Basal titanosauriform (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) teeth from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Liaoning Province, China

The Yixian Formation of Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China has yielded a diverse fauna of non-avian dinosaurs, but is dominated by small-bodied taxa. Here, we describe a series of isolated teeth from the Lujiatun Beds of the formation that are referable to a basal titanosauriform sauropod. Some of the teeth possess a distinctive circular boss on the lingual surface, which suggests that they are referable to cf. Euhelopus sp. This identification provides some additional support for biostratigraphical correlations between the Jehol Group and the Mengyin Formation of Shandong Province that suggest an Early Cretaceous age for the latter unit. Moreover, the titanosauriform affinities of the teeth provide further evidence for the dominance of this sauropod clade in eastern Asia during the Cretaceous.     

First mesozoic representative of the subfamily tenebrioninae (Coleoptera,Tenebrionidae) from the lower cretaceous of Yixian (China,Liaoning)

A new genus and a new species of the tenebrionine tribe Alphitobiini, Alphitopsis initialis gen. et sp. nov. is described from Yixian (Liaoning Province, China). The new genus is the oldest member of the subfamily Tenebrioninae and it is most similar to Metaclisa Jacquelin du Val, 1861, but differs from all the genera of the tribe Alphitobiini in the structure of elytral epipleura and antennae.     

中国广东优树甲属一新种(鞘翅目:拟步甲科)

记述采自中国广东的优树甲属1新种:高氏优树甲Uenostrongylium gaoi Lin&Yuan sp.nov.,该种因鞘翅刻点上缘具小颗粒而与浙江的粗皱优树甲Uenostrongylium scaber Yuan&Ren,2018相似.文中提供了新种的整体图和特征图.     

中国优树甲属一新种记述（鞘翅目：拟步甲科）

记述采自中国浙江的优树甲属1新种:Uenostrongylium scaber YuanRen sp.nov.。提供了特征描述,整体图和特征图,另外附有优树甲属分种检索表。     

New species and records of Charisius Champion from Mexico and Central America (Coleoptera,Tenebrionidae, Alleculinae)

The species of the genus Charisius Champion, from Mexico and Central America are reviewed. The flightless genus Narses Champion, with one included species, N. subalatus Champion, is placed in synonymy with the genus Charisius. Four new species are described and illustrated, C. granulatus and C. punctatus (from Guatemala) and C. apterus and C. howdenorum (from Mexico). Charisius subalatus (Champion) is redescribed and illustrated. The species C. interstitialis Champion is placed in synonymy with C. zunilensis Champion. The genus is redescribed to include the four new species and N. subalatus. New distributional records are presented for all other species of the genus and a revised key is presented for identification of all the species of the genus.     

An unusual suite of sexual characters in three new species of Hymenorus (Coleoptera,Tenebrionidae, Alleculinae) from Guatemala and Mexico

Two species, Hymenorus bifurcatus, and H. excavatus are described as new from Guatemala and the new species H. balli from both the state of Chiapas in southern Mexico and Guatemala. These three species are unique among the species of Hymenorus Mulsant, 1851 in the unusual and highly modified fifth ventrites of the male and the modified shape of the female ninth tergites. The unusual sexual characters of the males and females are illustrated with photographs. The usage of the generic names Hymenorus Mulsant versus Hymenophorus Mulsant is discussed.     

A new ground beetle (Carabidae, Protorabinae) from the Lower Cretaceous of Inner Mongolia, China

Cretorabus rasnitsynisp. n., belonging to the extinct subfamily Protorabinae of Carabidae, was described based on a well-preserved specimen from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Yangshuwanzi, Inner Mongolia. The diagnostic characters forCretorabus are revised, and the key to species of the genus was presented. The fossil record of Protorabinae was summarized. Sinocarabus Hong, 1982 and Obesofemoria Hong, 1982 cannot be attributed to Protorabinae.     

Karyological notes on six beetle species from Armenia (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae,Cerambycidae, Curculionidae)

Karyotypic details were studied in males of six beetle species from three families, viz. Tenebrionidae: Dailognatha pumila Bdy. (2n = 20, n(male) = 9 + Xy(p)), Pachyscelis musiva Ménétr. (2n = 18, n(male) = 8 + Xy(p)), Pimelia capito Kryn. (2n = 18, n(male) = 8 + Xy(p)); Cerambycidae: Agapanthia walteri Reitt. (2n = 20, n(male) = 9+Xy(p)), Agapanthia korostelevi Danilevsky (2n = 20, n(male) = 9 + Xy(p)); Curculionidae: Phyllobius caucasicus Stierl. (2n = 22, n(male) = 10 + Xy(p)). The chromosome number and sex determining system of all beetle species are described for the first time. Evolutionary trends in karyotypes of the studied beetle groups are briefly discussed.     

Six new species of the genus Laena Dejean from China (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Lagriinae)

Six new species of Laena Dejean, Laena quadratasp. n. and Laena motoganasp. n.(China: Xizang), Laena chiloriluxasp. n., Laena dentatasp. n. and Laena liangisp. n. (China: Yunnan), Laena dentatocrassasp. n. (China: Hainan Island, representing new province record of the genus) are described, complemented with photos of habitus, illustrations of legs, antenna, aedeagus and last abdominal ventrite of male and female. Type specimens are deposited in both the Museum of Hebei University, Baoding, China and the Natural History Museum of Stuttgart, Germany.A key to the 102 Chinese species of genus Laena is provided.     

Two new species of the Stenochinus amplus species-group from China (Coleoptera,Tenebrionidae, Stenochiini)

Two new species of the Stenochinus amplus species-group are described, S. apiciconcavussp. n. (CHINA: Shaanxi) and S. xinyicussp. n. (CHINA: Guangdong). Also, some new distribution data are provided for S. cylindricus (Gebien, 1914), and a key to the seven species of the S. amplus species-group from China is given.     

A new choristodere (Reptilia: Diapsida) from the Lower Cretaceous of western Liaoning Province, China, and phylogenetic relationships of Monjurosuchidae

The publication of the scientific name Monjurosuchus splendens in 1940 documented the first tetrapod fossil of the later world-renowned Jehol Biota. For more than half a century since this discovery, however, Monjurosuchus has remained as a monotypic genus of the family Monjurosuchidae, and the relationships of the family with choristoderes have not been correctly recognized until quite recently. In this paper, a new monjurosuchid is named and described based on a nearly complete skull and postcranial skeleton from the Early Cretaceous Chiufotang Formation exposed near Chaoyang, western Liaoning Province, China. This new material documents the first occurrence of monjurosuchid choristoderes outside the type Lingyuan area, and extends the geological range of the family from the Yixian Formation to the younger Chiufotang Formation. Cladistic analyses were conducted with inclusion of monjurosuchids, and the results support the placement of the family Monjurosuchidae as a primitive clade outside the Neochoristodera. A new classification scheme is proposed for choristoderes on the basis of the recovered phylogenetic framework of the group.  © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2005, 145 , 427–444.     

Home range size in two darkling beetle species (Coleoptera,Tenebrionidae) from Southern Kazakhstan

The repeated collecting of marked darkling beetle species, including the diurnal species Tentyria gigas and the nocturnal species Cyphogenia gibba from Kazakhstan demonstrated that their home ranges constituted 457 and 360 m², respectively. More than 500 beetles from an area of 2.5 ha were marked by engraving numbers on their elytra. Beetles were observed during two seasons at a distance covering 2 km from the site of release. Sex was determined in a quarter of all the beetles. In females and males of T. gigas, the home range constituted 700 and 552 m², respectively; in C. gibba, 599 and 343 m², respectively. Small home ranges of these species can be explained by the presence of numerous predators, occasional death of beetles under cattle’s hoofs, and a great number and high density of shelters.     

A New Basal Ankylosaurid (Dinosauria: Ornithischia) from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Liaoning Province,China

A new ankylosaurid, Chuanqilong chaoyangensis gen. et sp. nov., is described here based on a nearly complete skeleton from the Lower Cretaceous Jiufotang Formation of Baishizui Village, Lingyuan City, Liaoning Province, China. Chuanqilong chaoyangensis can be diagnosed on the basis of two autapomorphies (glenoid fossa for quadrate at same level as the dentary tooth row; distally tapering ischium with constricted midshaft) and also a unique combination of character states (slender, wedge-like lacrimal; long retroarticular process; humerus with strongly expanded proximal end; ratio of humerus to femur length  = 0.88). Although a phylogenetic analysis places Chuanqilong chaoyangensis as the sister taxon of the sympatric Liaoningosaurus near the base of the Ankylosauridae, the two taxa can be distinguished on the basis of many features, such as tooth morphology and ischial shape, which are not ontogeny-related. Chuanqilong chaoyangensis represents the fourth ankylosaurid species reported from the Cretaceous of Liaoning, China, suggesting a relatively high diversity in Cretaceous Liaoning.     

Two new species of Itagonia Reitter (Coleoptera,Tenebrionidae, Blaptini) from China

Two new species of Itagonia Reitter, 1887, Itagonia tibialis sp. n. and Itagonia litangensis sp. n. are described from Sichuan, China. A key to the known species of Itagonia from China is given.     

New fossil genus and species of carrion beetle (Coleoptera,Silphidae) from the Lower Cretaceous Jinju Formation,South Korea

A new fossil genus of Silphidae, Cretosaja gen. nov., is described, based on a new fossil species, Cretosaja jinjuensis sp. nov. from the Lower Cretaceous Jinju Formation in South Korea. The association of Cretosaja with Nicrophorinae is discussed on the basis of morphological evidence. Diagnostic differences of the fossil and extant genera of Nicrophorinae are provided. Primitive characteristics presented in Mesozoic silphids are discussed.     

An enigmatic Ephedra-like fossil lacking micropylar tube from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Liaoning,China

Angiosperms and gymnosperms are two well-separated groups in seed plants according to the current understanding. The huge gap between these two groups constitutes a serious threat against the Darwinism, which expects a continuous transitional series between them. The Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Liaoning, China is famous for its megafossil angiosperms, including some early angiosperms and putative gnetalean plants. Here we document another Ephedra-like fossil plant, Pseudoephedra n. gen. n. sp., from the Yixian Formation on the basis of light microscopic (LM) and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) observations. Although its general morphology demonstrates a great resemblance to Ephedra, the expected micropylar tube characteristic of Ephedra is missing in Pseudoephedra. Instead a solid projection is seen on the top of the female parts. Such a puzzling character combination makes Pseudoephedra perplexing in seed plant phylogeny. If put in Ephedraceae (Gnetales), Pseudoephedra would destroy the only synapomorphy (micropylar tube) of the BEG clade. If put in angiosperms, Pseudoephedra would bridge the formerly huge gap between gymnosperms and angiosperms. Apparently, further investigation is needed to clarify the uncertain position of Pseudoephedra.     

Note on brachypterous Stenochiini from China (Coleoptera,Tenebrionidae) with description of a new species

A checklist of 29 brachypterous species in the tenebrionid tribe Stenochiini is given for China and neighboring countries. A new species is described and illustrated under the name of Strongylium liangisp. n. (CHINA: Yunnan). Also, some new distribution data is provided for S. claudum (Gebien, 1914), and a distribution map of all Strongylium species in the checklist is presented.     

New material of Xyelydidae (Hymenoptera) from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of China

Chifengilyda robusta, a new extinct sawfly genus and new species assigned to Xyelidae, is described and figured here based on one fossil specimen from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Ningcheng in Inner Mongolia, China. Chifengilyda robusta n. gen. n. sp. differs from other xyelydids in having a forewing with pterostigma completely sclerotized, Sc closer to C, Sc1 about 3 times as long as Sc2, Sc1 intersecting C far beyond Rs base, 2r-m postfurcal and cell 1mcu relatively large. This new taxon further enriches the diversity of Xyelydidae in the Early Cretaceous, and even enhances our understanding of the evolution and inter-genera and interspecies relationships of this family.     

中国铜轴甲属分类研究及一新种记述（鞘翅目：拟步甲科）

对中国铜轴甲属进行了分类总结,记述1新种——四川铜轴甲Ainu sichuanus sp.nov.,编制了已知种检索表,绘制了中国种的地理分布图。