A new species of Megacerini (Cervidae, Artiodactyla) from the Late Miocene of Taralyk-Cher, Tuva (Russia), and remarks on the relationships of the group

A new species of a megacerine deer, Praesinomegaceros venustus, from the Taralyk-Cher locality in the Tuva region on the south of Eastern Siberia, Russia, is described. P. venustus nov. sp., the oldest known megacerine, occurred in Asia in the Late Turolian, about 7 Ma. The early history of megacerines is discussed. The existence of the phyletic lineage Cervavitus-Praesinomegaceros-Sinomegaceros in Asia is confirmed.     

Calleida desenderi, new species from Ecuador (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Lebiinae)

Calleida desenderi Casale, sp. n., is described from Ecuador, Napo Province, surroundings of San Rafael. The new taxon is mostly characterized by the head and appendages rufous, the disc of elytra with marked metallic green reflection, the median lobe of aedeagus ring-like, and the endophallus with a long, twisted flagellum. A key for identification of the closer Neotropical species described so far is also provided.     

A review of the genus Serangium Blackburn (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) from China

The genus Serangium Blackburn from China is reviewed. The genus Catanella Miyatake is removed from synonymy with Serangium. Serangium baculum Xiao is transferred to Catanella, as Catanella baculum (Xiao), comb. n. Twelve species of Serangium are described, keyed and illustrated, including eight new species, Serangium magnipunctatum Wang & Ren, sp. n., Serangium trimaculatum Wang & Ren, sp. n., Serangium centrale Wang & Ren, sp. n., Serangium leigongicus Wang & Ren, sp. n., Serangium latilobum Wang & Ren, sp. n., Serangium digitiforme Wang & Ren, sp. n., Serangium dulongjiang Wang, Ren & Chen, sp. n., and Serangium contortum Wang & Ren, sp. n.Serangium punctum Miyatake is newly recorded from China.     

Two additional new species of the Stenus indubius group (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) from China

Two new species of the Stenus indubius group from China are described: Stenus huapingensissp. n. from Guangxi Province and Stenus zhujianqingisp. n. from Zhejiang Province. Habitus photos and illustrations of diagnostic characters of the new species and two described species, Stenus paradecens Tang & Li, 2005 and Stenus guniujiangense Tang & Li, 2005, are provided.     

A review of Rheocricotopus (Psilocricotopus) chalybeatus species group from China,with the description of three new species (Diptera,Chironomidae)

The Rheocricotopus (Psilocricotopus) chalybeatus species group from China is reviewed. Three new species, R. (P.) brochus sp. n., R. (P.) rotundus sp. n. and R. (P.) serratus sp. n. are described as adult males. R. (P.) imperfectus Makarchenko & Makarchenko, 2005, R. (P.) robacki (Beck & Beck, 1964) and R. (P.) valgus Chaudhuri & Sinharay, 1983 are recorded from China for the first time and annotated. The diagnosis for the species group is emended and a key to adult males of the species group in China is presented.     

A new species and additional records of Lobrathium Mulsant & Rey (Coleoptera,Staphylinidae, Paederinae) from China

Lobrathium fuscoguttatum sp. n. (type locality: Guangxi) is described and illustrated. The latest key to the Lobrathium species of mainland China is modified to include the new species. Additional data are provided for six previously described species.     

New species, new records and new morphological characters of the genus Tillicera Spinola from China (Coleoptera, Cleridae, Clerinae)

Two new species of the genus Tillicera Spinola, 1841 from China are described and illustrated: Tillicera sensibilissp. n. from Yunnan (also from Myanmar, Thailand and Laos) and Tillicera weniisp. n. from Taiwan. Tillicera bibalteata Gorham, 1892, Tillicera hirsuta (Pic, 1926) and Tillicera michaeli Gerstmeier & Bernhard, 2010 are newly recorded from China. Tillicera auratofasciata (Pic, 1927) is newly recorded in some provinces of China. A key to species of the genus from China is provided. Relationships between species are discussed with emphasis on characters of male phallus, female internal reproductive organs and pit-like sensilla in male terminal antennomere, which is discovered in Tillicera for the first time. The present generic definition of Tillicera is discussed as well. Photos of terminalia of the previously known species are also provided for comparison.     

Two new species of Micrencaustes Crotch,subgenus Mimencaustes Heller from China (Coleoptera,Erotylidae, Encaustini)

Two new species Micrencaustes (Mimencaustes) renshiae sp. n. and Micrencaustes (Mimencaustes) biomaculata sp. n. are described and illustrated from China. A key to Chinese species of subgenus Mimencaustes Heller is provided.     

A taxonomic study on semifumata species-group of Fissocantharis Pic, with description of six new species from China and Myanmar (Coleoptera, Cantharidae)

The cantharid Fissocantharis semifumata species-groupis reviewed. Fissocantharis semifumata (Fairmaire, 1889) is redescribed and illustrated. The type series of Fissocantharis fissa (Wittmer, 1997) is shown to consist of 3 species and clarified, except the holotype, the two paratypes become invalid. Fissocantharis grahami (Wittmer, 1997) is attributed to this species group. Six new species are described and illustrated, Fissocanthais yuisp. n. (CHINA: Yunnan), Fissocantharis semimetallicasp. n. (CHINA: Yunnan; MYANMAR: Kachin), Fissocantharis bicoloratasp. n. (CHINA: Sichuan), Fissocantharis maculicepssp. n. (CHINA: Gansu), Fissocantharis bimaculatasp. n. (CHINA: Sichuan) and Fissocantharis flavasp. n. (CHINA: Sichuan, Guizhou). The number of species in the Fissocantharis semifumata species-groupis increased from 4 to 11, and a key to all species is provided.     

Notes on black elytron species of Pyrrhalta Joannis and the description of a new species from China (Coleoptera,Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae)

Thirteen species of Pyrrhalta Joannis, 1865 with black elytron are reviewed. A key to species, photographs of aedeagus and habitus are provided. Pyrrhalta qianana sp. n. is described from Guizhou, China. Pyrrhalta martensi Medvedev & Sprecher-Uebersax, 1999 is newly recorded from China (Tibet).     

New data on the Paederus biacutus species group from mainland China (Coleoptera,Staphylinidae, Paederinae)

Paederus jianyueae Peng & Li, sp. n. (Zhejiang: Qingliangfeng) is described and illustrated. Additional records of P. biacutus Li, Zhou & Solodovnikov, 2014 and P. parvidenticulatus Li, Zhou & Solodovnikov, 2014 are reported.     

Five new species of the Stenus indubius group (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) from China

Five new species of the Stenus indubius group from China are described: Stenus cangshanussp. n. from Yunnan Province, Stenus hewenjiaesp. n. from Sichuan Province, Stenus taiyangshanussp. n. from Guangdong Province, Stenus yinziweiisp. n. and Stenus zhaiyanbinisp. n. from Guizhou Province.Diagnostic characters are illustrated and a key to the species of this group from the Chinese mainland is provided.     

Eight new apterous Lathrobium species (Coleoptera,Staphylinidae) from Sichuan,Southwest China

Eight apterous species of the paederine genus Lathrobium Gravenhorst, 1802 from the Chinese province Sichuan are described, illustrated, and distinguished from closely related and/or geographically close congeners: Lathrobium erlangense Peng & Li sp. n. (Erlang Shan), Lathrobium blandum Peng & Li sp. n. (Labahe N. R.), Lathrobium yelense Peng & Li sp. n. (Yele), Lathrobium obscurum Peng & Li sp. n. (Yele), Lathrobium yinziweii Peng & Li sp. n. (Yele), Lathrobium illustre Peng & Li sp. n. (Yele), Lathrobium micangense Peng & Li sp. n. (Micang Shan) and Lathrobium agglutinatum Assing & Peng sp. n. (Qingcheng Shan). The total number of described Lathrobium species from Sichuan now stands at 39, that of mainland China at 165.     

Description of a new species of Sternocoelis from Morocco with proposal of the Sternocoelis marseulii species group (Coleoptera, Histeridae)

TheSternocoelis marseulii species group is proposed based on antennal and prosternal characters. Five species are included in the group:Sternocoelis marseulii (Brisout de Barneville, 1866)(Spain), Sternocoelis viaticus Lewis, 1892 (Algeria), Sternocoelis vaucheri Lewis, 1896 (Morocco), Sternocoelis berberus Lackner & Yélamos, 2001 (Morocco)and Sternocoelis yelamosisp. n. (Morocco). The external morphology of Sternocoelis yelamosisp. n. is described and illustrated, the illustrations of genitalia of all species of the group (except for Sternocoelis vaucheri) are provided and a key to the species of the group is given.     

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.     

Notes on the Stenus cirrus group, with description of two new species from China (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae)

Two new species, Stenus zhangdinghengisp. n., Stenus maoershanussp. n.,of the Stenus cirrus group are described from South China, Guangxi Province. The male of Stenus fellowesi Puthz, 2003 and the female of Stenus huanghaoi Tang & Li, 2008 were discovered for the first time. Their diagnostic characters are illustrated and a key to the Chinese species of the Stenus cirrus group is provided.     

A new species of the Rhinella margaritifera species group (Anura,Bufonidae) from the montane forest of the Selva Central,Peru

We describe a new species of the bufonid toad genus Rhinella from transition montane forest of the buffer zones of the Yanachaga-Chemillén National Park and the Pui Pui Protected Forest (eastern slopes of Andes, Selva Central, Peru). The new species belongs to the Rhinella margaritifera species group (confirmed by mtDNA data) and differs from all its members by the absence of tympanic membrane and tympanic annulus. It is characterized by medium size (SVL 57.5–65.5 mm, n = 5), moderately developed cranial crests, absence of neural crest of vertebrae, absence of bone protrusion at angle of jaw, presence of lateral rows of enlarged tubercles, and absence of subgular vocal sac and vocal slits in males. In addition, based on the molecular phylogenetic analyses of selected Rhinella species we propose the monophylum containing R. chavin, R. festae, R. macrorhina, R. manu, R. nesiotes, R. rostrata, and R. yanachaga as a new species group under the name Rhinella festae species group.     

Three new species of the genus Lathrobium Gravenhorst (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Paederinae) from the Jiulongshan Natural Reserve, East China

Three new species of the genus Lathrobium Gravenhorst from Jiulongshan Natural Reserve, Zhejiang, East China, Lathrobium jiulongshanensesp. n., Lathrobium shenisp. n. and Lathrobium zhaotiexiongisp. n. are described and illustrated. A key to the Lathrobium species from Zhejiang Province is provided.     

New data on the genus Derops Sharp (Coleoptera,Staphylinidae, Tachyporinae) from China with description of two new species

Two new Chinese species of Derops are described: Derops hainanus sp. n. from Hainan and Derops yunnanus sp. n. from Yunnan. Females of Derops punctipennis Schülke and Derops schillhammeri Schülke are described for the first time and new provinces records of Derops smetanai Schülke and Derops dingshanus Watanabe are reported. The key to Chinese species of Derops published by Schülke 2003 is modified to include the new species.     

A Rangwapithecus gordoni mandible from the early Miocene site of Songhor,Kenya

A mandible of Rangwapithecus gordoni from the early Miocene site of Songhor, Kenya, provides additional information about this relatively poorly known taxon. The R. gordoni sample is small, being composed of dental and a few gnathic parts. The fossil described here provides examples of previously unknown dental and mandibular anatomy, and confirms former reassignments of isolated anterior teeth based on less certain evidence. The phylogenetic status of Rangwapithecus, its distribution, and paleobiology are briefly reviewed. Rangwapithecus shows a suite of dental and gnathic features that warrants its generic distinction from Proconsul. Derived features shared with Nyanzapithecus and Turkanapithecus indicate that it is an early member of the subfamily Nyanzapithecinae. Its molar morphology suggests a considerable component of folivory in its diet. A review of the hypodigm shows Rangwapithecus to be restricted to Songhor. This distribution parallels that of Limnopithecus evansi, and is mirrored by Limnopithecus legetet and Micropithecus clarki suggesting that Songhor may have differed ecologically from other more or less contemporary sites in the region.