Contributions to the knowledge of the leaf beetles (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) of Russia

A new species, Macroplea skomorokhovi sp. n., is described from the Russian Far East, and a key to species of the genus Macroplea Curtis is given. Cryptocephalus oxysternus Jacobson (Primorskii Territory) and Longitarsus truncatellus Weise (northern Caucasus) are recorded for the Russian fauna for the first time.     

Systematic and biogeographical study of Protura (Hexapoda) in Russian Far East: new data on high endemism of the group

Proturan collections from Magadan Oblast, Khabarovsk Krai, Primorsky Krai, and Sakhalin Oblast are reported here. Twenty-five species are found of which 13 species are new records for Russian Far East which enrich the knowledge of Protura known for this area. Three new species Baculentulus krabbensis sp. n., Fjellbergella lazovskiensis sp. n. and Yichunentulus alpatovi sp. n. are illustrated and described. The new materials of Imadateiella sharovi (Martynova, 1977) are studied and described in details. Two new combinations, Yichunentulus borealis (Nakamura, 2004), comb. n. and Fjellbergella jilinensis (Wu & Yin, 2007), comb. n. are proposed as a result of morphological examination. Keys to species of the genera Fjellbergella and Yichunentulus are given. An annotated list of all species of Protura from Russian Far East is provided and discussed. Widely distributed species were not recorded in this area. This may be because of the high sensitivity of Protura to anthropogenic impact and low dispersal ability of the group.     

A review of scarab beetles of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hoplia</Emphasis> (Coleoptera,Scarabaeidae) from the Russian Far East

A review of the species of the genus Hoplia from the Russian Far East is given. Lectotypes are designated for Anisoplia cincticollis Faldermann and Hoplia djukini Jacobson. Hoplia cincticollis (Faldermann) is recorded from the Russian Far East for the first time. An original key to the species of the genus Hoplia of the Russian Far East fauna is provided.     

On the species of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Diplocheila</Emphasis> Brullé (Coleoptera: Carabidae) of the Far East of Russia,with a brief review of the East Asian species

A taxonomic review of seven species of Diplocheila of the Far East of Russia and adjacent lands is given. Three species are known from the Russian Far East, two of which, D. zeelandica Redt. and D. minima Jedl., are recorded from Russia for the first time. A key to the East Asian species is presented. Composition and diagnoses of subgenera are discussed. The subgenus Submera Habu is restored.     

Contribution to the Fauna of the Ichneumon-Wasp Genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rynchobanchus</Emphasis> Kriechbaumer, 1894 (Hymenoptera,Ichneumonidae: Banchinae) in the Russian Far East

A new species, Rynchobanchus trjapitzinisp. n., named after the prominent hymenopterologist Vladimir Aleksandrovich Trjapitzin, is described from the Russian Far East based on the material of the Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg. A new record of R. niger Sheng, Li et Pang, 1997 from Russia (Khabarovsk Territory) and a key to the Russian species of this genus are given.     

Fossil wood of Keteleerioxylon kamtschatkiense sp. nov. (Pinaceae) from the Cretaceous of the northwestern Kamchatka Peninsula

A new species, Keteleerioxylon kamtschatkiense, is described from the Cretaceous of the northwestern Kamchatka Peninsula on the basis of wood anatomy. Fossil wood showing anatomical characters of the modern genus Keteleeria is described from the Cretaceous of the Russian Far East for the first time.     

Fossil wood Sequoioxylon dimyense sp. nov. (Cupressaceae) from the upper cretaceous of Zeya-Bureya basin, Russian Far East

A new species Sequoioxylon dimyense (Cupressaceae) is described from the Middle Maastrichtian (Upper Cretaceous) deposits of the Zeya-Bureya basin (Russian Far East) based on the fossil wood anatomy. The new species is characterized by combination of anatomical wood characters of the modern representatives of the subfamily Sequoioideae.     

Mitochondrial cytochrome b gene variation in brown bear (Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758) from southern part of Russian Far East

The genetic variability of brown bear Ursus arctos from the southern part of the Russian Far East was first examined based on the variations in the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b sequence. The presence of two phylogenetic groups of haplotypes described previously for other parts of the species range was demonstrated. Part of the samples belonged to the haplotype group distributed across the whole range, while another part belonged to the rare group previously only reported for Japan and Alaska. These findings partially clarify the pattern of brown-bear colonization on the territory of the Russian Far East and Japan.     

Chalcid wasps of the family pteromalidae (hymenoptera,chalcidoidea) of the Kuril Islands

A list of Pteromalidae wasps of the Kuril Islands includes 84 species belonging to 47 genera of 6 subfamilies. Four genera [Seladerma Walker (Miscogasterinae), Caenacis Foerster, Isocyrtus Walker, and Synedrus Graham (Pteromalinae)] and 36 species are recorded for the first time for the Russian fauna; 8 species are new to the Russian Far East. Seladerma leleji sp. n. and Synedrus kasparyani sp. n. are described. The males of Semiotellus takadai Kamijo and Isocyrtus reticulatus Xiao et Huang are described for the first time.     

Fossil wood of Piceoxylon burejense sp. nov. (Pinaceae) from the Upper Cretaceous of Zeya-Bureya Basin, Amur Region (Russian Far East)

A new species, Piceoxylon burejense sp. nov. (Pinaceae), is described from the Middle Maastrichtian (Upper Cretaceous) of the Zeya-Bureya Basin, Amur Region (Russian Far East) based on the fossil wood anatomy. The new species is characterized by a combination of anatomical wood features of the modern genera Picea and Larix. The fossil wood of Pinaceae was found in the Cretaceous deposits of the Amur Region for the first time.     

Review of the ichneumon-flies of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhorus</Emphasis> Förster, 869 (Hymenoptera,Ichneumonidae: Ctenopelmatinae): I. The species from the Far East (with description of 24 new species and with a key)

34 Palaearctic species of Rhorus are considered, 9 groups of species are distinguished, and 24 new species from the Eastern Palaearctic (mainly from the Russian Far East) and one new species reared in St. Petersburg from Phyllocolpa leucosticta are described. A key to all these species is given.     

New species of pinaceous fossil wood from the Pliocene of southern Primorye (Russian Far East)

New species of the Pinaceae, Abies chavchavadzeae and Piceoxylon ussuriense, are described on the basis of fossil woods from the Pliocene of the Pavlovka lignite field (southern Primorye). For the first time, fossil wood of Abies is reported from the Russian Far East.     

First record of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chadronoxylon</Emphasis> fossil wood (Angiospermae,Dicotyledones) from Russia

A new species, Chadronoxylon sakhalinensis sp. nov. (Angiospermae, Dicotyledones), from the Upper Cretaceous of Sakhalin (Russian Far East) is described based on the anatomical characters of fossil wood. The fossil wood of Chadronoxylon is found in Russia for the first time.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Idaea pseudoaversata</Emphasis>, a new species of geometrids (Lepidoptera,Geometridae) from the Southeastern Asian part of Russia

A new species, Idaea pseudoaversata, is described from the Far East. According to the coloration and wing pattern, the new species is similar to I. straminata (Borkhausen, 1794). The species is closely related to I. aversata (Linnaeus, 1758), but differs in the presence of seven cornuti in the aedeagus. The type material of the new species is deposited in the Institute of Animal Systematics and Ecology, Russian Academy of Sciences (Novosibirsk, Russia).     

Fossil wood <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ginkgoxylon amurense</Emphasis> sp. nov. (Ginkgoaceae) from the Upper Cretaceous of the Amur River area,Russian Far East

A new species, Ginkgoxylon amurense (Ginkgoaceae) from the Upper Cretaceous (middle Maastrichtian) of the Amur River area (Russian Far East) is described on the basis of fossil wood anatomy. Ginkgoalen fossil wood is found in Russia for the first time.     

A new species of the stonefly genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alloperla</Emphasis> Banks (Plecoptera,Chloroperlidae) from the southern Far East

The adults of both sexes and the eggs of a new species, Alloperla tiunovae sp. n. (Plecoptera, Chloroperlidae) from the southern part of the Russian Far East, are described and illustrated. A. tiunovae is a sibling species of the very similar A. kurilensis Zhiltzova, but differs from it in the shape of the epiproct apex, female genital plate, and a fine structure of the chorion surface.     

Areal of Callipogon relictus Semenov, 1899 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) in the Russian Far East

Data on the distribution of Callipogon relictus Semenov, 1899 over the Russian Far East were generalized. The distribution map for C. relictus is based upon long-term observations and collection materials by the leading institutions. The chronology was studied within the Russian geographic range of the species.     

Coniogramme intermedia Hieron. (Hemionitidaceae Pichi Sermolli) in the northern Sikhote-Alin

The distributional pattern of Coniogramme intermedia within the Russian Far East has been characterized. The characteristics of location, species diversity and structure of plant groupings in the inhabited places are given. Some measures are proposed to preserve endangered communities of coniferous and broad-leaved forests with the participation of Coniogramme intermedia.     

Species divergence in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Iris</Emphasis> series <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lacteae</Emphasis> (Iridaceae) in Russia and adjacent countries based on chloroplast DNA sequence data

In Russia, the species of the genus Iris L., series Lacteae Doronkin, the taxonomic structure of which still remains controversial, are found in the south of Siberia and the Russian Far East, as well as in other regions of Asia. Sequence analysis of three chloroplast DNA regions (rps4, trnL–trnF, and trnS–trnG) shows that, in Russia and adjacent countries, there are two genetically and geographically isolated Lacteae species. I. oxypetala Bunge grows in the south of the Russian Far East, and I. lactea Pall. grows in Siberia, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan. Genetic differentiation between the populations of I. lactea is extremely low and statistically insignificant (the fixation index Φ_ST = 0.057, P > 0.05), pointing to the unity of the gene pool and the absence of other Lacteae species in this area.