Revision of the endemic Australian subfamily Trachypetinae Schulz s.l. (including Cercobarconinae Tobias) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Abstract. The subfamily Cercobarconinae is synonymized with the Trachypetinae, the constituent genera ( Trachypetus Guérin de Méneville, Megalohelcon Turner and Cercobarcon Tobias) are rediagnosed and the species are revised and redescribed. Rhamphobarcon Tobias is synonymized with Megalohelcon Turner, R.mosaicus Tobias is synonymized with M.torresensis Turner, M.uptoni Tobias is synonymized with M.ichneumonoides Tobias, and four species are newly described: M.mouldsi, C.bilobatus, C.grossi and C.niger. Relationships within the subfamily are discussed, as are those of the Trachypetinae to other braconid subfamilies. Comments on the biology and distribution of species are provided, along with an illustrated key to genera and species.     

Evolving under myrmecophily: a cladistic revision of the symphilic beetle tribe Sceptobiini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae)

Abstract. A phylogenetic analysis is carried out using Falagriini as the sister taxon of the tribe Sceptobiini. The trees resulting from a series of matrix manipulations and analyses are highly congruent. Two clades are produced: Dinardilla includes two species, and Sceptobius includes three species. Symbiochara Fenyes and Apteronina Wasmann are synonymized with Sceptobius Sharp, and Apteronina wasmanni Mann is synonymized with Sceptobius dispar Sharp.
All sceptobiine species are obligate inquilines of either Liometopum apiculatum Mayr or L.occidentale Wheeler (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Dolichoderinae). Preliminary behavioural observations indicate that the subdivision into two clades is reflected in the types of interactions with host ants. Dinardilla beetles actively interact with the host, while Sceptobius beetles are more peripheral within the nest. These ecological and behavioural differences are believed to be produced by an interaction between ecological specialization, chance historical events, and geographic isolation during the speciation of the host ants.     

The phylogeny of the ant tribe Formicini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) with the description of a new genus

Abstract. The holarctic ant tribe Formicini is revised, the new genus Bajcaridris described, and possible phylogenetic relationships are discussed. The subgenus Iberoformica is synonymized with Formica. A synopsis, diagnosis and keys to the genera are provided.     

Revision of the Alamirinae (Diptera: Phoridae)

Abstract. The genus Couturiera Disney, 1979, only known in the female sex, is synonymized with Perissa Borgmeier, 1967, only known in the male sex, a syn.n., thus solving the problem of the 'missing' males of the Alamirinae. Perissa kensmithi (Disney) comb.n., P.lewisi (Disney) comb.n. and P.orientalis (Disney & Peterson) comb.n. are transferred from Couturiera. Perissa couturieri Disney is synonymized under P. lewisi (Disney) and C.palawanensis Disney under P.georgei Disney. Perissa latiptera sp.n., P.oligoseta sp.n., P.tinglei sp.n. and Perittophora couturieri gen.n., sp.n., are described from Zimbabwe. A key to the twelve species of Alamirinae is provided. It is hypothesized that the Alamirinae may be paraphyletic, by virtue of exclusion of the Termitoxeniinae. The latter is probably polyphyletic, in that each Alamirinae genus is probably the sister group of a different Termi-toxeniin clade.     

Revision of the braconid genus Physaraia Shenefelt (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonoidea)

The genus Physaraia Shenefelt (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is revised to include twenty-two species: twenty entirely Afrotropical; one Afrotropical and Palaearctic, and one Indo-Australian. Eleven species, achterbergi, aporia, empeyi, fanitalis, laticlavia, lundi, nana, nigricephala, sarisa, simplex and solanicola are described as new, and eight established species, bilobata (Cameron), capensis (Enderlein), caudata (Szépligeti), excisa (Szépligeti), furcata (Guérin-Méneville), melanocera (Cameron), sulphurea (Szépligeti) and sumatrana (Enderlein) are redescribed. P. longiseta (Szépligeti) is synonymized with P. furcata and P. caudata var. bimaculata (Fahringer) and P. trimaculata (Cameron) are synonymized with P. bilobata, P. furcata var. fasciativentris (Enderlein) is considered to be synonymous with the type species.     

Systematics of thrips (Insecta: Thysanoptera) associated with mosses

The systematic relationships between phlaeothripine Thysanoptera species suggest that moss-feeding is an uncommon and highly derived habit. It is restricted to a single sub-tribe, the Williamsiellina, which includes two genera, Lissothrips with 17 species and Williamsiella with 25 species. Although widely distributed, these genera are particularly common in the New World. Structural variation within and between populations of these small wingless insects is discussed and the conclusion reached that species cannot be defined satisfactorily in the common North American L. muscorum -group without experimental rearing. Trisclerothrips is synonymized with Lissothrips , and Prolissothrips, Microlissothrips and Phthirothrips are synonymized with Williamsiella . One specific synonym is established, and four new species are described: L. clayae from Trinidad, L. okajimai from Japan, W. tambopata from Peru and W. zaps from Fiji.     

Taxonomic revision of the genus Stauropoctonus Brauns, 1889 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Ophioninae) in Japan

The Japanese species of the ichneumonid genus Stauropoctonus Brauns, 1889 are revised. As a result, three species are recognized. Stauropoctonus infuscus (Uchida, 1928 ) stat. rev. , previously synonymized with S. bombycivorus (Gravenhorst, 1829 ), is recognized as a valid species and re‐described. Stauropoctonus bombycivorus, which has already been recorded in Japan, is also recognized and re‐described based on Japanese specimens. Stauropoctonus aurantiacus sp. nov. is described based on a single male specimen from Yakushima Island, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. Stauropoctonus nigrithorax Lee & Kim, 2002 syn. nov. is newly synonymized with S. bombycivorus. Additionally, a key to the Stauropoctonus species and discussions on their phenology and collection methods are provided.     

A cladistic analysis of the subfamily Philanthinae (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)

Abstract. The Philanthinae, as treated here, contains the eight valid genera Aphilanthops Patton, Cerceris Latreille, Clypeadon Patton, Eucerceris Cresson, Philanthinus Beaumont, Philanthus Fabricius, Pseudoscolia Radoszkowski and Trachypus Klug. Listropygia Bohart is synonymized with Clypeadon , syn.n. The genera Eremiasphecium Kohl and Odontosphex Arnold are removed from the Philanthinae and regarded as genera incertae sedis within Sphecidae. Analysis of the genera of this redefined subfamily Philanthinae finds two major clades whose monophyly is strongly supported: ( Philanthinus + ( Philanthus + Trachypus )) [= Tribe Philanthini] and ( Pseudoscolia + ( Cerceris + Eucerceris )) [= Tribe Cercerini]. There is some evidence for the monophyly of Clypeadon + Aphilanthops [= Tribe Aphilanthopini]. Cerceris and Philanthus are inferred to be paraphyletic with respect to Eucerceris and Trachypus , respectively. Philanthinus is removed from the tribe Aphilanthopini and placed in the tribe Philanthini, and the monotypic tribe Pseudoscoliini is synonymized with Cercerini.     

A taxonomic revision of the genera Phrygionis Hübner and Pityeja Walker (Geometridae: Ennominae, Palyadini)

Phrygionis and Pityeja belong to the Palyadini, a tribe of neotropical Ennominae. The moths of both genera bear striking wing markings and mere variants were frequently described as species with the consequence that species diversity was overestimated. Numerous taxonomic changes are made in this work based on the study of primary types and much other material. Variation and distribution is recorded for each species and subspecies. Phylogenetic relationships within Phrygionis are examined, and comments are made on the evolution of wing pattern within this genus.
Fifteen full species are recognized in this study (13 in Phrygionis and two in Pityeja ), of which four (all in Phrygionis ) are described as new; 19 species-group (specific and subspecific) names refer to valid taxa. Twenty-four species-group names are synonymized (19 in Phrygionis and five in Pityeja ) and five are recombined with different genera (four with Phrygionis and one with Pityeja ). Three generic names are synonymized (one in Phrygionis and two in Pityeja ).     

The African genera of Surinamellini (Heteroptera: Miridae) with the description of new species

Abstract The status of the African genera of the Surinamellini (Deraeocorinae) is reviewed, and keys are provided to the two genera and thirteen species now recognized. Makakix Odhiambo is synonymized with Opistocyclus Poppius, the synonymy of Tylopeltis Keuter with Glossopeltis Reuter by Linnavuori is upheld, and five new species of Glossopeltis are described.     

The taxonomic status of Architipula fragmentosa (Bode) and the family Eoasilidae (Diptera) from the Lower Jurassic

The fossil species Architipula fragmentosa (Bode) comb. nov. (Diptera: Nematocera: Limoniidae) from the German Upper Lias (Lower Jurassic) is redescribed. This species was originally described by Bode (1953) in a new monotypic genus as Eoasilidea fragmentosa and placed in the Brachycera, with Eoasilidea as the type-genus of a new family Eoasilidae. This family is here synonymized with the Limoniidae (Nematocera), and the genus Eoasilidea is synonymized with Architipula Handlirsch .     

Phylogenetic relationships and classification of the Vespinae (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

Abstract. The phylogenetic relationships of the genera, subgenera and species-groups of the Vespinae are analysed using cladistic techniques. The results are used as the basis for a natural classification of these wasps. The cladogram for the four genera recognized is: Vespa + (Provespa + (Dolichovespula + Vespula)). No subgenera are recognized; all those previously described are synonymized with the appropriate genus. The synonymies of Nyctovespa with Vespa and Rugovespula with Vespula are new.     

The genus Numicia from economic plants in the Oriental Region (Homoptera: Fulgoroidea)

The Oriental genus Kusuma Distant is synonymized with Numicia Stal which was formerly considered to be African. Tambinia maculosa Distant is transferred to Numicia and Kusuma carinata Distant synonymized with it. Numicia maculosa pusana ssp.n. from sugar cane, Numicia graminivora sp.n. from golf club grass and Numicia graminivora sinensis ssp.n. are described. N.maculosa (Distant) is redescribed and all forms are illustrated and keyed.     

The plam-feeding planthopper genus Ommatissus (Homoptera: Fulgoroidea: Tropiduchidae)

Abstract The tribe Trypetimorphini, the genus Ommatissus , and its two subgenera and eleven species are redescribed or described as new. Evidence for the monophyly of both the genus and of the tribe to which it belongs is examined; it is concluded that while the genus is monophyletic, the monophyly of the tribe is in doubt. Keys for the separation of the three genera of the tribe and for all of the known species of Ommatissus are presented. A new subgenus of Ommatissus is described: O.(Opatissus) , with the type-species O.vietnamicus . Four new species are described: Ommatissus magribus from Morocco, O.kamerunus from Cameroon, O.natalensis from South Africa and O.vietnamicus from Vietnam. The 'Dubas bug', Ommatissus lybicus Bergevin, formerly regarded as a variety of O.binotatus Fieber, is raised to full species status. Trichoduchus is synonymized with Trypetimorpha resulting in the new combinations Trypetimorpha biermani Dammerman, T.china Wu and T.japonicus Ishihara. Trichoduchus japonicus Fennah is synonymized with Trypetimorpha japonicus Ishihara.     

Cladistics of the genera of Mesochorinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)

Abstract. A cladistic analysis is presented for the genera of the ichneumonid subfamily Mesochorinae. Nine genera are recognized as valid. Previous work on larval morphology is reviewed and a number of larvae are newly illustrated and discussed. Four new synonyms are proposed: Oncocotta, Piestetron, Plectochorus and Rhaibaspis are all synonymized with Mesochorus , and Stictopisthus is placed back as a synonym of Mesochorus. Four new genera are described: Artherola from South Africa, Chineater from Chile, Thamester from Japan, and Varnado from Morocco. A new key is provided to the mesochorine genera of the world.