Two new species of Larinus Dejean from North Africa (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), with a key to the striped Larinus (s.str.)

Two new sibling species, Larinus synthesys n. sp. from Algeria, and Larinus boroveci n. sp. from Algeria and Morocco, are described. Both species are tentatively assigned to the subgenus Larinus based on resemblance to species having longitudinal stripes on the elytra and rostrum. L. synthesys n. sp. is the smallest species in Larinus (s. str.) and is closely related to L. boroveci n. sp. The lectotype of Larinus cardopatii Lucas, 1847 is designated and redescribed. An illustrated key to the striped Larinus (s. str.) is given.     

Two new species of the Empis (Leptempis) rustica group of the Mediterranean basin (Diptera: Empididae: Empidinae)

Two new species of the Empis (Leptempis) rustica group are described: E. (L.) tenuis n. sp. and E. (L.) lauriauti n. sp. Both were mainly collected in mountainous areas of the Mediterranean basin; the first species was collected in Morocco and Southern Spain; the latter was found in late summer in the Southern Alps in France. The key to species of the Empis (L.) rustica group is updated to include these two new species as well as a recently described Caucasian species.     

A revision of the Chinese Catops Paykull 1798 of the Catops fuscus species group (Coleoptera: Leiodidae: Cholevinae)

Five species of the Catops fuscus species group are reported from China. Three species are newly described: C. hlisnikovskyi n. sp. from the Beijing municipality and Jiangsu province, C. schuelkei n. sp. from Sichuan and Yunnan provinces, and C. smetanai n. sp. from Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. Female of C. sasajii Nishikawa 2007 is described and the species is reported from Hubei, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces for the first time. Catops nigricans (Spence 1813) is reported for the first time from China (Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region). Important morphological characters are illustrated and the distribution of all species in China is mapped. Preliminar phylogenetic analysis separates (C. hlisnikovskyi n. sp.+C. fuscus fuscus Panzer 1794) as a sister clade to C. nigricans+(C. sasajii+(C. schuelkei n. sp.+C. smetanai n. sp.)), with C. paramericanus Peck & Cook 2002 as outgroup.     

Review of subtribe Pterellina Rohdendorf, 1967 (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) of Middle East with descriptions of twelve new species

Summary

Based on a revision of large recent collections housed at the Natural History Museum (London), Tel Aviv University and in the private collection of Yu. Verves and L. Khrokalo (Kyiv, Ukraine), new distributional data and an updated list with comments of 28 species of Middle Eastern Sarcophagidae of the subtribe Pterellina are presented. Seventeen of them are recorded for Israel, 11 for Egypt, four for Iran, two each for the Palestinian Authority, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, and one each for Jordan and the UAE. No data are known for the territories of Bahrain, Cyprus, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Syria and Yemen. Twelve species new to science are described, including nine from Israel (Chaetapodacra montana n. sp., Eremasiomyia bicolor n. sp., E. deserta n. sp., E. fuscata n. sp., Protomiltogramma bidentata n. sp., P. serrata n. sp., Pterella hermonica n. sp., P. indigens n. sp., P. zefatica n. sp.), two from Egypt (Chaetapodacra griseola n. sp., Eremasiomyia alba n. sp.) and one from Saudi Arabia (Protomiltogramma arabica n. sp.). The male of Eremasiomyia nigra Rohdendorf, 1935 is described for the first time. One new combination of specific name is proposed ? Protomiltogramma immunita (Villeneuve, 1923), n. comb. Original keys for the identification of genera and species are proposed. An annotated list of all world genera and species and compiled data on larval habits of Pterellina are included.     

The Tipulidae (Diptera) of northern Morocco with a focus on the Rif region,including the description of a new species of Tipula (Lunatipula) and an updated checklist for Morocco

An overview of the Tipulidae known to occur in northern Morocco with an emphasis on the Rif mountains is given, incorporating new distribution data based on recently collected material in the area. Dolichopeza (Dolichopeza) hispanica, Tipula (Lunatipula) subpustulata, and Tipula (Yamatotipula) afriberia afriberia are recorded for the first time for the Rif. Tipula (L.) stimulosa Mannheims, 1973 and T. (Vestiplex) vaillanti vaillanti Theowald, 1977 are reported for the first time for the Rif and Morocco. Tipula (Lunatipula) pseudocinerascens Strobl, 1906 and Tipula (Savtshenkia) confusa van der Wulp, 1883 are recorded for the first time for the Rif, Morocco and North Africa. A new species of the subgenus Lunatipula, T. (L.) pjotri n. sp., is described and illustrated. Nephrotoma exastigma, previously reported for the Rif, seems to be absent in Morocco. Reports of Tipula (Emodotipula) obscuriventris Strobl, 1900 for Morocco actually refer to T. (E.) leo. This brings the number of Tipulidae for Morocco to 39 species and for the Rif to 28. An updated checklist of the Tipulidae of Morocco is provided.     

New species,new geographical records of Neoibidionini and description of the females of Compsibidion paradoxum Martins, 1971 and Glomibidion trinidadense (Gilmour, 1963) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

Two new species of Neoibidionini from Colombia are described: Psiloibidion boteroi n. sp. and Tropidion neisi n. sp. The previous key to species of Tropidion is modified to include the new species. The females of Compsibidion paradoxum Martins, 1971 and Glomibidion trinidadense (Gilmour, 1963) are described and illustrated for the first time. Moreover, the geographical distribution is expanded for nine species of Neoibidionini.     

Remarkable discovery in a cave of south west Morocco: Siagona taggadertensis n.sp. (Carabidae: Siagoninae)

Five species of the genus Siagona Latreille 1804 (Carabidae: Siagoninae) are known from Morocco. Siagona taggadertensis n. sp., a remarkable species of Carabidae from a Moroccan cave is described. This insect is spectacular by its large size (one of the largest species of the genus), its external morphology, which isolates it from all the north african representant of the genus, and for the conditions of its discovery: its only known from the remains of six specimens, all of them found in the cave of Taggadert, western Atlas. Hypotheses concerning the ecology of this species are discussed.     

Folsomia (Collembola: Isotomidae) of China. II. heterocellata group

An annotated list of species of the Folsomia heterocellata group recorded in China is given. Folsomia cephalota n. sp., F. dorsomediaseta n. sp., F. longiseta n. sp., F. manubriopilosa n. sp., F. longdeica n. sp., and F. plenosensilla n. sp. are characterized by having a simple maxillary palp, four prelabral setae and no eyes. They differentiate mainly by characteristics of the furca. We report other species of the group which are recorded for the first time in China: Folsomia tianshanica Martynova, 1969, F. pseudovtorovi Potapov & Gulgenova, 2013, and F. pseudodecemoculata Stebaeva, 1971. This excludes F. wanxianensis Ji, Ding & Chen, 2007, for which we provide morphological remarks based on the type material. The group is mainly distributed in the central part of China (Chongqing, Gansu, southern part of Inner Mongolia, Ningxia and Shaanxi provinces). A key to all blind species with a simple maxillary palp is given.     

Revision of the western Palaearctic Mesoleptus (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)

The western Palaearctic species of the genus Mesoleptus Gravenhorst 1829 are redescribed and keys are given for their identification. Also a key for the identification of the three stilpnine genera (Atractodes, Mesoleptus, and Stilpnus) is given and the biology of the genus is discussed shortly. The following species are described as new: Mesoleptus hispanicus n. sp., M. sawoniewiczi n. sp. and M. tunisiensis n. sp. The male of Mesoleptus tobiasi Jonaitis is described for the first time. New combinations is M. incessor (Haliday). New synonyms number 143 and 34 lectotypes are chosen.     

New Middle Permian insects from Salagou Formation of the Lodève Basin in southern France (Insecta: Pterygota)

Summary

New insects are described from the Middle Permian (Guadalupian) of Salagou Formation in the Lodève Basin (Languedoc region, France). Palaeopterans are represented by new odonatopterans viz. Huangiopterum lodevense n. gen., n. sp. and Huangiopterum species B, attributed to clade Panodonata (Huangiopteridae n. fam.), already recorded through the family Saxonagrionidae in the same formation, and a diaphanopterodean Martynovia cf. halli Beckemeyer 2004 (Martynoviidae) known from the Lower Permian of Oklahoma. Archaeorthopterans are supplemented by Bethouxia ariegensis n. gen., n. sp., Paralongzhua elongata n. gen., n. sp., Lodevolongzhua incompleta n. gen., n. sp., the caloneurodean Jarmiloptera mouralensis n. gen., n. sp., and a cnemidolestodean cf. Tococladus sp. (Tococladidae). Permophyllum rotundatum n. sp. (?Tettigoniidae) demonstrates the first presence of Orthoptera with wings probably mimicking Peltaspermales reproductive organs in Late Palaeozoic possibly analogous to the known crypsis of roachoid tegmina with pteridosperm pinnules. Frequent occurrence of hardly identifiable grylloblattid wing fragments support their significant role in term of abundance and diversity of the Permian faunas. New taxa based on wing venation pattern as Genera and species undetermined A, B (Liomopteridae), Permobaharellus salagousensis n. gen., n. sp. (family uncertain), Lodevophlebia reticulata n. gen., n. sp. (Sylvaphlebiidae), Oborella lodevensis n. sp. (Euryptilonidae), and Genus and species undetermined C, were described. Paoliida is represented by a paoliid gen. et sp. indet. and three anthracoptilids Strephocladus gandi n. sp., Strephocladus mouralensis n. sp., Lodevocladus subtilis n. gen., n. sp. The first record of miomopteran Palaeomantis sp. (Paleomanteidae) from Salagou Formation is presented. Acercarian insects are represented by the first record of Thripida and diverse new hemipterans, namely Euroscytina lutevanorum n. gen., n. sp. (Cicadomorpha: Scytinopteridae), Prosbole dio n. sp., Prosbole garrici n. sp., Pervestigia cf. veteris Becker-Migdisova 1961 (Prosbolidae), Archescytina species A (Paleorrhyncha: Archescytinidae) and Permopsyllidium lesclansis n. sp. (Sternorrhyncha: Psylloidea: Protopsyllidiidae). Entomofauna from the Salagou Formation demonstrate highly diverse insect communities with some taxa linked to early and late Permian ones known from assemblages in Euramerica and Russia, such as Obora (Czech Republic), Wellington Formation (Kansas and Oklahoma, USA), and Tshekarda (Ural, Russia).     

Molecular phylogenetics and definition of the Acrapex minima Janse group (Lepidoptera,Noctuidae, Apameini,Sesamiina) with the description of four new species from the Afrotropics

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.     

New and little known species of the genus Zorochros Thomson 1859 (Coleoptera: Elateridae) from Palaearctic and Oriental Region

Sixteen new species of the genus Zorochros Thomson 1859 from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal and Thailand are described and illustrated, a key to the species of the Zorochros indicus group is given, and new records on already known species are provided. New species: Z. ahrensi n. sp., Z bingkorensis n. sp., Z. dabieshanensis n. sp., Z. dolini n. sp., Z. hartmanni n. sp., Z. hubeiensis n. sp., Z. karnaliensis n. sp., Z. magnificus n. sp., Z. naniensis n. sp., Z. nigredos n. sp., Z. platiai n. sp., Z schawalleri n. sp., Z. schmidti n. sp., Z. senaroensis n. sp., Z. theodori n. sp., and Z. tongshanensis n. sp.     

A revision of the genus Paronthobium from New Caledonia (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae: Epilissini)

A revision of the New Caledonian genus Paronthobium Paulian 1984 is presented. Anonthobium Paulian 1984 is synonymized with Paronthobium Paulian 1984 after evaluating the diagnostic characters originally introduced by Paulian to separate them. Upon examination of the type specimens, Onthobium caledonicum Paulian 1935 is separated from O. simplex Fauvel 1903 and restored as valid. Anonthobium moui Paulian 1984 is synonymized with Anonthobium micros Paulian 1984. Fifteen new species are described: P. adio n. sp., P. daghfousi n. sp., P. dierkensi n. sp., P. farino n. sp., P. iac n. sp., P. julieni n. sp., P. memaoya n. sp., P. minutum n. sp., P. nasutum n. sp., P. orientale n. sp., P. peckorum n. sp., P. petchecara n. sp., P. subdentatum n. sp., P. taom n. sp. and P. tchingou n. sp. The genus Paronthobium is now composed of 22 species. Illustrations of parameres and of male protibiae are provided for each species. Distribution maps and a key to species are given.     

Revision of the species of the Tychus rufus group (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae)

The species belonging to Tychus rufus group are revised. Eleven species are recognized, described and illustrated and a key to their identification is provided. Nine taxa are new to science: Tychus carpathius n. sp. from Karpathos island (Greece); T. torticornis n. sp. from Lesbos Island (Greece); T. pisidicus n. sp. and T. inermis n. sp. from southwestern Turkey; T. antiocheus n. sp. and T. effeminatus n. sp. from southeastern Turkey; T. artvinensis n. sp. from northeastern Turkey, and T. sidonicus n. sp. and T. libanus n. sp. from Lebanon.     

New data and new species of Microcoryphia and Zygentoma (Insecta) from Israel

The presented contribution concerns the study of several samples of Microcoryphia and of Zygentoma obtained in Israel; an up to date of the species of these insect Orders reported from Palestine is also presented. Genus Hyperlepisma (Lepismatidae: Ctenolepismatinae) is reported for the first time from the country and one new species H. palaestinensis n. sp., is described from the northern Negev. Another new species this one of the genus Lepidospora s. s. (Nicoletiidae: Coletiniinae), L. (L.) ayyalonica n. sp., is described from the Ayyalon Cave in Western Central Israel, from where several other terrestrial and aquatic endemic arthropods were already known.     

A new Manjarivolo Paulian, 1974 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae: Aulonocnemini) and comments on the unusual morphology of the scutellum

Manjarivolo randrianirinai n. sp. is described from Southern Madagascar (Andohahela massif). Remarks on its ecology and morphology are added and a key to Manjarivolo species is provided as well as a complete photographic iconography of all known species. The scutellum of Aulonocnemini displays an unusual morphology, reported for the first time within Scarabaeoidea. For the first time we provide scanning electron microscope micrographs of the mouthparts of these beetles.     

Ecnomus of Madagascar,species without modified spur (Trichoptera: Ecnomidae)

The 11 Malagasy species of the genus Ecnomus McLachlan, 1864 that do not belong to the psychomyiellodes species group are studied. One of them (Ecnomus salgiel Malicky, 2015) was recently described from Nosy Be Island. Ten are new and described: Ecnomus felix n. sp., E. dobignyi n. sp., E. matsaboryi n. sp., E. granjoni n. sp., E. commersoni n. sp., E. menavavae n. sp., E. ikopaensis n. sp., E. rubermortis n. sp., E. evidens n. sp., and E. tendroensis n. sp. All are endemic to Madagascar. Their distributions on the island are briefly described according to ecological data.