E. tsonga Haran gen. et sp. nov. and E. xhosa Haran gen. et sp. nov.), five species of Derelomus Schoenherr (D. atratus Hesse; D. costalis Fåhraeus; D. incognitus Hesse; D. rhodesianus Hesse; D. turneri Marshall) are hereby transferred to Ebenacobius gen. nov. and one species name is placed in synonymy (Derelomus rugosicollis Hesse, 1929 = Derelomus costalis Fåhraeus, 1844 syn. nov.). Members of Ebenacobius gen. nov. seem to develop in inflorescences of dicot plants, with larval stages of at least two species recovered from the flowers of Euclea species (Ebenaceae). A key to the continental African genera of Derelomini and to species of Ebenacobius gen. nov. is provided. Pictures of habitus and terminalia of adults, along with distribution and life history data are also provided for each species.

The genus Poeonoma (Tams & Bowden, 1953) is revised to include two species P. serrata (Hampson, 1910) and P. ugandensis Le Run. sp., from the Congolian bioregion. Several new synonyms are introduced for Poeonoma serrata: Conicofrontia sjoestedti (Aurivillius, 1925) n. syn. for Poeonoma serrata (Hampson, 1910), Poeonoma similis (Tams & Bowden, 1953) n. syn. for Poeonoma serrata (Hampson, 1910), and Poeonoma nigribasis (Laporte, 1974) n. syn. for Poeonoma serrata (Hampson, 1910). A new genus, Nyaluteme Le Run. gen., is proposed for two species formerly included in Poeonoma, N. acantha (Tams & Bowden, 1953) n. comb. and N. inermis (Laporte, 1973) n. comb., and N. nigra Le Run. sp., described from the Congolian bioregion. Host-plants for three of the species are recorded:Pennisetum purpureum Schumach. for P. serrata and P. ugandensis, and Miscanthus violaceus (K. Schum) Pilg. for N. nigra. A key to species, descriptions, illustrations of adults and genitalia, and distribution maps are included. Results of previously published phylogenetic analyses also allow the status of the new genus to be confirmed and to infer the phylogenetic placement of the two genera.; Le genre Poeonoma (Tams & Bowden, 1953) est révisé ; deux espèces, P. serrata (Hampson, 1910) et P. ugandensis Le Ru n. sp., de la biorégion Congolaise, y sont incluses et plusieurs nouvelles synonymies sont proposées pour Poeonoma serrata : Conicofrontia sjoestedti (Aurivillius, 1925) n. syn. de Poeonoma serrata (Hampson, 1910), Poeonoma similis (Tams & Bowden, 1953) n. syn. de Poeonoma serrata (Hampson, 1910), et Poeonoma nigribasis (Laporte, 1974) n. syn. de Poeonoma serrata (Hampson, 1910). Un nouveau genre, Nyaluteme Le Ru n. gen., de la biorégion Congolaise, est proposé pour deux espèces précédemment décrites dans le genre Poeonoma, N. acantha (Tams & Bowden, 1953) n. comb., et N. inermis (Laporte, 1973) n. comb., et une espèce nouvellement décrite N. nigra Le Ru n. sp. Les plantes-hôtes de trois espèces sont répertoriées : Pennisetum purpureum Schumach. pour P. serrata et P. ugandensis, et Miscanthus violaceus (K. Schum) Pilg. pour N. nigra. Une clé de détermination des espèces est présentée ainsi que l’illustration des adultes et des génitalia et, des cartes de distribution. Les résultats d’analyses de reconstruction phylogénétique déjà publiées permettent également de confirmer le statut du nouveau genre et d’inférer la position phylogénétique des deux genres. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6ED4AC9E-043C-4A04-A92D-807066943002

International audience; Spodoptera frugiperda, the fall armyworm (FAW), is an important agricultural pest in the Americas and an emerging pest in sub-Saharan Africa, India, East-Asia and Australia, causing damage to major crops such as corn, sorghum and soybean. While FAW larvae are considered polyphagous, differences in diet preference have been described between two genetic variants: the corn strain (sf-C) and the rice strain (sf-R). These two strains are sometimes considered as distinct species, raising the hypothesis that host plant specialization might have driven their divergence. To test this hypothesis, we first performed controlled reciprocal transplant (RT) experiments to address the impact of plant diet on several traits linked to the fitness of the sf-C and sf-R strains. The phenotypical data suggest that sf-C is specialized to corn. We then used RNA-Se to identify constitutive transcriptional differences between strains, regardless of diet, in laboratory as well as in natural populations. We found that variations in mitochondrial transcription levels are among the most substantial and consistent differences between the two strains. Since mitochondrial genotypes also vary between the strains, we believe the mitochondria may have a significant role in driving strain divergence.

Early access; International audience; BackgroundRelict lineages are an important component of the biodiversity, but it is unclear under what circumstances these groups persist. A potential example of such a group is the Alseuosmineae (Asterales) of Oceania. This clade contains the three small families-Alseuosmiaceae, Argophyllaceae and Phellinaceae. The clade has highest diversity in New Caledonia, where there are extensive ultramafic substrates, creating an extreme edaphic environment.AimsUsing several lines of evidence we aimed to show that Alseuosmineae qualify as a relict lineage, with specialized adaptations for ultramafic substrates.MethodsMolecular phylogenetics and dating analyses were carried out on representatives from all Alseuosmineae genera. Metal concentration in 33 out of 44 Alseuosmineae species was measured in herbarium specimens with XRF spectrometry.ResultsDating analyses indicated that Alseuosmineae began diversifying about 75-80 million years ago, and had much slower net diversification rates than other Asterales groups. One-third of the species occur on ultramafic substrates in New Caledonia. Six are categorised as nickel hyperaccumulators, and two as manganese hyperaccumulators.ConclusionsExtinction was probably paramount in the history of Alseuosmineae, especially for continental species. We postulate that their adaptation to ultramafic substrates and metal accumulation may have contributed to their survival until today.

International audience; Aim: Mutualistic systems involving plants and brood pollinators show intriguing cases where a single plant is pollinated by several closely related sympatric species. This study aims at identifying the mechanisms involved in such an extreme case, where 10 sympatric weevil species are only associated with African oil palm inflorescences. We assessed the patterns and timing of speciation of this peculiar assemblage to explore the main drivers of its diversification.Location: Tropical Africa.Taxon: The African oil palm Elaeis guineensis Jacquin (Arecaceae, Cocoseae), weevil genera Elaeidobius Kuschel and Prosoestus Faust (Curculionidae, Derelomini).Methods: We first reassessed the status of the weevil species assemblage associated with the African oil palm based on a range of molecular species delimitation analyses. Second, we reconstructed a dated molecular phylogeny using Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood and carried out historical biogeographical analyses accounting for the main biogeographical barriers in tropical Africa.Results: Our analyses generally confirm the validity of the species associated with the African oil palm and indicate that they form a monophyletic group. Dating analyses indicate that they originated about 7-8 million years ago (Mya) and that most speciation events occurred during the Pliocene and Pleistocene. Historical biogeography analyses reveal that one geographical barrier played a bigger role during their diversification. Age estimates suggest that extant weevil species remained in sympatry along the range of their host during the last 0.2 Mya.Main conclusions: This case represents a remarkable example of a speciose mutualistic monophyletic insect assemblage. Our results indicate that past climatic oscillations in Western and Central Africa - where cycles of range contractions and expansions of the host drove the divergence of the weevils in allopatry - and the predominant role of a mountain range were instrumental in the emergence of the sympatric assemblage.

It is striking to observe that species richness is not evenly distributed across the surface of the planet. Current species diversity indeed decreases toward the poles, with Antarctica for instance being depauperate compared to tropical regions. This ubiquitous pattern has long attracted the attention of naturalists and more recently of evolutionary biologists and paleontologists to understand why species diversity peaks at the equator. However, it remains poorly understood how polar biodiversity originated and diversified. Antarctica is currently defined as three large biogeographic regions: the Maritime Antarctic, the sub-Antarctic, and the Continental Antarctic. The Maritime Antarctic region is largely separated from the rest of the world’s oceans due to the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), differences in temperature along the Antarctic Polar Front (APF), and the presence of a deep sea surrounding the Antarctic shelf (1). The sub-Antarctic region consists of dozens of islands contained within the APF, generally characterized by the presence of tundra (absent from the Continental Antarctic) and fellfield habitats. As for the Continental Antarctic region, it is mostly uninhabitable, with less than 0.5% of its surface being ice-free. A long-standing idea is that biodiversity in Antarctica is low, and only constituted of old and poorly diversified lineages. In PNAS, a study (2)—relying on both microevolutionary and macroevolutionary approaches—challenges this idea and shows that terrestrial life can thrive there. Our understanding of the origin and evolution of Antarctic biodiversity has greatly improved in recent years, thanks in part to studies revealing high levels of cryptic diversity, especially for marine organisms for which species diversity is often underestimated (3). Several molecular studies also show evidence for recent colonization and high in situ diversification, thus challenging the view that Antarctica is an inhospitable frozen region where groups cannot adapt, thrive, and successfully diversify (1). Interestingly, elevated speciation rates have been recovered … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: fabien.condamine{at}gmail.com. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1

International audience; We reconstruct a comprehensively sampled molecular phylogeny for the second most species-rich tribe of the ladybird beetle family Coccinellidae, the charismatic Coccinellini. We analysed a dataset consisting of five nuclear and three mitochondrial gene fragments from 150 taxa to provide a detailed phylogeny and estimates of historical divergence times using Bayesian relaxed clocks and primary fossil calibrations and an assessment of the evolution of feeding habits. The results of phylogenetic analyses provide strong support for the monophyly of the tribe Coccinellini, highlight the existence of four major clades and most sampled Coccinellini genera (30 out of 34) were recovered monophyletic. Our dating analyses suggest an Early Cretaceous origin for Coccinellidae at ca. 140 millions years ago (Ma) and a Late Cretaceous origin for the tribe Coccinellini at ca. 83.8 Ma. Ancestral character state estimation of feeding habits highlights a high level of phylogenetic niche conservatism on aphids and indicates that the most common recent ancestor of Coccinellini likely also fed on aphids. Our reconstruction of feeding habits and assessment of the aphid fossil record suggests that the diversification of Coccinellini paralleled that of Aphididae, although with substantial variation in host-breadth and the tendency for a few specialized lineages towards non-aphid feeding.

International audience; The genus Acrapex Hampson, 1891 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Apameini, Sesamiina) constitutes a speciose group of noctuid stemborers mostly distributed in the Afrotropics. In this study nine new Acrapex species are described: Acrapex abyssinica n. sp., Acrapex dabaga n. sp., Acrapex jansei n. sp., Acrapex kifanya n. sp., Acrapex lusinga n. sp., Acrapex ngwenya n. sp., Acrapex njombea n. sp., Acrapex vetiveria n. sp. and Acrapex zima n. sp. All species are assigned to the A. albivena group with the exception of A. lusinga which is assigned to the A. stygiata group. We also provide supplemental descriptions for two previously described species of the A. albivena group, A. punctosa Berio, 1973 and A. sysciodes Berio, 1973, and for one species belonging to the A. stygiata group: A. brunneella Le Ru, 2014. Host plants of three species are recorded; A. brunneella and Acrapex jansei were reared on Cymbopogon pospischilii (K.Schum.) C.E.Hubb and A. vetiveria on Chrysopogon zizanioides (L.). We also conducted molecular phylogenetic analyses (using both Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood) on a multi-marker (four mitochondrial and two nuclear genes) molecular dataset encompassing 138 specimens (including 98 specimens from the A. albivena group and 23 specimens from the A. stygiata group) from 48 stemborer species. The results of the corresponding analyses support the monophyly of the two groups of interest and the species status of all newly described taxa, except for A. lusinga that was not sequenced. The phylogenetic analyses also unravel several evolutionary lineages whose precise status is pending because their DNA was extracted from larval stages.; Actualisation des connaissances de la phylogénie et de la systématique des groupes d’espèces Acrapex albivena Hampson, 1910 et A. stygiata (Hampson, 1910) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Apameini, Sesamiina), avec la description de neuf nouvelles espèces de la région Afrotropicale. Le genre Acrapex Hampson, 1891 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Apameini, Sesamiina) est un groupe diversifié de noctuelles foreuses, majoritairement distribué dans la région Afrotropicale. Dans cette étude neuf espèces nouvelles sont décrites : Acrapex abyssinica n. sp., Acrapex dabaga n. sp., Acrapex jansei n. sp., Acrapex kifanya n. sp., A. lusinga n. sp., Acrapex ngwenya n. sp., Acrapex njombea n. sp., Acrapex vetiveria n. sp. et Acrapex zima n. sp. Toutes ces espèces sont assignées au groupe d’espèce A. albivena à l’exception d’A. lusinga qui est assignée au groupe d’espèce A. stygiata. Nous fournissons également des descriptions supplémentaires pour deux espèces, A. punctosa Berio, 1973 et A. sysciodes, Berio 1973, précedemment décrites dans le groupe A. albivena ainsi que pour A. brunneella Le Ru, 2014, une espèce qui appartient au groupe A. stygiata. Les plantes-hôtes de trois espèces sont répertoriées ; Acrapex brunneella et A. jansei ont été élevées sur Cymbopogon pospischilii (K. Schum.) C. E. Hubb et A. vetiveria sur Chrysopogon zizanioides (L.). Nous avons également réalisé des analyses de reconstruction phylogénétique (utilisant à la fois l’inférence Bayésienne et le maximum de vraisemblance) sur un jeu de données moléculaires multi-marqueurs (quatre gènes mitochondriaux et deux gènes nucléaires) comprenant 138 specimens (incluant 98 specimens du groupe A. albivena et 23 specimens du groupe A. stygiata) de 48 espèces de foreurs. Les résultats de ces analyses soutiennent à la fois l’hypothèse de monophylie des deux groupes d’intérêt et le statut d’espèces des taxa nouvellement décris, à l’exception d’A. lusinga qui n’a pas été séquencé. Les analyses phylogénétiques révèlent également l’existence de plusieurs lignées évolutives distinctes dont le statut reste à définir car leur ADN a été extrait de stades larvaires

Evolution of vertebrate endemics in oceanic islands follows a predictable pattern, known as the island rule, according to which gigantism arises in originally small-sized species and dwarfism in large ones. Species of extinct insular giant rodents are known from all over the world. In the Canary Islands, two examples of giant rats, †Canariomys bravoi and †Canariomys tamarani, endemic to Tenerife and Gran Canaria, respectively, disappeared soon after human settlement. The highly derived morphological features of these insular endemic rodents hamper the reconstruction of their evolutionary histories. We have retrieved partial nuclear and mitochondrial data from †C. bravoi and used this information to explore its evolutionary affinities. The resulting dated phylogeny confidently places †C. bravoi within the African grass rat clade (Arvicanthis niloticus). The estimated divergence time, 650 000 years ago (95% higher posterior densities: 373 000-944 000), points toward an island colonization during the Günz-Mindel interglacial stage. †Canariomys bravoi ancestors would have reached the island via passive rafting and then underwent a yearly increase of mean body mass calculated between 0.0015 g and 0.0023 g; this corresponds to fast evolutionary rates (in darwins (d), ranging from 7.09 d to 2.78 d) that are well above those observed for non-insular mammals., For technical support, we thank the research service facilities of IJC and IGTP, the Crystallization Facility of the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, the ICTS NMR facility from the Scientific and Technological Centres of the University of Barcelona and Biophysics Core Facility of BMC-LMU. I.G. was a fellow of the Marie Skłodowska Curie Training network ‘ChroMe’ (H2020-MSCA-ITN-2015-675610, awarded to M.B. and A.G.L.). The project was further supported by national grants (nos. RTI2018-094005-B-I00 and BFU2015-66559-P from FEDER/Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación—Agencia Estatal de Investigación to M.B.). Research in the participating labs was further supported by the following grants: the Marie Skłodowska Curie Training network ‘INTERCEPT-MDS’ no. H2020-MSCA-ITN-2020-953407 (to M.B.), MINECO-ISCIII no. PIE16/00011 (to M.B.); the Deutsche José Carreras Leukämie Stiftung DJCLS (no. 14R/2018 to M.B.), AGAUR (no. 2017-SGR-305 to M.B.), Fundació La Marató de TV3 (no. 257/C/2019 to M.B.), German Research Foundation Project (ID 213249687—SFB 1064 and Project ID 325871075—SFB 1309 to A.G.L.), the Spanish Ministry of Science (PID2019-110183RB-C21 to A.R.M.), Community of Madrid (P2018/BAA-4343-ALIBIRD2020-CM to A.R.M), Ramón Areces Foundation (to A.R.M.), National Science Foundation (EF-1921402 to J.M.E.L.), 2015 International Doctoral Fellowship La Caixa-Severo Ochoa (to M.F.V.), Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship (no. 747789 to M.M.L.), Juan de la Cierva-Incorporación (IJC2018-036657-I to M.M.L., ERC-2012-CoG-616960 to I.R.T.), MINECO (BFU2017-90114-P to I.R.T.), AGAUR (2017-SGR-324 to X.S.) and MINECO (BIO2015-70092-R and ERC-2014-CoG-648201 to X.S.). Research at the IJC is supported by the ‘La Caixa’ Foundation, Fundació Internacional Josep Carreras, Celgene Spain and the CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya.

International audience; With 38 described species or subspecies, Gnaptorina Reitter is the second-most species-rich genus in the darkling beetle subtribe Gnaptorinina (Tenebrionidae: Tenebrioninae). In this study, we reconstructed a phylogeny of the genus based on one nuclear and three mitochondrial genes and used this phylogeny to explore the historical biography and diversification of Gnaptorina species. We implemented multiple molecular species delimitation approaches to reassess the status of Gnaptorina species and taxonomic subdivisions of the genus. Dating and historical biogeography analyses suggest an early Eocene origin of the genus, with the southeastern regions of the Tibetan Plateau most likely as areas of origin. Based on these results, we propose a new classification for Gnaptorina with three major clades identified. Consequently, the monotypic subgenus Boreoptorina is newly synonymized with the more species-rich subgenus Hesperoptorina, and G. dongdashanensis Shi is transferred from Hesperoptorina to the subgenus Gnaptorina. In addition, G. minxiana Medvedev, formerly treated as a subspecies of G. potanini Reitter, is elevated to species. Results of molecular species delimitation analyses are largely congruent and confirm the status of most morphological species.

A successful biological invasion involves survival in a newly occupied environment. If a population bottleneck occurs during an invasion, the resulting depletion of genetic variants could cause increased inbreeding depression and decreased adaptive potential, which may result in a fitness reduction. How invasive populations survive in the newly occupied environment despite reduced heterozygosity and how, in many cases, they maintain moderate levels of heterozygosity are still contentious issues1. The Fall armyworm (FAW; Lepidoptera: Spodoptera frugiperda), a polyphagous pest, is native to the Western hemisphere. Its invasion in the Old World was first reported from West Africa in early 2016, and in less than four years, it swept sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, finally reaching Australia. We used population genomics approaches to investigate the factors that may explain the invasive success of the FAW. Here we show that genomic balancing selection played a key role in invasive success by restoring heterozygosity before the global invasion. We observe a drastic loss of mitochondrial polymorphism in invasive populations, whereas nuclear heterozygosity exhibits a mild reduction. The population from Benin in West Africa has the lowest length of linkage disequilibrium amongst all invasive and native populations despite its reduced population size. This result indicates that balancing selection increased heterozygosity by facilitating the admixture of invasive populations from distinct origins and that, once heterozygosity was sufficiently high, FAW started spreading globally in the Old World. As comparable heterozygosity levels between invasive and native populations are commonly observed1, we postulate that the restoration of heterozygosity through balancing selection could be widespread among successful cases of biological invasions.

In this study, we review six morphologically similar species of Sesamia Guenée, 1852 from Africa, including three new species that are described: Sesamia corymbosus Le Ru n. sp., S. schoenoplectus Le Ru n. sp. and S. temberma Le Ru n. sp. These six species belong to a species complex that we hereby define as the Sesamia coniota group. Host plants of four species are recorded: Schoenoplectus corymbosus (Roth ex Roem. & Schult.) J. Raynal. for S. corymbosus and S. schoenoplectus, Echinochloa pyramidalis (Lam.) Hitschc. & Chase, Eriochloa meyeriana (Nees) Pilg., Schoenoplectus corymbosus and Typha latifolia L. for S. jansei, Tams & Bowden, 1953 and Pennisetum sp. for S. temberma. We also conduct molecular phylogenetic analyses on a multimarker (four mitochondrial and two nuclear genes) molecular dataset encompassing 36 specimens (including 32 specimens belonging to the S. coniota group). Molecular analyses allow assessing the phylogenetic relationships of five out of six species of the group Phylogénie and systématique du groupe d’espèces Sesamia coniota (Lepidoptera : Noctuidae : Apameini : Sesamiina) avec la description de trois nouvelles espèces de la région afrotropicale. Dans cette étude, nous passons en revue six espèces du genre Sesamia Guenée, 1852 distribuées en Afrique. Trois nouvelles espèces sont décrites : Sesamia corymbosus Le Ru n. sp., S. schoenoplectus Le Ru n. sp. et S. temberma Le Ru n. sp. Ces six espèces appartiennent à un complexe d’espèces que nous définissons comme le groupe d’espèce Sesamia coniota. Les plantes-hôtes de quatre espèces sont répertoriées : Schoenoplectus corymbosus (Roth ex Roem. & Schult.) J. Raynal. pour S. corymbosus et S. schoenoplectus, Echinochloa pyramidalis (Lam.) Hitschc. & Chase, Eriochloa meyeriana (Nees) Pilg., Schoenoplectus corymbosus et Typha latifolia L. pour S. jansei Tams & Bowden, 1953, et Pennisetum sp. pour S. temberma. Nous avons également réalisé des analyses de reconstruction phylogénétique sur un jeu de données moléculaires multimarqueurs (quatre gènes mitochondriaux et deux gènes nucléaires) comprenant 36 spécimens (dont 32 appartiennent au groupe d’espèce S. coniota). Les analyses moléculaires permettent d’inférer les relations phylogénétiques de cinq des six espèces du groupe

International audience; Summary: With a species count reaching almost 100 species, the genus Acrapex is the most diverse genus of sesamiine stemborers (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Noctuinae: Apameini: Sesamiina). Acrapex species are mostly distributed in the Afrotropics and consist of several large clades corresponding to distinct species complexes. In this study, 45 morphologically similar species of Acrapex from sub-Saharan Africa are reviewed, including 22 new species that are described: Acrapex alemuran. sp., A. barnsin. sp., A. capelongon. sp., A. congoensisn. sp., A. elgonan. sp., A. elisabethianan. sp., A. eucanthan. sp., A. grandisn. sp., A. igominyin. sp., A. inexpectatan. sp., A. ketoman. sp., A. lilomwin. sp., A. mafingan. sp., A. maketen. sp., A. marungun. sp., A. mazoen. sp., A. mlanjen. sp., Acrapex muchingan. sp., A. ngorongoron. sp., A. obscuran. sp., A. ruirun. sp. and A. wittein. sp. Supplemental descriptions for previously described species are provided as well. These 45 species are assigned to the newly defined Acrapex aenigma species group. We also conduct molecular phylogenetic analyses and molecular species delimitation analyses on a multi-marker (four mitochondrial and two nuclear genes) molecular dataset encompassing 304 specimens (including 256 Acrapex specimens from 54 species of which 16 species belong to the A. aenigma group). Molecular phylogenetics analyses recover well-supported relationships within Acrapex and support the monophyly of the newly defined group. Results of molecular species delimitation analyses are mostly congruent and tend to corroborate the status of the sampled Acrapex species. Consistent with what has been previously found in other studies, the comparison of results from distinct methods and settings for molecular species delimitation analyses allows us to assess species boundaries with more confidence.; Avec près d’une centaine d’espèces le genre Acrapex est le genre de noctuelles foreuses le plus diversifié de la sous-tribu des Sesamiina (Lepidoptera : Noctuidae : Noctuinae : Apameini). Les Acrapex sont majoritairement distribués dans la région Afrotropicale et sont composés de plusieurs clades correspondant à différents complexes d’espèces. Dans cette étude, 45 espèces morphologiquement proches d’Acrapex sub-sahariens sont étudiées, au rang desquelles figurent 22 nouvelles espèces que nous décrivons : Acrapex alemura n. sp., A. barnsi n. sp., A. capelongo n. sp., A. congoensis n. sp., A. elgona n. sp., A. elisabethiana n. sp., A. eucantha n. sp., A. grandis n. sp., A. igominyi n. sp., A. inexpectata n. sp., A. ketoma n. sp., A. lilomwi n. sp., A. mafinga n. sp., A. makete n. sp., A. marungu n. sp., A. mazoe n. sp., A. mlanje n. sp., A. muchinga n. sp., A. ngorongoro n. sp., A. obscura n. sp., A. ruiru n. sp., and A. wittei n. sp. Nous fournissons également des descriptions supplémentaires pour des espèces déjà décrites. Ces 45 espèces sont assignées au groupe d’espèces Acrapex aenigma, que nous définissons. Nous avons également réalisé des analyses de reconstruction phylogénétique et des analyses de délimitation moléculaire d’espèces sur un jeu de données moléculaires multimarqueurs (quatre gènes mitochondriaux et deux gènes nucléaires) comprenant 304 spécimens (incluant 256 Acrapex de 54 espèces dont 16 appartiennent au groupe A. aenigma). Les analyses phylogénétiques retrouvent des topologies bien supportées au sein du genre Acrapex et soutiennent l’hypothèse de monophylie du groupe d’espèces nouvellement défini. Les résultats des analyses de délimitation moléculaire d’espèces sont majoritaitement en accord et tendent à soutenir le statut d’espèce des Acrapex échantillonnés. Conformément à ce qui a été mis en évidence dans d’autres études, la comparaison des résultats de différentes méthodes et paramétrages d’analyses de délimitation moléculaire d’espèces permet ainsi d’estimer les contours des espèces avec plus de confiance.

The seed beetle genus Ctenocolum Kingsolver & Whitehead is peculiar because its preferred host Lonchocharpus Kunth (Fabaceae) is not preyed upon by other bruchine species. This study investigates the phylogenetic relationships and evolution of this genus and of its species groups, while providing the description of three new species and of the male of C. biolleyi Kingsolver & Whitehead. To infer phylogenetic relationships, a character matrix of 40 morphological characters was assembled and analysed using both parsimony and Bayesian inference. Ancestral state estimations of host plant use and biogeography analyses were also performed. A total of 22 species were examined: 16 Ctenocolum species (including the three new ones) and six outgroup bruchine species (from genera Caryedes Hummel, Meibomeus Bridwell, Pygiopachymerus Pic and Pachymerus Thunberg). All resulting trees support the monophyly of the genus Ctenocolum. Three synapomorphies characterize the genus: (i) head with frontal carina enlarged at base, (ii) male pygidium truncated apically, and (iii) lateral lobes of tegmen with dorsal process. The two known species groups are also recovered monophyletic in the parsimony analyses. The following three species are described: Ctenocolum inmaculatus Manfio & Ribeiro-Costa sp. nov. (Type locality: Venezuela, Guarico), which belongs to the group tuberculatum; Ctenocolum nigronotus Manfio & Ribeiro-Costa sp. nov. (Type locality: Porto Rico, Mayaguez) and C. pallidus Manfio & Ribeiro-Costa sp. nov. (Type locality: Republic of Guyana), which belong to the group podagricus. Finally, we present colored illustrations of dorsal patterns and male genitalia for these three new species and C. biolleyi in addition to an updated key for the genus Ctenocolum.

International audience; The noctuid genus Spodoptera currently consists of 31 species with varied host plant breadths, ranging from monophagous and oligophagous non-pest species to polyphagous pests of economic importance. Several of these pest species have become major invaders, colonizing multiple continents outside their native range. Such is the case of the infamous fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), which includes two recognized host strains that have not been treated as separate species. Following its accidental introduction to Africa in 2016, it quickly spread through Africa and Asia to Australia. Given that half the described Spodoptera species cause major crop losses, comparative genomics studies of several Spodoptera species have highlighted major adaptive changes in genetic architecture, possibly relating to their pest status. Several recent population genomics studies conducted on two species enable a more refined understanding of their population structures, migration patterns and invasion processes. Despite growing interest in the genus, the taxonomic status of several Spodoptera species remains unstable and evolutionary studies suffer from the absence of a robust and comprehensive dated phylogenetic framework. We generated mitogenomic data for 14 Spodoptera taxa, which are combined with data from 15 noctuoid outgroups to generate a resolved mitogenomic backbone phylogeny using both concatenation and multi-species coalescent approaches. We combine this backbone with additional mitochondrial and nuclear data to improve our understanding of the evolutionary history of the genus. We also carry out comprehensive dating analyses, which implement three distinct calibration strategies based on either primary or secondary fossil calibrations. Our results provide an updated phylogenetic framework for 28 Spodoptera species, identifying two well-supported ecologically diverse clades that are recovered for the first time. Well-studied larvae in each of these clades are characterized by differences in mandibular shape, with one clade's being more specialized on silica-rich C4 grasses. Interestingly, the inferred timeframe for the genus suggests an earlier origin than previously thought for the genus: about 17-18 million years ago.Highlights:• Use of genome skimming to generate mitogenomic data for 14 Spodoptera species.• Inference of a high-quality backbone phylogeny for the genus Spodoptera.• We propose a new updated phylogenetic framework for 28 of the 31 Spodoptera species.• Two ecologically diverse Spodoptera clades are recovered for the first time.• Dating analyses indicate a more recent origin than previously thought for Spodoptera.

A new and very occasional pest of lychee trees (Litchi chinensis) was recently identified from New Caledonia—the endemic weevil Acanthopygus griseus Montrouzier, 1861 (Coleoptera: Anthribidae). This is the first report of an anthribid weevil causing significant damage to living trees.

International audience; Murid rodents (Rodentia: Muridae) represent the most diverse and abundant mammalian family. In this study, we provide a refined set of fossil calibrations which is used to reconstruct a dated phylogeny of the family using a multilocus dataset (six nuclear and nine mitochondrial gene fragments) encompassing 161 species representing 82 murid genera from four extant subfamilies (Deomyinae, Gerbillinae, Lophiomyinae and Murinae). In comparison with previous studies on murid or muroid rodents, our work stands out for the implementation of nine robust fossil constraints within the Muridae thanks to a thorough review of the fossil record. Before being assigned to specific nodes of the phylogeny, all potential fossil constraints were carefully assessed; they were also subjected to several cross-validation analyses. The resulting phylogeny is consistent with previous phylogenetic studies on murids, and recovers the monophyly of all sampled murid subfamilies and tribes. Based on nine controlled fossil calibrations, our inferred temporal timeframe indicates that the murid family likely originated in the course of the Early Miocene, 22.0-17.0 million years ago (Ma), and that most major lineages (i.e. tribes) started diversifying ca. 10 Ma. Historical biogeography analyses support the tropical origin for the family, with an initial internal split (vicariance event) between Afrotropical and Oriental (Indomalaya and Philippines) lineages. During the course of their diversification, the biogeographic pattern of murids is marked by several dispersal events toward the Australasian and the Palearctic regions. The Afrotropical region was also secondarily colonized a least three times from the Indomalaya, indicating that the latter region has acted as a major centre of diversification for the family.

Spodoptera frugiperda, the fall armyworm (FAW), is an important agricultural pest in the Americas and an emerging pest in sub-Saharan Africa, India, East-Asia and Australia, causing damage to major crops such as corn, sorghum and soybean. While FAW larvae are considered polyphagous, differences in diet preference have been described between two genetic variants: the corn strain (sf-C) and the rice strain (sf-R). These two strains are sometimes considered as distinct species, raising the hypothesis that ost plant specialization might have driven their divergence. To test this hypothesis, we irst performed controlled reciprocal transplant (RT) experiments to address the impact of plant diet on several traits linked to the fitness of the sf-C and sf-R strains. The phenotypical data suggest that sf-C is specialized to corn. We then used RNA-Se to identify constitutive transcriptional differences between strains, regardless of diet, in laboratory as well as in natural populations. We found that variations in mitochon rial transcription levels are among the most substantial and consistent differences between the two strains. Since mitochondrial genotypes also vary between the strains, we believe the mitochondria may have a significant role in driving strain divergence.

International audience; The genus Spodoptera Guenee (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae, Noctuinae) is a group of economic importance which encompasses several major pests of crops worldwide. Although this genus has been the focus of many studies, the status of several Spodoptera species is still unstable, especially in the light of recent molecular analyses. In 2015 five Spodoptera specimens collected in Ethiopia were first identified as S. apertura (Walker). However, preliminary studies suggested that these specimens belong to a distinct species, S. teferii Laporte in Rougeot, which has been previously synonymized with S. apertura. In this study, on the basis of morphological and molecular evidence, we re-establish the species status of S. teferii. We provide a supplemental description of S. teferii male and the first description of S. teferii female. We also conducted several molecular analyses. First, we reconstructed an updated phylogeny for the genus based on a multilocus dataset (four mitochondrial and three nuclear gene fragments) including S. teferii and 28 of the 31 currently recognized Spodoptera species; the results of phylogenetic analyses support the hypothesis that S. teferii is more closely related to the clade encompassing S. littoralis (Boisduval), S. litura (Fabricius), S. pectinicornis (Hampson) and S. picta (Guerin-Meneville) than to S. apertura. Second, we carried out molecular species delimitation analyses on a 683-specimen dataset that also clearly support the status of S. teferii as a species distinct to S. apertura.

Species in the stem borer noctuid subtribe Sesamiina are notoriously difficult to distinguish because most related species have homogeneous wing patterns and almost indistinguishable genitalia. The latter is potentially problematic because this group includes several important pest species that are usually baregly distinguishable from non-pest species. In this study we focus on the Mediterranean corn stalk borer Sesamia nonagrioides (Lefebvre), an important pest of maize with a wide area of distribution that covers most of Africa and extends to the south of Europe and western Asia. According to a recent study, this pest consists of three allopatric populations that were formerly considered as distinct species or subspecies. Here we rely on recent collections of 5470 specimens (sampled in 17 countries and 175 localities) that putatively belong to S. nonagrioides. Integrative taxonomy studies allowed us to unravel the existence of six new species that are closely related to S. nonagrioides and described in this paper. In contrast to S. nonagrioides these new species have more specific ecological preferences, as they are associated with a limited number of plant species and habitats. Dating and population genetic analyses carried out on 100 S. nonagrioides specimens also indicate a more complex population structure than previously thought for S. nonagrioides, which can probably be accounted for by late Cenozoic environmental changes. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London

1. In a rapidly changing world, ecology has the potential to move from empirical and conceptual stages to application and management issues. It is now possible to make large-scale predictions up to continental or global scales, ranging from the future distribution of biological diversity to changes in ecosystem functioning and services. With these recent developments, ecology has a historical opportunity to become a major actor in the development of a sustainable human society. With this opportunity, however, also comes an important responsibility in developing appropriate predictive models, correctly interpreting their outcomes and communicating their limitations. There is also a danger that predictions grow faster than our understanding of ecological systems, resulting in a gap between the scientists generating the predictions and stakeholders using them (conservation biologists, environmental managers, journalists, policymakers). 2. Here, we use the context provided by the current surge of ecological predictions on the future of biodiversity to clarify what prediction means, and to pinpoint the challenges that should be addressed in order to improve predictive ecological models and the way they are understood and used. 3. Synthesis and applications. Ecologists face several challenges to ensure the healthy development of an operational predictive ecological science: (i) clarity on the distinction between explanatory and anticipatory predictions; (ii) developing new theories at the interface between explanatory and anticipatory predictions; (iii) open data to test and validate predictions; (iv) making predictions operational; and (v) developing a genuine ethics of prediction.

International audience; Aim Multiple biogeographical scenarios involving vicariance and different colonization routes can explain disjunct species distributions in the Southern Hemisphere. Here, we tested several alternative hypotheses in Eneopterinae crickets, a diverse subfamily presenting a disjunct worldwide distribution. We inferred a dated phylogeny of Eneopterinae and reconstructed their biogeographical history to unravel the origin of their present-day distribution, focusing on their multiple origins in the Neotropics.Location Worldwide.Methods We sampled 62 eneopterine species representing all extant genera. We inferred their phylogenetic relationships through Bayesian and maximum likelihood approaches based on four mitochondrial and three nuclear gene sequences. Divergence time estimates were inferred using Bayesian relaxed clock approaches and primary fossil calibrations. Biogeographical analyses were conducted with the default dispersal-extinction-cladogenesis (DEC) model and a variant model (DEC+J), which accounts for rare-jump dispersal events.Results Our dating analyses showed that the Eneopterinae is far older than expected and its diversification can be traced back to the Late Cretaceous (c. 76 Ma). In this context, the most supported biogeographical scenario (under DEC+J) suggests that the Neotropics were colonized twice independently: first during the break-up of Gondwana, when Antarctica, Australia and South America started separating (compatible with a vicariance event if relying on the result of the DEC model alone); later through a northern recolonization originating from Southeast Asia, likely related to a Holarctic Boreotropical distribution of an eneopterine lineage during the Eocene.Main conclusions We provided a dated worldwide biogeographical framework for the Eneopterinae crickets. Overall, the subfamily disjunct distribution pattern is better explained by both ancient and recent dispersal events. Whether this could reflect a widespread pattern in insect groups exhibiting a disjunct distribution remains to be investigated by studying other insect lineages. The information gathered here will also help foster new directions for future studies concerning the acoustic innovations of this clade.

Murid rodents (Rodentia: Myomorpha: Muroidea: Muridae) represent the most diverse and abundant mammalian group. In this study, we reconstruct a dated phylogeny of the family using a multilocus dataset (six nuclear and nine mitochondrial gene fragments) encompassing 160 species representing 82 distinct murid genera from four extant subfamilies (Deomyinae, Gerbillinae, Lophiomyinae, and Murinae). In comparison with previous studies on murid or muroid rodents, our work stands out for the implementation of multiple fossil constraints within the Muridae thanks to a thorough review of the fossil record. Before being assigned to specific nodes of the phylogeny, all potential fossil constraints were carefully assessed; they were also subjected to several cross-validation analyses. The resulting phylogeny is consistent with previous phylogenetic studies on murids, and recovers the monophyly of all sampled murid subfamilies and tribes. Based on nine controlled fossil calibrations, our inferred temporal timeframe indicates that the murid family likely originated in the course of the Early Miocene, 23.0-16.0 million years ago (Ma), and that most major lineages (i.e. tribes) have started diversifyingca.10 Ma. Historical biogeography analyses support the Paleotropical origin for the family, with an initial internal split (vicariance event) followed by subsequent migrations between Afrotropical and Indomalayan lineages. During the course of their diversification, the biogeographic pattern of murids is marked by several dispersal events toward the Australasian and the Palearctic regions, mostly from the Indomalaya. The Afrotropical region was also secondarily colonized at least three times from the Indomalaya, indicating that the latter region has acted as a major centre of diversification for the family.

Laurent Soldati, Fabien L. Condamine, Anne-Laure Clamens, Gael J. Kergoat (2017): Documenting tenebrionid diversity: progress on Blaps Fabricius (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Tenebrioninae, Blaptini) systematics, with the description of Fve new species. European Journal of Taxonomy 282: 1-29, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2017.282

Blaps effeminata Soldati sp. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1D90B029-4826-4525-9A59-22B6B0A91806 Fig. 1A–I Etymology The name of this species refers to the lack of abdominal hair tufts in males. Material examined Holotype LIBYA: ♂, “Tombe a Nord di Cirene / Cirenaica, 27.IV.1967, G. Dellacasa & P. Maifredi / Museo Civico di Genova / Blaps polychresta ssp. effeminata Soldati, Holotype” (MCG). Allotype LIBYA: ♀, “Tombe a Nord di Cirene / Cirenaica, 27.IV.1967, G. Dellacasa & P. Maifredi / Museo Civico di Genova / Blaps polychresta ssp. effeminata Soldati, Allotype ” (MCG). Paratypes LIBYA: 17 spec., “Cirene, Cir. 7.6.1936 R.e C. Koch” (HNHM); 16 spec., same data as holotype and allotype (MCG); 1 ♂, “18.IV.1968,Apollonia, Cirenaïque, Libye, D. Seiler leg.” (CS); 2 ♂♂, “Cyrenaika, Cirene, Wohlb. 4.34” (CS); 1 ♀, “Tombe a Nord di Cirene / Cirenaica, 27.IV.1967, G. Dellacasa & P. Maifredi” (CS). Other material (13 specimens, HNHM; 8 specimens, MCG) LIBYA: Cyrene, E Libya, (HNHM); Sho-Hat (HNHM); Al Baida, 32°38.047′ N, 21°47.425′ E (MCG); Al Qubbah, Cyrene, Marsa (Tobruch) (MCG); Uadi el Magrum, E Libya, 15 km W of Tobruch (MCG); Uadi Pescara, E Libya, 16 km W of Tobruch (MCG). Description Length: 26.0–43.0 mm; width: 12.0–15.0 mm. Dull black. Oval-oblong, elongated (Fig. 1A–C). Elytra costulated. Upper surface covered with very fne and sparse punctures, progressively denser from elytra to head. HEAD. Clypeus arcuately emarginated, with lateral angles protruding frontwards, clypeo-labial membrane slightly visible. Clypeo-frontal suture reduced to thin, superfcially engraved glossy line. Middle of frons (disc) with faint, generally obliterated, transverse depression. Mentum transverse, punctate, with anterior third sloping toward anterior edge. Gula microshagreened, dull. Labium triangularly emarginated in middle of front edge. ANTENNAE. Long and slender, reaching pronotal base when directed backwards (Fig. 1D). PRONOTUM. Broadest in its middle, sides more strongly narrowed toward base than forward, not or barely sinuous before posterior angles and arcuately narrowed frontwards. Anterior angles rounded. Posterior angles blunt. External rim fne, complete on lateral margins, but obliterated in middle of front edge and base. Disc convex. Punctation fne, uniform. Carina of anterior foramen of pronotum thick and neckshaped below. Episternum of prosternum wrinkled near coxae and lighter toward margins. Prosternal apophysis oblique or steep and upright towards apex, S-shaped, just behind anterior coxae, then shortly denticulate in middle at apex. ELYTRA. Ovoid, broadest around its middle, fat on disc. Upper surface leathery and covered with extremely fne and sparse punctures. Elytra costulate. Each elytron bearing 10 costae, alternate ones (3-5-7-9) slightly higher than others. Pseudopleural carina only visible on anterior half (in ♂♂ and ♀♀) from above, because of transversal convexity of elytra. Caudal extension at apex of elytra (mucro) measuring between 2.0 and 4.0 mm. Seen from above, right, parallel: deep suture fanked by two thick, transversely wrinkled ribs, which end in acute angular gap (Fig. 1E). In lateral view, mucro narrow, elongated, progressively narrowed to apex (Fig. 1F) and often bent upwards. Below, mucro grooveshaped, with external edges blurred and bottom transversally wrinkled. ABDOMEN. Ventrites heavily wrinkled-punctate; anal ventrite fnely and densely punctate, transversally impressed on disc, external rim complete and fne. LEGS. Long and slender. Protibiae with internal face sinuous, external one straight in males; similar but less pronounced in females. Outer and posterior face of protibiae and posterior face of mesotibiae superfcially grooved. Mesotibiae almost straight. Tarsi long, slender. SEXUAL DIMORPHISM. In males, no tuft of bristles between ventrites 1 and 2, and presence of light callosity near base of intercoxal process of ventrite 1. This callosity reduced to short transverse strip, with some longitudinal and oblique folds on front side, and coarse transversal wrinkles behind. In lateral view posterior declivity of elytra steeper in females. Mucro longer in males (3.5–4.0 mm) than in females (2.0– 2.5 mm) (Fig. 1E, G). In males, rear edges of median and especially hind tibiae strongly denticulated. In males, metatibiae straight and fat on inner face; less pronounced in females. AEDEAGUS. Parameres widely open, subcordiform, on sternal face (Fig. 1H) with apex triangular. In lateral view (Fig. 1I), parameres very thick and parallel, then abruptly narrowed at apex. Bionomics Most known specimens were collected in antique ruins between April and October. Distribution Libya. This species appears to be endemic to the eastern part of Libya (formerly known as Cyrenaica). Remarks This species belongs to the Blaps gigas species group (sensu Condamine et al. 2011). It is morphologically close to Blaps polychresta Forskål, 1775 from Egypt, from which it differs by: (i) its stronger elytral costulation, especially on the disc; (ii) the absence of the abdominal hair tuft in males (between ventrites 1 and 2); (iii) in males, the presence of a very reduced abdominal callosity located near the base of the intercoxal process of ventrite 1. In Eastern Libya, Blaps effeminata sp. nov. can also be confounded with other species of Blaps with costulate elytra, namely B. bifurcata Solier, 1848, B. doderoi Schuster, 1922, B. nitens laportei Ardoin, 1973, B. rhumeri Seidlitz, 1893, B. sulcifera Seidlitz, 1893 and B. wiedemannii Solier, 1848. In Blaps bifurcata, B. nitens laportei, B. rhumeri and B. sulcifera, the mentum is longitudinaly impressed in the middle, with the front edge emarginated. In Blaps doderoi and B. wiedemannii, the antennae are shorter (reaching only ¾ of pronotal length when directed backwards), the abdominal ventrites are much less densely punctuated, the mucro is shorter and much less narrow, the male abdominal callosity is high and rearward, and males exhibit a yellow hair tuft between ventrites 1 and 2.

Blaps nitiduloides Soldati sp. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:FF763E9B-8763-45D7-B809-2030C9802FAA Fig. 4A–I Etymology The name of this species refers to its resemblance to Blaps emondi var. nitidula Solier, 1848. Material examined Holotype TUNISIA: ♂, “27.IV.1964, Maktar, TUNISIE, Besnard réc. / MUSEUM PARIS COLL. P. ARDOIN 1978 / Blaps binominata Esc. = caudigera Allard P. ARDOIN DET. 1977 / Blaps nitiduloides m. n. sp. L. Soldati 2015, HOLOTYPE” (MNHN). Allotype TUNISIA: ♀, “Tunis / MUSEUM PARIS COLL. L. BEDEL 1922 / Blaps nitiduloides m. n. sp. L. Soldati 2015, ALLOTYPE” (MNHN). Paratypes ALGERIA: 1 ♂, “Aïn Beida, Constantinois, ALGERIE” (MNHN). TUNISIA: 1 ♂, 1 ♀, “Tunis 9.IX.26 J. Briel” (MNHN); 1 ♂, “27.IV.1964, Maktar, TUNISIE, Besnard réc.” (MNHN); 1 ♂, “Carthage, Tunisie, 10.IX.26, Briel” (MNHN); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, “MUSEUM PARIS TUNIS Belvédère A. WEISS 1902” (MNHN); 1 ♂, “Teboursouk, Tunisie” (MNHN); 1 ♂, “Hadger El Aioun (Tunisie) DE VAULOGER” (MNHN); 1 ♂, “Sbeitla, De Vauloger” (MNHN); 1 ♀, “Tunis: Gassa (91 Augos) / Edmondi / Sammlung J. Daniel / Blaps ♀? torretassoi Koch i. l. 1977 N. Skopin det.” (HNHM); 1 ♂, “Tunisie, Teboursouk” (CS); 1 ♂, “Tunis” (CS); 1 ♂, “Tunisie, Sousse, 10.IV.1997, M. Martinez leg.” (CS); 1 ♀, “27.IV.1964, Maktar, TUNISIE, Besnard réc.” (CS); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, “Tunisia NE, Hammam-Lif, 3–4.IV.1999, lgt. M. Kalabza” (CT); 1 ♀, “Tunisia NW, 20 km N Beja, 19.4.2001, LGT. M. Halada” (CT). Other material (3 specimens, MNHN) ALGERIA: Constantine (Khenichela), Mt Tebessa, 1100 m (MNHN). TUNISIA: Carthago, Radès (MNHN). Description Length: 33.0–42.0 mm; width: 12.5–16.0 mm. Semi-gloss black (Fig. 4A–C). Upper surface covered with extremely fne, sparse and superfcial punctures. HEAD. Covered with fne punctation, more pronounced than on rest of upper body surface. Punctation becomes even denser on clypeus. Clypeus arcuately emarginated, with anterior angles right and protruding frontwards, leaving clypeo-labial membrane partially visible. Clypeo-frontal suture reduced to thin, brilliant line. In middle of frons, just behind eyes, two shallow, circular depressions, sometimes joined by short transverse depression. Mentum transverse, densely and coarsely punctate. Gula microshagreened, matte. Labium deeply notched in middle of front edge. ANTENNAE (Fig. 4D). Short, barely reaching basal third of pronotum when directed backwards. Antennomeres 4–7 particularly short and thick. PRONOTUM. Usually weakly transverse, not wider than long, broadest at or just behind its middle. Disc slightly convex. Sides regularly arcuate, except at posterior angles. Posterior angles obtuse and blunt. Anterior angles rounded. External rim complete on lateral margins, but obliterated in middle of front edge and base. Punctation extremely fne, sometimes barely visible. Carina of anterior foramen of pronotum very thick and neck-shaped. Episternum of prosternum superfcially wrinkled. Prosternal apophysis vertically bent just after anterior coxae, then fat and generally non-protruding posteriorly. ELYTRA. Ovoid, broadest around its middle. Upper surface smooth and covered with extremely fne and sparse punctures; background integument shining. Pseudopleural carina just visible on anterior half from above because of transversal convexity of elytra. Posterior declivity of elytra steep in lateral view. Mucro at apex of elytra measuring between 2.0 and 5.0 mm. Seen from above, deep suture fanked by two thick, coarsely transversely striated ribs, converging in curve toward apex, apex ending in deep and narrow apical gap (Fig. 4E). In lateral view, mucro thick on ¾ of its length, then abruptly sloping toward apex (Fig. 4F). Basin-shaped below, with bottom coarsely striated transversely. ABDOMEN. Ventrites wrinkled; anal ventrite punctate, with light depression on disc, external rim complete. LEGS. Quite short and stout. Protibiae slightly curved. Tarsi short. SEXUAL DIMORPHISM. No tuft of bristles between ventrites 1 and 2, but strong callosity present in middle of intercoxal process of ventrite 1 in males. Mucro longer in males (2.5–5.0 mm) than in females (2.0– 2.2 mm) (Fig. 4E, G). Male mesotibiae curved, slightly grooved on upper face. Male posterior tibiae fexuous and shallowly emarginated in middle of inner side, straight and simple in females. AEDEAGUS. On sternal face (Fig. 4H), parameres open, subparallel for 4/5 of their length, then triangularly narrowed at apex. In lateral view (Fig. 4I), parameres frst subparallel for 9/10 of their length, then obliquely truncated and end in a point. Bionomics The examined material was collected between April and September. Distribution Algeria and Tunisia. This species is currently only known from Tunisia and the Constantine region of Algeria. Remarks This species belongs to the Blaps emondi species group (sensu Condamine et al. 2011). It is morphologically related to B. emondi Solier, 1848 and B. binominata Escalera, 1914. In B. binominata the characteristic mucro is very broad and parallel, with a strong apical gap at a right angle. The male of B. emondi exhibits a tuft of yellow bristles between ventrites 1 and 2, and the abdominal callosity is located near the front edge of the intercoxal process of ventrite 1. It is also worth highlighting that Blaps nitiduloides sp. nov. is not found in sympatry with either B. binominata or B. emondi; the latter occurs in central and western Algeria, north of the ‘Hauts Plateaux’, and northeastern Morocco, whereas the distribution of B. binominata extends from the Oran region to the northeast of Morocco and the Spanish enclave of Melilla.

Blaps intermedia Soldati sp. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:EC3407F9-8A76-4296-AEC5-DFDA9F06CDE1 Fig. 2A–I Etymology The name of this species refers to the fact that it looks like a morphological intermediary between Blaps appendiculata Motschulsky, 1851 and B. debdouensis Obenberger, 1914. Material examined Holotype MOROCCO: ♂, “4.IV.1996, Arhbalou, Moyen Atlas, Maroc, P. Jolivet leg. / Museum Paris coll. P. Ardoin 1978 / Blaps ssp. intermedia m. Soldati det. 1996 / Blaps intermedia m. n. sp., L. Soldati 2015, HOLOTYPE” (MNHN). Paratypes MOROCCO: 1 ♂, “Marocco, Moyen Atlas 6.04.1958 Leg. L. Kocher / Coll. N. Skopin / appendiculata Motsch. 1975 N. Skopin det. / Blaps appendiculata canalicauda subsp. n. / Blaps emondi intermedia n. ssp. PARATYPE” (HNHM); 2 ♂♂, “Dj. Hebbri 18.IV.1926 / Coll. Dr. G. Audéoud” (HNHM); 2 ♂♂, “El Hajeb 19.IV.1926” (HNHM); 1 ♂, “Moyen Atlas, route P21 bif.r.3206 21.7.69 / Marokko O. Stemmler / Blaps tingitana All. Dr. Z. Kaszab det. 1973” (HNHM); 3 ♂♂, same data as holotype (MNHN); 1 ♂, “14.V.1969, Azrou, Moyen Atlas, Durand” (MNHN); 1 ♂, “20.IV.1965, Almis du Guigou p. Boulemane, Moyen Atlas, P. Jolivet” (MHNH); 1 ♂, “Azrou” (MNHN); 1 ♂, “20.IV.1965, Boulemane, Moyen Atlas, P. Jolivet” (MNHN); 1 ♂, “29.V.1968, 1800 m, Djebel Hebri, Moyen Atlas, Maroc, D. Seiler” (MNHN); 1 ♂, “Moyen Atlas, 1960 m, Djebel Hebri, Maroc, 30.IV.1970” (MNHN); 1 ♂, “Timhadit, 1900 m, Alluaud 1881” (MNHN); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, “rte entre Ajabou et Azrou (stat° 21, 1900 m, 33°15′ N / 05°14′ WW)” (MHNL); 1 ♂, “Aknoul 11/10/1936” (CS); 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀, “Jbel Tichtrar, Moy. Atl. 6.1973, Maroc, H. Fongond” (CS); 1 ♂, “Tizi Abekhnanes, Jbel Tichtrar, Maroc Moy. Atl. 27.VI.1973, H. Fongond” (CS); 1 ♂, “Forêt de Jaaba 11 km W. Ifrane Moyen Atlas Maroc 30.V.08” (CT); 1 ♂, “Maroc m 2000, Moyen Atlas, Aguelmame Sidi Ali, 20.VI.1998, P. Leo” (CMF); 1 ♀, “Aguelm. Sidi Ali,Moy. Alt., Maroc, 6.IV.1980, H. Fongond” (CMF). Other material (50 specimens, MNHN) MOROCCO: Aknoul, Almis du Guigou, Azerzou (SE of Khenifra) (MNHN); Azrou, Arhbalou-n- Serdane, Bekrite, 1950 m (Middle Atlas) (MNHN); Berkane (MNHN); Dayet Ifrah (MNHN); El Hadjeb (MNHN); Ifrane (MNHN); Zaouïa de l’Oued Ifrane (MNHN); Djebel Hebri (MNHN); Guercif (MNHN); Mechrâ Safsaf (near Berkane) (MNHN); Taza (MNHN); Tendrara (MNHN); Timhadit, Zad, 2100 m (MNHN). Description Length: 32.0–42.0 mm; width: 12.0–16.0 mm. Dull black. Oval-oblong, elongated (Fig. 2A–C). Upper surface covered with very fne and sparse punctures, progressively denser from elytra to head. HEAD. Clypeus arcuately emarginate, with lateral angles protruding frontwards, clypeo-labial membrane not visible. Clypeo-frontal suture reduced to thin, superfcially engraved glossy line. Middle of frons (disc) with faint, generally obliterated, transverse depression. Mentum transverse, punctate and slightly impressed in middle of anterior edge. Gula microshagreened, dull. Labium triangularly emarginated in middle of front edge. ANTENNAE. Medium size, reaching at most ¾ of pronotal length when directed backwards (Fig. 2D). PRONOTUM. Broadest in its middle, sides distinctly sinuated before posterior angles and arcuatly narrowed frontwards. Anterior angles rounded. Posterior angles sub-right and blunt. External rim fne, complete on lateral margins, but obliterated in middle of front edge and base. Disc convex. Punctuation fne, uniform. Carina of pronotum anterior foramen thick and neck-shaped below. Episternum of prosternum shallowly wrinkled near coxae and obliterate toward margins. Prosternal apophysis vertically bent just behind anterior coxae, then very slightly denticulate in middle at apex. ELYTRA. Ovoid, broadest around its middle, fat on disc. Upper surface leathery, covered with extremely fne and sparse punctures. Pseudopleural carina only visible from above because of tranversal convexity of elytra. Caudal extension at apex of elytra (mucro) measuring between 1.5 and 3.5 mm. Seen from above, mucro triangularly narrowed; deep suture fanked by two thick, coarsely transversely wrinkled ribs, converging toward apex, which ends in acute angular gap (Fig. 2E). In lateral view, mucro regularly narrowed up to apex, with lower face sub-horizontal (Fig. 2F); below, regularly but not deeply excavated, with sharp external edges and bottom transversally wrinkled. ABDOMEN. Ventrites wrinkled-punctate; anal ventrite fnely punctate, denser along external rim, external rim complete and fne. LEGS. Mesotibiae curved. Inner face of pro-and mesotibiae superfcially grooved. SEXUAL DIMORPHISM. Yellow tuft of bristles between ventrites 1 and 2, and strong callosity between middle and front edge of intercoxal process of ventrite 1. Callosity directed backwards, bifd on top (when not eroded), with some longitudinal and oblique folds on front side, and coarse, transversal wrinkles hindwards. Pseudopleural carina of elytra only visible on anterior half in males, visible on anterior third in females. In lateral view, posterior declivity of elytra steep in males and subvertical in females. Mucro longer in males (2.0–3.5 mm) than in females (1.5–2.0 mm) (Fig. 2E, G). Male protibiae slightly fexuous; straight in females. In males, rear edges of median and especially hind tibiae strongly denticulate. Male metatibiae fexuous and shallowly emarginated on inner face; female metatibiae straight and simple. AEDEAGUS. Parameres open on sternal face (Fig. 2H), with apex acuminate. In lateral view (Fig. 2I), parameres thick and convex at base, then narrowed almost in straight line up to apex. Bionomics The examined material was collected between April and October. Distribution Morocco: Middle Atlas mountain range and further north, up to the surroundings of Taza and Aknoul. Remarks This species belongs to the Blaps emondi species group (sensu Condamine et al. 2011). Blaps intermedia sp. nov. is morphologically very close to B. debdouensis, and the aedeagus is the most reliable character to the two species: in B. intermedia sp. nov. the parameres are more extended laterally and appear infated, whereas they are parallel and gutter-shaped in B. debdouensis. However, it is worth underlining that the aedeagus is often distorted by dehydration because of the very thin lateral tegument of the parameres. In the case of isolated females, the geographic distribution is a good criterion to distinguish females of Blaps intermedia sp. nov. from females of B. debdouensis.

Blaps teocchii Soldati sp. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BBAE8764-F336-4941-9657-009531E258BC Fig. 5A–I Etymology This species is named in honour of Pierre Teocchi, cerambycid specialist, to whom one of us (L. Soldati) owes having become an entomologist. Material examined Holotype TUNISIA: ♂, “Zaghouan, 20–22.V.1995, M. Ouda leg. / Blaps teocchii m. n. sp. L. Soldati 2015, HOLOTYPE” (MNHN). Allotype TUNISIA: ♀, same data as holotype (MNHN). Paratypes TUNISIA: 1 ♂, same data as holotype (CS); 1 ♂, same data as holotype (CT). Description Length: 31.0–33.0 mm; width: 11.0–13.0 mm. Semi-gloss black. Oval-oblong (Fig. 5A–C). Upper surface covered with very fne, sparse and superfcial punctures, denser on head and pronotum. HEAD. Clypeus arcuately emarginated, with lateral angles right and protruding frontwards, leaving clypeolabial membrane partially visible. Clypeo-frontal suture reduced to thin gloss line. Middle of frons (disc) with faint transverse depression. Mentum transverse, coarsely punctate and slightly impressed in middle of anterior edge. Gula microshagreened, matte. Labium deeply notched in middle of front edge. ANTENNAE. Slender, barely reaching pronotal base when directed backwards (Fig. 5D). PRONOTUM. Broadest in its middle, with sides narrowed almost in straight line posteriorly and arcuately towards front. Anterior angles rounded. Posterior angles obtuse and blunt. External rim fne, complete on lateral margins but obliterated in middle of front edge and base. Disc slightly convex. Punctation fne, uniform, as on head. Carina of anterior foramen of pronotum thick and neck-shaped below. Episternum of prosternum superfcially wrinkled. Prosternal apophysis vertically bent just behind anterior coxae, then fat and non-protruding posteriorly. ELYTRA. Ovoid, broadest around its middle, depressed on disc. Upper surface smooth and covered with very fne and sparse punctures; background integument semi-gloss. Caudal extension at apex of elytra (mucro) measuring between 1.0 and 2.5 mm. Seen from above, mucro almost subparallel; deep suture fanked by two thick, coarsely transversely wrinkled ribs, slightly converging toward apex, apex ending in narrow apical gap (Fig. 5E). In lateral view, mucro regularly sloping up to apex (Fig. 5F). Seen from below, mucro regularly excavated, with sharp external edges and bottom transversally wrinkled. ABDOMEN. Ventrites wrinkled-punctate; anal ventrite densely punctate, with external rim complete and quite thick. LEGS. Protibiae long and fexuous. Mesotibiae curved. Inner face of pro- and mesotibiae widely grooved. Tarsi elongated and stout; claws long. Hind tarsi as long as ¾ of length of corresponding tibiae. SEXUAL DIMORPHISM. No yellow tuft of bristles between ventrites 1 and 2, but strong callosity present between middle and anterior ridge of intercoxal process of ventrite 1 and directed backwards, with some oblique folds on front side. Elytra slightly larger than pronotum in males. Pseudopleural carina only visible on anterior half from above in males, or on anterior third in females, because of transversal convexity of elytra. In lateral view, posterior declivity of elytra steeper in females. Mucro longer in males (2.5 mm) than in females (1.0 mm) (Fig. 5E, G). Rear edges of median and especially hind tibiae strongly denticulate in males. Male metatibiae fexuous and shallowly emarginated on inner face at middle third; straight and simple in females. AEDEAGUS. Parameres bottleneck-shaped on sternal face (Fig. 5H), with apex acuminate. In lateral view (Fig. 5I), parameres thick and convex at base, then narrowed almost in straight line up to apex. Bionomics Unknown. Distribution Tunisia. So far known only from the type locality of Zaghouan in Tunisia. Remarks This species belongs to the Blaps emondi species group (sensu Condamine et al. 2011). It is morphologically very similar to B. maldesi sp. nov. from Tunisia (see above for more information).

Blaps maldesi Soldati sp. nov. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:ECAD95F0-9469-4AA3-824D-960F20F3DD15 Fig. 3A–I Etymology This species is named in honor of Jean-Michel Maldes, friend and colleague, entomologist at the CIRAD, specialist in Asilidae (Diptera), who discovered this new species of Blaps while prospecting in the Aures mountain range. Material examined Holotype ALGERIA: ♂, “Algérie, Mif Aurès, S’Gag, 1900 m, 19.VI.1981 / ALGERIE J. M. MALDES / Blaps maldesi m. n. sp., L. Soldati 2015, HOLOTYPE” (MNHN). Allotype ALGERIA: ♀, “S’Gag, 2000 m, Ras Gueddelane, Mif des Aurès, 18.VI.1981 / ALGERIE J. M. MALDES / Blaps maldesi m. n. sp., L. Soldati 2015” (MNHN). Paratype ALGERIA: 1 ♂, “Sgag (Aurès) / Blaps maldesi m. n. sp., L. Soldati 2015, PARATYPE” (CS). Description Length: 29.0–35.0 mm; width: 10.0–15.0 mm. Dull to semi-gloss black. Oval-oblong (Fig. 3A–C). Upper surface covered with very fne and sparse punctures, denser on head and pronotum. HEAD. Clypeus arcuately emarginated, with lateral angles right and protruding frontwards, leaving clypeo-labial membrane partially visible. Clypeo-frontal suture reduced to thin, superfcially engraved gloss line. Middle of frons (disc) with faint transverse depression. Mentum transverse, punctate and slightly impressed in middle of anterior edge. Gula microshagreened, matte. Labium deeply notched in middle of front edge. ANTENNAE. Medium size, not reaching pronotal base when directed backwards (Fig. 3D). PRONOTUM. Broadest in its middle, sides narrowed almost in straight line posteriorly, sinuated before posterior angles and arcuately narrowed toward front. Anterior angles rounded. Posterior angles obtuse and blunt. External rim fne, complete on lateral margins, but briefy obliterated in middle of front edge and base. Disc quite convex. Punctation fne, uniform. Carina of anterior foramen of pronotum thick and neck-shaped below. Episternum of prosternum wrinkled near coxae and obliterate toward sides. Prosternal apophysis vertically bent just behind anterior coxae, then fat and non-protruding posteriorly. ELYTRA. Ovoid, broadest around its middle, fat on disc. Upper surface leathery and covered with extremely fne and sparse punctures. Pseudopleural carina only visible on anterior half from above because of transversal convexity of elytra. Caudal extension at apex of elytra (mucro) measuring less than 2.0 mm. Deep suture of mucro fanked by two thick, coarsely transversely wrinkled ribs, converging toward apex, apex ends in narrow apical gap (Fig. 3E). In lateral view, mucro regularly sloping up to apex (Fig. 3F). Below, mucro regularly excavated, with sharp external edges and bottom transversally wrinkled. ABDOMEN. Ventrites wrinkled-punctate; anal ventrite densely punctate, especially along external rim, external rim complete and quite thick. In one case (paratype), external rim of anal ventrite shortly interrupted in middle of apex. LEGS. Protibiae long and fexuous, especially in males. Mesotibiae curved. Inner face of pro- and mesotibiae widely grooved. Tarsi elongated; claws long. Hind tarsi approximately as long as one half of length of corresponding tibiae. SEXUAL DIMORPHISM. Yellow tuft of bristles between ventrites 1 and 2, and a callosity in middle of intercoxal process of ventrite 1. Callosity directed backwards, with some oblique folds on front side. Elytra slightly larger than pronotum in males. In lateral view, posterior declivity of elytra steep in males and subvertical in females. Mucro longer in males (1.5–2.0 mm) than in females (0.5 mm) (Fig. 3E, G). Seem from above, mucro triangularly narrowed in males and acuminate in females. Rear edges of median and especially hind tibiae strongly denticulate in males. Male metatibiae fexuous and shallowly emarginated on inner face; female metatibiae straight and simple. AEDEAGUS. Parameres bottleneck-shaped on sternal face (Fig. 3H), with apex acuminate. In lateral view (Fig. 3I), parameres thick and convex at base, then narrowed almost in a straight line up to apex. Bionomics The three known specimens were taken in the cedar forest of S’Gag (Algeria). Distribution Algeria. This species is currently known only from the type locality of S’Gag in the Aurès region. Remarks This species belongs to the Blaps emondi species group (sensu Condamine et al. 2011). It is morphologically most similar to B. teocchii sp. nov. from Tunisia. Blaps maldesi sp. nov. is most clearly separated from B. teocchii sp. nov. by having shorter antennae and tarsi, a wider pronotum and by the presence of a tuft of yellow bristles between abdominal ventrites 1 and 2. Until now, these two species have passed unnoticed in the collections because they superfcially look like small specimens of other species of the emondi group, especially when the specimens are prepared in the old-fashioned way, with the legs tucked under the body. Compared to other species in the emondi group, these two species are characterized by the following combination of characters: slender legs; long and fexuous fore-tibiae, with inferior face distinctly grooved; tarsi long; and bottleneck-shaped parameres of aedeagus.

In this study, we reconstruct the first time-calibrated phylogeny of the iconic antlion family, the Myrmeleontidae (Neuroptera: Myrmeleontiformia). We use maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference to analyse a molecular dataset based on seven mitochondrial and nuclear gene markers. The dataset encompasses 106 species of Neuroptera, including 94 antlion species. The resulting phylogenetic framework provides support for a myrmeleontid classification distinguishing four subfamilies: Acanthaclisinae, Myrmeleontinae, Palparinae, and Stilbopteryginae. Within Myrmeleontinae, Myrmecaelurini and Nemoleontini are recovered as monophyletic clades; Gepini also appears as a valid tribe, distinct from Myrmecaelurini whereas Myrmecaelurini and Nesoleontini on one hand and Brachynemurini and Dendroleontini on the other hand, appear closely related. Some preliminary information related to generic and specific levels are also implied from our results, such as the paraphyly of several genera. Dating analyses based on thoroughly evaluated fossil calibrations indicate that the antlion family likely originated in the Cretaceous, between 135 and 138 million years ago (depending on the set of fossil calibrations), and that all higher-level lineages appeared during the Early Cretaceous. This first phylogenetic hypothesis will provide a valuable basis to further expand the taxonomic coverage and molecular sampling, and to lay the foundations of future systematic revisions.

With about 250 species, the genus Blaps Fabricius, 1775 is one of the most diverse genera of darkling beetles (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Tenebrioninae: Blaptini: Blaptina). In this study, we provide new insights on the evolutionary relationships of Blaps species using a combined molecular and morphological dataset encompassing 69 distinct Blaps species and subspecies (105 specimens in total, all belonging to the subgenus Blaps), four other representatives of the tribe Blaptini (from the subtribes Gnaptorina, Gnaptorinina and Prosodina) and 12 outgroup species. Five new species of Blaps are also described within the subgenus Blaps: B. effeminata sp. nov. from Libya, B. intermedia sp. nov. from Morocco, B. maldesi sp. nov. from Algeria, B. nitiduloides sp. nov. from Algeria and Tunisia and B. teocchii sp. nov. from Tunisia. The results of the phylogenetic analyses indicate that the genus Blaps is likely paraphyletic; the two highlighted clades are morphologically distinct and correspond to groups previously referred to as sections (I and II) within the subgenus Blaps. This suggests the need for more phylogenetic studies in order to clarify the status of the various genera and subgenera belonging to the tribe Blaptini.

Ten morphologically similar species of Acrapex Hampson, 1891 (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Apameini) from Central and Eastern Africa are reviewed, including five new species: Acrapex kafula le Ru sp. nov., A. kavumba le Ru sp. nov., A. kiakouama le Ru sp. nov., A. miscantha le Ru sp. nov. and A. simillima le Ru sp. nov. Evidence is provided to transfer the monotypic genus Poecopa Bowden, 1956 to the genus Acrapex . Host plants of five species are recorded, some of them for the first time. Acrapex kavumba sp. nov., A. miscantha sp. nov. and A. simillima sp. nov. were found on one host plant each. Acrapex mediopuncta , previously reported in West Africa from Pennisetum purpureum Schumach. , Rottboellia compressa L., Setaria megaphylla (Steud) Dur. & Schinz. and Sorghum arundinaceum (Desv.) Stapf, was only found from S. megaphylla in Central Africa. Larvae of Acrapex unicolora were collected on Andropogon gayanus Kunth, Chrysopogon zizanoides (L.) Roberty, Cymbopogon schoenanthus subsp. proximus (Hochst. ex A.Rich.) Maire & Weller, Cymbopogon pospischiilii (K.Schum.) C.E.Hubb. , Hyparrhenia diplandra (Hack.) Stapf and Setaria sphacelata (Schumach.) Moss. We also conducted molecular phylogenetic analyses (using maximum likelihood) and molecular species delimitation analyses on a comprehensive sample of 61 specimens belonging to eight of the studied species. Molecular phylogenetic analyses provided additional evidence of the synonymy of Acrapex and Poecopa , whereas molecular species delimitation analyses support the validity of the five newly described species and unravel another potential new species, only collected in the larval stage.

International audience; Twelve morphologically similar species of Acrapex Hampson 1894, (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Apameini, Sesamiina), from Western, Central and Eastern Africa are reviewed. Eight of these species are new to science and are described: Acrapex akunamatatan. sp. and A. incrassata n. sp. from Kenya; A. gracilis n. sp., A. iringa n. sp., A. lukumbura n. sp. and A. rungwe n. sp. from Tanzania; A. soyema n. sp. from Ethiopia; and A. zoutoi n. sp. from Benin. All 12 species belong to a species complex that we hereby define as the Acrapex apicestriata group. Host-plants for three of the new species are recorded: Setaria incrassata (Hochst.) Hack. for Acrapex incrassata; Cymbopogon pospishilii (K. Schum.) C.E. Hubb. for A. rungwe; and Andropogon perligulatus Stapf. for A. zoutoi. We also conducted molecular phylogenetic analyses (using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference) on a six gene multimarker molecular dataset (four mitochondrial and two nuclear gene fragments; 4581 nucleotides in length) consisting of 15 Acrapex species (including seven species from the apicestriata group) and four outgroups species from the subtribe Sesamiina (from genera Busseola Thurau 1904, Sciomesa Tams & Bowden 1953, Pirateolea Moyal, Le Ru, Conlong, Cugala, Defabachew, Matama-Kauma, Pallangyo & Van den Berg 2010 and Sesamia Boisduval & Guenee 1852). Both maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses yield a similar and well-supported topology, which supports the monophyly of the apicestriata group.

In this study, we review recent works in the phylogenetic investigations of plant–insect interactions. Thanks to the development of novel methodological approaches and the ever-increasing availability of informative molecular markers, it is indeed now possible to test more and more complex evolutionary scenarios. Here, we are limiting our review to studies on herbivorous insects (excluding work on the evolution of pollinating insects), and we provide an overview of the variety of approaches employed to answer fundamental questions in plant/insect evolution. More specifically, our review addresses studies that have focused on the following: (1) reconstructing the evolutionary history of the associations with plants; (2) inferring the diversification dynamics of herbivorous insects and (3) studying the biogeographic history of herbivorous insects. Finally, we attempt to decipher whether general trends in the evolution of plant–insect interactions have emerged from these studies and highlight the most promising perspectives in this field.

International audience; Five morphologically similar species of Acrapex Hampson (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Apameini), from sub-Saharan Africa are reviewed, including four new species that are described: Acrapex mondogeneta Le Ru n. sp., A. mubale Le Ru n. sp., A. robe Le Ru n. sp. and A. rubona Le Ru n. sp. These five species belong to a species complex that we hereby define as the Acrapex minima group. Host plants of three species are recorded; Acrapex minima is recorded for the first time on a host plant, Digitaria natalensis Stent; A. mondogeneta on Hyparrhenia hirta (L.) Stapf and A. rubona on Imperata cylindrica (L.) P. Beauv. We also conducted molecular phylogenetics (using both Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood) and molecular species delimitation analyses (Poisson tree processes) on a six gene multi-marker dataset (four mitochondrial and two nuclear gene fragments; 4582 nucleotides in length) of 42 specimens and 22 species, including 23 specimens from the Acrapex minima group. The results of the corresponding analyses support the monophyly of the group and the species status of the newly described taxa.

Insect diversity represents about 60% of the estimated million-and-a-half described eukaryotic species worldwide, yet comprehensive and well-resolved intra-ordinal phylogenies are still lacking for the majority of insect groups. This is the case especially for the most species-rich insect group, the beetles (Coleoptera), a group for which less than 4% of the known species have had their DNA sequenced. In this study, we reconstruct the first higher level phylogeny based on DNA sequence data for the species-rich darkling beetles, a family comprising at least 20 000 species. Although amongst all families of beetles Tenebrionidae ranks seventh in terms of species diversity, the lack of knowledge on the phylogeny and systematics of the group is such that its monophyly has been questioned (not to mention those of the subfamilies and tribes contained within it). We investigate the evolutionary history of Tenebrionidae using multiple phylogenetic inference methods (Bayesian inference, maximum likelihood and parsimony) to analyse a dataset consisting of eight gene fragments across 404 taxa (including 250 tenebrionid species). Although the resulting phylogenetic framework only encompasses a fraction of the known tenebrionid diversity, it provides important information on their systematics and evolution. Whatever the methods used, our results provide strong support for the monophyly of the family, and highlight the likely paraphyletic or polyphyletic nature of several important tenebrionid subfamilies and tribes, notably the polyphyletic subfamilies Diaperinae and Tenebrioninae that clearly require substantial revision in the future. Some interesting associations in several groups are also revealed by the phylogenetic analyses, such as the pairing of Aphtora Bates with Phrenapatinae. Furthermore this study advances our knowledge of the evolution of the group, providing novel insights into much-debated theories, such as the apparent relict distribution of the tribe Elenophorini.