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The poorly known Noctuidae species, Anarta (Calocestra) mirabilis Volynkin, 2014 is reposted from Kazakhstan for the first time. The species was found in Aktobe, Karaganda, Abai and East Kazakhstan Regions of the country. The distributional map and data on the species bionomics are provided.

The Manchurian nemoral-subboreal underwing moth species, Catocala helena Eversmann, 1856 is reported from Kazakhstan for the first time. The data on the species bionomics in Kazakhstan and its general distribution are provided. Moths and the species habitats in Kazakhstan are illustrated.

A theoretical method is proposed for constructing new crystals consisting of β-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes with luminescent probes and determining their structural parameters.

The spatial genetic structure is a topical issue in the studies of various aspects of ecology and evolution. Using the multilocus autocorrelation method with hypervariable microsatellite genetic markers, we investigated a fine-scale pattern of genetic structure in 5 local populations of the common shrew Sorex araneus separated by distances of 300-1000 m (the Moscow chromosomal race). Spatial genetic autocorrelation analysis based on 5 microsatellite loci (expected heterozygosity0.79) with 90 alleles revealed a consistent pattern of significant positive genetic structure. By testing the autocorrelation at multiple scales from 25 to 500 m, we found that positive spatial genetic structure is detectable in distance classes of500 m. The weaker spatial genetic structure positively correlated with a higher ratio of nonresident individuals to residents' activity (number of captures). In contrast to nonresident animals, the residents demonstrated prominent genetic structure. Genetic difference (F

In this paper Isochlora balinti from Kazakhstan (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) is reported for the first time for Kazakhstan.

The first record of Theretra alecto (Linnaeus, 1758) with data on the species’ distribution and bionomics in Kazakhstan are presented.

It is stated that the populations of Anarta insolita (Staudinger, 1889) from Eastern Kazakhstan and Mongolia formerly considered as Anarta insolita uigurica (Hacker, 1998) represent two subspecies well-separated morphologically. A new subspecies A. insolita umay Volynkin, Titov & Černila, ssp. n. is described for the populations from the southeastern Russian Altai Mts and Mongolia. The true male of A. insolita uigurica from Eastern Kazakhstan is illustrated for the first time, a diagnosis for the subspecies is provided.

The Amphipalaearctic tiger moth species Diacrisia metelkana (Lederer, 1861) is reported for Kazakhstan for the first time. Data on species’ bionomics in Kazakhstan and general distribution are provided. Species’ habitats in Kazakhstan are illustrated.

The genus Shargacucullia G. Ronkay & L. Ronkay, 1992 is recorded in Altai Mountains (eastern Kazakhstan) for thefirst time. Three species, S. (Verbascullia) verbasci (Linnaeus, 1758), S. (Shargacucullia) xylophana (Boursin, 1934)and S. (Shargacucullia) nekrasovi G. Ronkay, L. Ronkay & Gyulai, 2011 are reported in the Tarbagatai Ridge andWest Altai Mountains. These are the north-easternmost known localities of the species. Adults, genitalia and habitatsof the species are illustrated.

The paper contains new data on the distribution of two Erebidae and ten Noctuidae species in Kazakhstan. New northernmost known localities for Leiometopon simyrides Staudinger, 1888, Lophoterges centralasiae (Staudinger, 1901) and Anarta vaciva (Püngeler, 1906), westernmost locality for Hadena dsungarica Hacker, 1996, easternmost localities for Autophila chamaephanes Boursin, 1940, Acronicta megacephala ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775), Episema tersa ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775), Leucochlaena fallax (Staudinger, 1870), Dasypolia timoi Fibiger & Nupponen, 2006 and Hadena persimilis Hacker, 1996, and southernmost localities for Acronicta megacephala and Phidrimana amurensis (Staudinger, 1892) are provided. Phidrimana amurensis is reported here for Kazakhstan for the first time. Four new localities in Kazakhstan for Thumatha senex (Hübner, [1808]) are given in addition to the single one known previously.

The paper contains data on the fauna of the Lepidoptera families Erebidae, Nolidae and Noctuidae of Pavlodar Region (North-East Kazakhstan). The check list includes 480 species (100 species of Erebidae, 8 species of Nolidae and 372 species of Noctuidae), 393 species are reported for the region for the first time. The map of collecting localities and pictures of the main landscapes of the region are presented.

A new species of the genus Victrix Staudinger, 1879, V. akbet Volynkin, Titov & Černila, sp. nov. is described from Kazakhstan. The new species belongs to the subgenus Poliobrya Hampson, 1908. A diagnostic comparison is made with V. frigidalis Varga & Ronkay, 1991, V. fabiani Varga & Ronkay, 1989 and V. umovii (Eversmann, 1846). The adults and male and female genitalia of the new and related species are illustrated.

Stream chemistry in permafrost regions is regulated by a variety of drivers that affect hydrologic flowpaths and watershed carbon and nutrient dynamics. Here we examine the extent to which seasonal dynamics of soil active layer thickness and wildfires regulate solute concentration in streams of the continuous permafrost region of the Central Siberian Plateau. Samples were collected from 2006 to 2012 during the frost-free season (May–September) from sixteen watersheds with fire histories ranging from 3 to 120 years. The influence of permafrost was evident through significantly higher dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations in the spring, when only the organic soil horizon was accessible to runoff. As the active layer deepened through the growing season, water was routed deeper through the underlying mineral horizon where DOC underwent adsorption and concentrations decreased. In contrast, mean concentrations of major cations (Ca2+ > Na+ > Mg2+ > K+) were significantly higher in the summer, when contact with mineral horizons in the active zone provided a source of cations. Wildfire caused significantly lower concentrations of DOC in more recently burned watersheds, due to removal of a source of DOC through combustion of the organic layer. An opposite trend was observed for dissolved inorganic carbon and major cations in more recently burned watersheds. There was also indication of talik presence in three of the larger watersheds evidenced by Cl− concentrations that were ten times higher than those of other watersheds. Because climate change affects both fire recurrence intervals as well as rates of permafrost degradation, delineating their combined effects on solute concentration allows forecasting of the evolution of biogeochemical cycles in this region in the future.

An approach for preparing MoS2 films in mild conditions is described, which is based on producing the suspensions of nanocrystalline MoS2 particles in organic solvent via exfoliation of MoS2 crystals, followed by the deposition of these suspensions onto substrate. According to X-Ray diffraction data, acetonitrile suspensions yield highly oriented films with the basal planes of MoS2 crystallites being mainly oriented in the plane parallel to the substrate. Atomic force microscopy examination revealed changes in the film surface topography under variation of the film thickness, which varied in the range of 0.03–2.2 μm. The optical absorption spectra of the obtained MoS2 films were found to resemble those of thin natural MoS2 single crystals. Dark conductivity of the films with the thickness of d = 0.12–2.2 μm was determined to be ~ 10− 3 S∙cm− 1 at 300 K. Experimental data on the conductivity in the temperature range of 10–300 K were fitted to Mott function for 3D variable-range hopping. The synthesized MoS2 films were found to be photosensitive in the range of 300–800 nm. They provided the value of reduced photocurrent density of about 7∙10− 4 (A∙cm)/(WV) under photoexcitation at 575 nm.

The paper contains data on the fauna of the Lepidoptera families Erebidae (excluding subfamilies Lymantriinae and Arctiinae) and Noctuidae of the Saur Mountains (East Kazakhstan). The check list includes 217 species. The map of collecting localities is presented.

A poorly-known noctuid species Pseudohadena argyllostigma (Varga & Ronkay, 1991) is recorded from North-East Kazakhstan. This is one of the few records of the species since its description, and the first from Kazakhstan. The adults, male and female genitalia and habitat of the species are illustrated, the check-list of species of the genus Pseudohadena Alphéraky, 1889 of Kazakhstan is presented.

A West Palaearctic noctuid species Lithophane furcifera (Hufnagel, 1766) is reported from North-East Kazakhstan. This record is a first find of the species in Kazakhstan as well as the easternmost confirmed locality. The distribution of the species in eastern limits of its range is directly related to the distribution of its hostplants, species of the genus Alnus. The adults, male and female genitalia are illustrated.

A new species of the genus Perigrapha, P. yasawii sp. n. is described from Syrdarya river valley, South Kazakhstan. The adults and male genitalia of the new and related species are illustrated.

The Holarctic genus Euchalcia Hübner, [1821] belongs to the tribe Plusiini of the subfamily Plusiinae. The genus is one of the largest in the Plusiinae, comprising about 54 described species. The systematics of Eurasian and North African members of the genus was recently revised (Ronkay et al. 2008). In June 2013, in the course of faunistic studies on Noctuidae of the Tarbagatai Mts. (East Kazakhstan), a long series of an undescribed species of the genus was collected. Two additional specimens from the Dzhungarsky Alatau Mts. (South-East Kazakhstan) were found in the collection of the Siberian Zoological Museum (Novosibirsk). The species is described herein as new. It belongs to the E. inconspicua group within the E. inconspicua species-complex (Ronkay et al. 2008). The E. inconspicua group comprises two described species only: E. inconspicua (Graeser, 1892) and E. anthea L. Ronkay, G. RonkayBehounek, 2008. The new species is the northernmost member of the group. Institutional acronyms are as follows: AVB-coll. A.V. Volynkin, Barnaul, Russia; MČK-coll. M. Černila, Kamnik, Slovenia; NHMW-Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria; STP-coll. S.V. Titov, Pavlodar, Kazakhstan; SZMN-Siberian Zoological Museum of the Institute of Animal Systematic and Ecology of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Novosibirsk, Russia), ZISP-Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia.

A very rare little-known species Cucullia tiefi Tshetverikov, 1956 recorded in North-East Kazakhstan for the first time. The adults, male and female genitalia are illustrated. The structure of male vesica is discussed.

A little-known species of Lepidoptera, Cara­drina monssacralis (Varga & L. Ronkay, 1991), is recorded in Kazakhstan for the first time. This is a westernmost known locality of the species. Adults, male genitalia and the habitat of the species are illustrated.

Noctuidae is one of the most species-rich families of Lepidoptera (Nieukerken et al. 2011). The Palaearctic noctuid genus Dasypolia Guenee includes more than a hundred species some of which are still undescribed. The genus is distributed predominantly in the mountain massifs of Asia, reaching the highest species diversity in the Tibetan and Himalayan regions. Many species of Dasypolia have been described during last three decades (Hacker & Peks 1990, 1992, 1996; Ronkay & Varga 1990; Ronkay et al. 1991; Ronkay & Plante 1992; Ronkay & Zilli 1993; Gyulai & Ronkay 1995; Hreblay & Ronkay 1995, 1999; Ronkay et al. 1995; Hacker & Ronkay 1996; Hreblay & Ronkay 1998; Hreblay et al. 1998; Ronkay et al. 1998; Ivinskis & Saldaitis 2010; Benedek et al. 2011; Volynkin 2012; Benedek et al. 2014; Ronkay et al. 2014; Benedek & Saldaitis 2014). The genus is now subdivided into twelve subgenera, six of which have recently been described by Benedek et al. (2011) and Benedek & Saldaitis (2014). One subgenus, Tschetwerikovia Bundel, 1966 has been synonymised with the nominate subgenus by Ronkay et al. (2014).

A new species of the genus Perigrapha, P. yasawii sp. n. is described from Syrdarya river valley, South Kazakhstan. The adults and male genitalia of the new and related species are illustrated.

The Holarctic genus Euchalcia Hubner, [1821] belongs to the tribe Plusiini of the subfamily Plusiinae. The genus is one of the largest in the Plusiinae, comprising about 54 described species. The systematics of Eurasian and North African members of the genus was recently revised (Ronkay et al. 2008). In June 2013, in the course of faunistic studies on Noctuidae of the Tarbagatai Mts. (East Kazakhstan), a long series of an undescribed species of the genus was collected. Two additional specimens from the Dzhungarsky Alatau Mts. (South-East Kazakhstan) were found in the collection of the Siberian Zoological Museum (Novosibirsk). The species is described herein as new. It belongs to the E. inconspicua group within the E. inconspicua species-complex (Ronkay et al. 2008). The E. inconspicua group comprises two described species only: E. inconspicua (Graeser, 1892) and E. anthea L. Ronkay, G. Ronkay & Behounek, 2008. The new species is the northernmost member of the group. Institutional acronyms are as follows: AVB-coll. A.V. Volynkin, Barnaul, Russia; MCK-coll. M. Cernila, Kamnik, Slovenia; NHMW-Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria; STP-coll. S.V. Titov, Pavlodar, Kazakhstan; SZMN-Siberian Zoological Museum of the Institute of Animal Systematic and Ecology of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Novosibirsk, Russia), ZISP-Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia.

Orthosia Ochsenheimer, 1816 is a Holarctic-Oriental noctuid genus comprising more than 60 described species, with most distributed in the eastern and southeastern Palaearctic and Oriental regions. Many species have recently been described from Asia (Hreblay 1991, 1993, 1994; Yoshimoto 1993; Hreblay & Plante 1994; Hreblay & Ronkay 1998, 1999; Ronkay et al. 2010, Saldaitis et al. 2011, etc.). The O. incerta species-group includes 10 described species (see Ronkay et al. 2001), and during the course of faunistic studies on the Noctuidae of North-East Kazakhstan, a new member of this species-group was found; it is described herein as new.

Six new species of the bryophiline genus Athaumasta Hampson, 1906 are described from the mountains of north-eastern and eastern Kazakhstan, Russian Altai and Western Mongolia: A. dzhungarica Volynkin & Saldaitis, sp. nov. (W Mongolia), A. kurchuma Volynkin & Titov, sp. nov. (E Kazakhstan), A. arida Volynkin & Saldaitis, sp. nov. (SE Russian Altai and W Mongolia), A. etugen Volynkin & Saldaitis, sp. nov. (W Mongolia), A. tarbagata Volynkin, Titov & Saldaitis, sp. nov. (E Kazakhstan) and A. kuchinichi Volynkin, Titov & Saldaitis, sp. nov. (NE Kazakhstan). The species status of new taxa is proved based on morphological and molecular data as well. The checklist of valid taxa of the genus is provided. Adults and genitalia of new and related species are illustrated. The habitats of the new and some related species are illustrated.