New Species of the Genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Photodotis</Emphasis> Meyr. (Lepidoptera,Gelechiidae) in the Fauna of Laos

Three species of the gelechiid moth genus Photodotis new to science are described from central Laos: P. daedalea sp. n., P. lurida sp. n., and P. reclinata sp. n.     

The millipede genus Orthomorpha Bollman, 1893 in Laos (Diplopoda,Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae), with descriptions of new species

The genus Orthomorpha is currently represented in Laos by nine species, including three, O. paviei Brölemann, 1896, O. communis Likhitrakarn, Golovatch & Panha, 2011 and O. cambodjana (Attems, 1953), which are new to the fauna of the country, and further three new to science: O. suberectoides sp. n., O. gladiata sp. n. and O. sutchariti sp. n.     

A taxonomic review of the Neoserica (sensu lato) septemlamellata group (Coleoptera,Scarabaeidae, Sericini)

In the present paper the species belonging to the Neoserica (sensu lato) septemlamellata group, that included so far only four known species, are revised. Here we describe eleven new species originating mainly from Indochina and Southern China: N. daweishanica sp. n., N. gaoligongshanica sp. n., N. guangpingensis sp. n., N. igori sp. n., N. jiulongensis sp. n., N. plurilamellata sp. n., N. weishanica sp. n., N. yanzigouensis sp. n. (China) N. sapaensis sp. n. (China, Vietnam), N. bansongchana sp. n., N. takakuwai sp. n. (Laos). The lectotypes of Neoserica septemlamellata Brenske, 1898 and N. septemfoliata Moser, 1915 are designated. Keys to the species and species groups are given, the genitalia of all species and their habitus are illustrated and distribution maps are included.     

Definition and review of the lancangjiang species group of the termitophilous genus Orthogonius Macleay, 1825 (Coleoptera,Carabidae, Orthogoniini)

The lancanjiang species group of the termitophilous ground beetle genus Orthogonius Macleay, 1825, is defined and reviewed. This group is characterized by the black and rather elongate body, dense punctation on head and elytra, long and slender appendages, thin fore tibiae, and elytral interval 3 without a subapical setiferous pore. To date, the lancanjiang species group is composed of four species and one subspecies, including three new species and one new subspecies which are described in the present paper: O. macrophthalmus sp. n. (northern Vietnam), O. euthyphallus sp. n. (southern Vietnam), O. euthyphallus bolavenensis ssp. n. (southern Laos) and O. carinatus sp. n. (northern Laos). A distribution map and a key to all species of this group are also provided.     

Six new species of Agrilus Curtis, 1825 (Coleoptera,Buprestidae, Agrilinae) from the Oriental Region related to the emerald ash borer, A. planipennis Fairmaire, 1888 and synonymy of Sarawakita Obenberger, 1924

Six new species of Agrilus Curtis, 1825 with affinities to the emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, 1888, are described from the Oriental Region: Agrilus crepuscularis sp. n. (Malaysia); Agrilus pseudolubopetri sp. n. (Laos); Agrilus sapphirinus sp. n.(Laos); Agrilus seramensis sp. n.(Indonesia); Agrilus spineus sp. n. (Malaysia); and Agrilus tomentipennis sp. n. (Laos). The genus Sarawakita Obenberger, 1924 syn. nov. is considered a junior synonym of Agrilus.     

A taxonomic review of the Neoserica (sensu lato) abnormis group (Coleoptera,Scarabaeidae, Sericini)

The present paper revises the species belonging to the Neoserica (sensu lato) abnormis group, so far known only with two nominal species. Twenty new species are herein described from Indochina and southern China: N. abnormoides sp. n. (Vietnam, China), N. allolaotica sp. n., N. namthaensis sp. n., N. simplicissima sp. n. (Laos), N. thailandensis sp. n. (Thailand), N. alloputaoana sp. n., N. kanphantensis sp. n., N. natmatoungensis sp. n., N. putaoana sp. n., N. taunggyiana sp. n. (Myanmar), N. lamellosa sp. n., N. tonkinea sp. n. (Vietnam), N. bairailingshanica sp. n., N. euyunnanica sp. n., N. huangi sp. n., N. jiangxiensis sp. n., N. trifida sp. n., N. yaoi sp. n., N. yingjiangensis sp. n. (China), N. cardamomensis sp. n. (Indochina and southern China). One new combination is established: Neoserica ponderosa Arrow, 1946, comb. n. The lectotypes of Neoserica abnormis Moser, 1908 and the taxonomically uncertain N. inclinata Brenske, 1898, which very likely also belongs to this species group, are designated herein. A key to the species and to species groups is given, the genitalia of all species including their habitus are illustrated. Maps of species distribution are included.     

Four new spider species of the family Theridiosomatidae (Arachnida,Araneae) from caves in Laos

Four new species of the spider family Theridiosomatidae are described from caves in Laos: Alaria cavernicola sp. n. (♂♀), A. navicularis sp. n., (♂♀) A. bicornis sp. n. (♂♀), Chthonopes thakekensis sp. n. (♀). Diagnoses and illustrations for all new taxa are given. All holotypes are deposited in the Senckenberg Research Institute in Frankfurt am Main, Germany (SMF).     

Revision of the genus Thermistis Pascoe 1867, with descriptions of three new species (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Saperdini)

The genus Thermistis Pascoe 1867 is revised. T. croceocincta conjunctesignata Rondon & Breuning 1971 is upgraded to a species and newly recorded from China and Myanmar. T. xanthomelas Holzschuh 2007 is newly recorded from Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar. T. sulphureonotata Pu 1984 is newly recorded from Vietnam and Laos. Three new species are described from China: T. hainanensis Lin & Yang n. sp. from Hainan Island, T. kaiyuni Chou & Kurihara n. sp. from Taiwan Island and T. cheni Lin & Chou n. sp. from Yunnan and Sichuan provinces. Photographs of habitus and terminalia and a key to the eleven valid species of Thermistis are presented.     

Revision of the Agrilus beatissimus species–group (Coleoptera,Buprestidae) with description of five new species from Southeast Asia

The newly defined Agrilus beatissimus species–group comprising seven species from Southeast Asia is revised. The key to species is provided and complemented with illustrations of habitus, genitalia and type specimens. The following five new species are described: Agrilus bilyanus sp. nov. (Thailand); A. campana sp. nov. (Laos); A. galazopos sp. nov. (Laos); A. plurifrons sp. nov. (Laos, Myanmar) and A. undatus sp. nov. (Laos). Comprehensive commented references, data on type specimens and new faunal records are cited. The distribution is updated for A. beatissimusDescarpentries and Villiers 1963 and A. dunoyeriBaudon 1968.     

Taxonomic review of the genus Thecobathra (Lepidoptera,Yponomeutidae) from Taiwan

The Taiwanese species of Thecobathra are reviewed. Four new species of Thecobathra: T. heppneri n. sp., T. minuta n. sp., T. pauciguttata n. sp., and T. taiwanensis n. sp. are described. The female genitalia of T. basilobata are described for the first time. Keys to all the Taiwanese species of Thecobathra are provided.     

New Ephialtitidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) from the Jurassic Daohugou Beds of Inner Mongolia,China

Five new species are described from the Middle–Upper Jurassic Daohugou Beds of Inner Mongolia, China, and assigned to the genus Karataus Rasnitsyn, 1977 in the subfamily Symphytopterinae of Ephialtitidae. They are illustrated as Karataus daohugouensis n. sp., K. strenuus n. sp., K. vigoratus n. sp., K. exilis n. sp., and K. orientalis n. sp., and a key to species of Karataus is presented.     

Australian Assassins, Part III: A review of the Assassin Spiders (Araneae, Archaeidae) of tropical north-eastern Queensland

The assassin spiders of the family Archaeidae from tropical north-eastern Queensland are revised, with eight new species described from rainforest habitats of the Wet Tropics bioregion and Mackay-Whitsundays Hinterland: Austrarchaea griswoldi sp. n., Austrarchaea hoskini sp. n., Austrarchaea karenae sp. n., Austrarchaea tealei sp. n., Austrarchaea thompsoni sp. n., Austrarchaea wallacei sp. n., Austrarchaea westi sp. n. and Austrarchaea woodae sp. n. Specimens of the only previously described species, Austrarchaea daviesae Forster & Platnick, 1984, are redescribed from the southern Atherton Tableland. The rainforests of tropical eastern Queensland are found to be a potential hotspot of archaeid diversity and endemism, with the region likely to be home to numerous additional short-range endemic taxa. A key to species complements the taxonomy, with maps, natural history information and conservation assessments provided for all species.     

Review of the millipede genus Kronopolites Attems, 1914 (Diplopoda,Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae), with the description of a new species from Laos

The millipede genus Kronopolites currently comprises 11 species, including a new species from northern Laos: Kronopolites lunatus sp. n. The generic diagnosis is updated, a key given to all known species, and their distributions are mapped.     

An update to the taxonomy of the genus Gastroserica Brenske (Coleoptera,Scarabaeidae, Sericini)

Based on the examination of newly collected material and additional specimens housed in Chinese collections, our knowledge of Gastroserica Brenske, 1897, is expanded. Here, seven new species are described, including habitus photographs and illustrations of the male genitalia: Gastroserica haoyui sp. n. (China: Zhejiang Prov.), G. fengduana sp. n. (China: Sichuan Prov.), G. wenzhui sp. n. (China: Guangxi Prov.), G. damingshanica sp. n. (from China: Guangxi Prov.), G. jinxiuensis sp. n. (China: Guangxi Prov.), G. liboensis sp. n. (China: Yunnan Prov.) and G. carolusi sp. n. (Laos). Additionally, we provide a distribution map of the new taxa and new distribution records of the known taxa.     

Notes on the genus Taridius Chaudoir, 1875 (Coleoptera,Carabidae, Lebiini), with descriptions of?six new species from Vietnam

Six new species of the genus Taridius Chaudoir, 1875 (Coleoptera, Carabidae) are described from Vietnam: Taridius ornatus sp. n., Taridius piceus sp. n., Taridius fasciatus sp. n., Taridius abdominalis sp. n., Taridius coriaceus sp. n., and Taridius disjunctus sp. n.. The generic characters are redescribed, based on fresh material, with a key provided to all congeners.     

The semi-aquatic freshwater earthworms of the genus Glyphidrilus Horst, 1889 from Thailand (Oligochaeta,Almidae) with re-descriptions of several species

The semi-aquatic freshwater earthworm genus Glyphidrilus Horst, 1889 from Thailand was investigated based on extensive recent collecting. The species in this genus were characterized by their external and internal morphological characters of the location of wings, genital openings, genital organ structures and their locations, as well as the dimensions of body length and number of segments. Several type specimens were compared with both previous and newly collected materials. Ten new species are described from several river systems in Thailand; as Glyphidrilus borealis sp. n., Glyphidrilus chaophraya sp. n., Glyphidrilus chiensis sp. n., Glyphidrilus huailuangensis sp. n., Glyphidrilus kratuensis sp. n., Glyphidrilus quadratus sp. n., Glyphidrilus trangensis sp. n., Glyphidrilus wararamensis sp. n., Glyphidrilus vangthongensis sp. n. and Glyphidrilus vesper sp. n. Each species is endemic to a single river system. All 26 previously described species are re-described, and eight lectotypes have been designated. An identification key and a morphological comparison summary are provided.     

New species of the buprestid genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Endelus</Emphasis> Deyrolle (Coleoptera,Buprestidae) from China,India, and Laos

Endelus (Kubaniellus) indicus sp. n. from India, E. (K.) lao sp. n. and E. (K.) khnzoriani sp. n. from Laos, E. (s. str.) sausai sp. n. from China, and E. (s. str.) dembickyi sp. n. from India are described, the two latter species are included in the Endelus bicarinatus Théry, 1932 species-group recently established by the author. E. collinus Obenberger, 1922 is included in this group; lectotype of this species is designated. Keys to species of the subgenus Kubaniellus and of the E. collinus group are provided. E. (K.) kareni Kalashian is for the first time recorded for Shaanxi Prov., E. pacholatkoi Kalashian, E. smaragdinus Desc. et Vill., and E collinus Obenb., for Laos (the latter species, also for Myanmar).     

Integrative taxonomy of New Caledonian beetles: species delimitation and definition of the Uloma isoceroides species group (Coleoptera,Tenebrionidae, Ulomini), with the description of four new species

New Caledonia is an important biodiversity hotspot with much undocumented biodiversity, especially in many insect groups. Here we used an integrative approach to explore species diversity in the tenebrionid genus Uloma (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Ulomini), which encompasses about 150 species, of which 22 are known from New Caledonia. To do so, we focused on a morphologically homogeneous group by comparing museum specimens with material collected during several recent field trips. We also conducted molecular phylogenetic analyses based on a concatenated matrix of four mitochondrial and three nuclear genes for 46 specimens. The morphological study allowed us to discover and describe four new species that belong to the group of interest, the Uloma isoceroides group. Molecular analyses confirmed the species boundaries of several of the previously described species and established the validity of the four new species. The phylogenetic analyses also provided additional information on the evolutionary history of the group, highlighting that a species that was thought to be unrelated to the group was in fact a member of the same evolutionary lineage. Molecular species delimitation confirmed the status of the sampled species of the group and also suggested some hidden (cryptic) biodiversity for at least two species of the group. Altogether this integrative taxonomic approach has allowed us to better define the boundaries of the Uloma isoceroides species group, which comprises at least 10 species: Uloma isoceroides (Fauvel, 1904), Uloma opacipennis (Fauvel, 1904), Uloma caledonica Kaszab, 1982, Uloma paniei Kaszab, 1982, Uloma monteithi Kaszab, 1986, Uloma robusta Kaszab, 1986, Uloma clamensae sp. n., Uloma condaminei sp. n., Uloma jourdani sp. n., and Uloma kergoati sp. n. We advocate more studies on other New Caledonian groups, as we expect that much undocumented biodiversity can be unveiled through the use of similar approaches.     

Introduction of the Exocelina ekari-group with descriptions of 22 new species from New Guinea (Coleoptera,Dytiscidae, Copelatinae)

The Exocelina ekari-group is here introduced and defined mainly on the basis of a discontinuous outline of the median lobe of the aedeagus. The group is known only from New Guinea (Indonesia and Papua New Guinea). It contained four species to date: Exocelina astrophallus (Balke, 1998), Exocelina atowaso (Shaverdo, Sagata & Balke, 2005), Exocelina munaso (Shaverdo, Sagata & Balke, 2005), and Exocelina polita (Sharp, 1882). Twenty two new species are described herein: Exocelina alexanderi sp. n., Exocelina anggiensis sp. n., Exocelina arfakensis sp. n., Exocelina bifida sp. n., Exocelina brahminensis sp. n., Exocelina bundiensis sp. n., Exocelina edeltraudae sp. n., Exocelina ekari sp. n., Exocelina eme sp. n., Exocelina evelyncheesmanae sp. n., Exocelina hansferyi sp. n., Exocelina irianensis sp. n., Exocelina kakapupu sp. n., Exocelina knoepfchen sp. n., Exocelina oceai sp. n., Exocelina pseudosoppi sp. n., Exocelina soppi sp. n., Exocelina unipo sp. n., Exocelina utowaensis sp. n., Exocelina waigeoensis sp. n., Exocelina weylandensis sp. n., and Exocelina wondiwoiensis sp. n. The lectotype of Copelatus politus Sharp, 1882 is designated. A checklist and identification key to all species of the group are provided and important diagnostic characters (habitus, color, male antennae and protarsomeres 4–5, median lobes and parameres) are illustrated. Data on the distribution and habitat requirements are given. Representatives of the Exocelina ekari-group are so far mostly known from lowland to lower montane habitats of the northern and central parts of New Guinea, the group is less diverse in higher altitudes.     

New earthworm species of the genus Amynthas Kinberg, 1867 from Thailand (Clitellata, Oligochaeta, Megascolecidae)

Four new species of terrestrial earthworms from the zebrus-group in the genus Amynthas Kinberg, 1867, are described from Nan province, north Thailand: Amynthas phatubensissp. n., from Tham Pha Tub Arboretum, Amynthas tontongsp. n., from Tontong Waterfall, Amynthas borealissp. n., from Chaloemprakiat district, and Amynthas srinansp. n., from Srinan National Park.After comparing with the two closely related Laos species Amynthas chandyi Hong, 2008 and Amynthas namphouinensis Hong, 2008, the four new species show clear morphological differences, and also it is confirmed that there are no previous records of the species described here. Amynthas phatubensissp. n. is the largest (longest) sized of these earthworms and is the only species that lives in limestone habitats. The genital characters are different among them and also from the two Laotian species. Molecular systematics would be a good method for further analysis of the diversity and species boundaries in SE Asian Amynthas.