Vietnamese species of Taumacera viridis–group with a description of new species (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae)

The species of Taumacera viridis species–group from Vietnam are revised. Four species are recognized. Taumacera indica (Jacoby, 1889), T. occipitalis (Laboissière, 1933) and T. variceps (Laboissière, 1933), are redescribed. Taumacera phuquoca sp. nov. from Phu Quoc National Park (southern Vietnam) is described. An identification key is provided for all Vietnamese species.www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:396862F9-8A47-4101-A27C-CD0625E68FA1.     

A key to known species of Episcapha (subgenus Ephicaspa Chûjô) (Coleoptera, Erotylidae, Megalodacnini), with the description of two new species

Two new species Episcapha (Ephicaspa) lushuiensissp. n. and Episcapha (Ephicaspa) quadriconcavasp. n. are described and illustrated from China. A key to known species of subgenus Ephicaspa is provided. A map of the collecting sites is given.     

Does Donglan lacquer tree belong to Rhus vernicifera species?

The lacquer trees in Donglan of Guangxi Province, China, were identified totally as the species Rhus succedanea found in Vietnam and Taiwan region, based on the results of pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS), an easy and effective method to identify species of trees among those with similar properties. Analyses by IR and NMR, the drying properties, and conventional morphology also confirmed that the Donglan lacquer trees do not belong to Rhus vernicifera, like most trees of the China mainland. Some differences, however, such as the enzymatic activity and the components of the lacquer, were found between the Donglan lacquer and the Vietnam lacquer. The Donglan lacquer has a shorter drying time than the latter.     

Are breeding system and florivory associated with the abundance of Tillandsia species (Bromeliaceae)?

Plant species abundance is partly determined by reproductive success and the factors that limit this success. We studied the flowering phenology, breeding systems and florivory in a community of seven epiphytic Tillandsia spp. in a tropical dry forest in central Mexico. Flowering periods were distributed throughout the year, and corolla sizes suggested that most species share pollinators. The most common breeding system was self‐incompatibility (Tillandsia achyrostachys, T. caput‐medusae and T. hubertiana), T. lydiae was infertile, T. circinnatioides was partially self‐compatible and T. recurvata and T. schiedeana were self‐compatible with high autonomous self‐pollination. Floral morphology suggests that delayed selfing occurs in the autonomous self‐pollinated species, and separation between stigma and stamens could result in self‐pollination in the remaining species being avoided. Less than 5% of the inflorescences in the most abundant species (T. recurvata) suffered damage by florivores, but > 40% of inflorescences were damaged in the other species. In damaged inflorescences, fruit set decreased by up to 89%. Our data show that the dominant species (T. recurvata) is autogamous and its reproductive success is slightly reduced by resource constraints and florivory. In the less abundant species, resource limitation and florivory dramatically reduced reproductive success, but the strength of these limiting factors is season dependent. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2015, 177 , 50–65.     

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.     

Is it possible to distinguish alien species of beetles (Coleoptera) from native ones?

Species established outside their native ranges are termed alien. Biological invasions of beetles are poorly studied. Distinguishing between alien and native species is necessary for conservation as well as for taxonomic, zoogeographic, and evolutionary studies. It constitutes a difficult problem, but the experience of botany and some branches of zoology gives reasons to believe that it is not unsolvable. The following criteria for distinguishing alien beetle species from native ones are proposed based on the criteria developed for plants, algae, mammals, and marine invertebrates: (1) detection of an established population of the species which has not been recorded earlier in the region; (2) disjunction of the range which cannot be explained by disjunction of suitable landscapes or host plant ranges; (3) expansion of a part of the range isolated from its main part; (4) highly localized distribution in an area adjacent to a known invasion pathway; (5) establishment in other regions; (6) dependency on another non-native species (feeding on an alien host plant or animal); (7) absence of specific parasites in the given region and their presence in some other region; (8) association with anthropogenic biotopes; (9) sharp fluctuations of abundance; (10) lack of taxonomically close species in the given region and their presence in other regions; (11) detection in the region of two or more taxonomically and/or ecologically close species typical of another region; (12) presence of known vectors of invasion; (13) low genetic diversity; (14) reproduction by parthenogenesis or inbreeding. These criteria are mere indirect evidences of the alien status of a species in the given territory, because numerous exceptions exist. Usually it is impossible to recognize an alien species by a single criterion, but matching several criteria characterizes the species as an alien one with high probability.     

Can the morphology of the integumentary spicules be used to distinguish genera and species of phyllidiid nudibranchs (Porostomata: Phyllidiidae)?

Thirty-eight specimens belonging to four genera and 15 species of the nudibranch family Phyllidiidae were examined to investigate whether the morphology of their integumentary calcareous spicules and/or the occurrence of the spicules within the regions of the body could be used to distinguish genera and species. The spicules were studied separately from five regions of the body of each specimen—the foot, gills, mantle, dorsal pustules (or ridges in Reticulidia) and rhinophores. The mantle itself plus its pustules were found to possess the full complement of spicules in every individual. Four types of spicules were recorded overall—smooth diactines, centro-polytylote diactines, triactines and tetractines. Different regions of the body were found to possess different spicule types: (a) only smooth diactines in the gills, (b) both smooth diactines and triactines in the foot and (c) all of smooth diactines, centro-polytylote diactines and triactines in the mantle, dorsal pustules and the rhinophores. Among the genera, three types of spicules (smooth diactine, triactine, and tetractine) are present in Phyllidia, Phyllidiopsis and Reticulidia, but the form of the spicules is not diagnostic between these genera or between the constituent species. The fourth type of spicule (centro-polytylote diactine) is present exclusively in Phyllidiella, and is diagnostic for that genus. However, we failed to find any difference in spicule form, or composition, or location in the body between the three (closely related) species of Phyllidiella we investigated. Therefore, our key conclusion is that spicule morphology is an extremely important character to tell the genus Phyllidiella apart from all the other genera of the family, but it is not taxonomically informative at the level of species.     

Do bumblebees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) really forage close to their nests?

This paper questions whether bumblebees really forage as close to their nests as has commonly been assumed in the bumblebee literature. Three experiments are described that involved marking and reobservation bumblebees. None of these experiments showed any tendency for bumblebees to concentrate their foraging close to (e.g., within 50 m from) the nest. Rather, the results suggested that bumblebees may prefer to forage at some distance from their nest. Further, a closer review of the bumblebee literature showed that similar findings were quite common. Some possible explanations to the observed behavior patterns are given as outlines for further research.     

Does a type specimen necessarily or contingently belong to its species?

In a recent article, Alex Levine raises a paradox. It appears that, given some relatively uncontroversial premises about how a species term comes to refer to its species, a type specimen belongs necessarily and contingently to its species. According to Levine, this problem arises if species are individuals rather than natural kinds. I argue that the problem can be generalized: the problem also arises if species are kinds and type specimens are paradigmatic members used to baptize names for species. Indeed, the same problem arises with respect to kinds like gold and the samples used to ground names for them. After arguing that the paradox arises whether or not species are individuals, I attempt to show how the paradox can be resolved. Levine's argument that a type specimen belongs necessarily to its species is specious. The appeal of the argument stems from a failure to distinguish between two different modal statements concerning type specimens, one de dicto and the other de re. Type specimens belong contingently to their respective species. Even so, they can be known a priori to belong to them: hence, that a particular type specimen belongs to its species is an example of contingent a priori knowledge.     

Coccinella septempunctata (Coleoptera,Coccinellidae): a species complex?

Marin, J., Crouau‐Roy, B., Hemptinne, J.‐L., Lecompte, E. & Magro, A. (2010). Coccinella septempunctata (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae): a species complex? —Zoologica Scripta, 39, 591–602. Coccinella septempunctata L., the seven spot ladybird is widely distributed across the Paleartic region. Based on a few morphological characteristics and geographical origin, some populations are recognized as distinct species, e.g., the North African Coccinella algerica Ková? and Japanese Coccinella brucki Mulsant later considered to be a subspecies –C. septempunctata brucki. The objective of this study is to discuss the taxonomic status of the seven spot ladybird, in particular whether it is a complex of species or the same species throughout the Paleartic region. The relationship between populations was clarified by using a combination of molecular and limited morphometric data and assessing potential reproductive barriers by means of cross breeding. Although there is considerable variation in the size of the spots on the elytra, the results of this study confirm that all studied populations belong to the same species.     

Revision of citrus trees pests of Agrilus angulatus species–group (Coleoptera,Buprestidae) from South and Southeast Asia with description of one new species

The revision of Agrilus (Coleoptera, Buprestidae) pests of citrus trees from A. angulatus species–group comprising six species: A. angulatus (Fabricius, 1798); A. connatus sp. nov.; A. livensKerremans, 1892a, Kerremans, 1892b; A. mediocrisKerremans, 1900; A. nubilusKerremans, 1892a, Kerremans, 1892b and A. olivaceidorsisObenberger, 1917 from South and Southeast Asia is provided. The study is based on examination of all relevant types and 2498 additional specimens. The key to species is given and complemented with illustrations of morphology, habitus, genitalia, size variability, color variability, type specimens and distribution. Comprehensive commented literature references, data on type specimens, faunal records, revised and updated distribution and host plant data are cited for each species. The new species A. connatus sp. nov. from Laos and Thailand is described. The following taxonomic and nomenclatural acts are proposed: the name grisatorKerremans, 1893syn. nov. (Agrilus) is a junior subjective synonym of the name nubilusKerremans, 1892a, Kerremans, 1892b (Agrilus); the name macellusBourgoin, 1922syn. nov. (Agrilus) is a junior subjective synonym of the name olivaceidorsisObenberger, 1917 (Agrilus); the lectotype of Buprestis angulataFabricius, 1798 (now in Agrilus) is designated.www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BAE5BD51-2811-44CE-8BC1-AEEC76075667     

On two new species of the genus Leptomias Faust from Kashmir (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Brachyderinae)

Marshall (1916) referred 26 species to genus Leptomias Fst.and .put generic names Heteromias Fst., Parisomias Fst. and Piazomias Lacd. (part) as its synonyms. Gunther and Zumpt (1933) added Cneorrhinus Redtenb.also in the list of synonyms of Leptomias st.Later on, Aslam (1961) revalidated Parisomias Fst.reshuffled the position of a few species and described a number of new species under the restricted Leptomias Fst.Accordingiy, as many as 32 species were referred to the genus Leptomias Fst.     

Does escape to enemy-free space explain host specialization in two closely related leaf-feeding beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)?

This paper examines the role of predation and parasitism in the host specialization of two chrysomelid beetles that are monophagous on different species of Asteraceae. Ophraella notulata and O. slobodkini are sister taxa that feed on Iva frutescens and Ambrosia artemisiifolia respectively. Ambrosia is the purported ancestral host plant for this species pair. The question addressed is whether there is evidence that escape to enemy-free space may influence the host specialization of O. notulata on I. frutescens. I estimated egg predation, successful egg hatch, and larval parasitism directly, and larval predation indirectly, based on relative abundances of predatory insects and spiders. Egg predation was significantly higher on O. slobodkini and this was not due to species-specific differences in egg defense. However, egg hatch was not significantly different between O. notulata and O. slobodkini. Predatory arthropods were 4 times more abundant in A. artemisiifolia habitat than in I. frutescens habitat. Interestingly, larval parasitism by a tachinid fly was significantly greater on O. notulata than on O. slobodkini, opposite to the egg predation data and the inferred larval predation rate. There is little evidence to suggest that escape to enemy-free space is a factor that maintains the monophagy of O. notulata. Received: 6 January 1995 / Accepted: 14 April 1997     

A new species of Phymatodes Mulsant (Coleoptera,?Cerambycidae) from China

A new species Phymatodes (Poecilium) latefasciatussp. n. (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Cerambycinae, Callidiini) from China is described and illustrated. Features distinguishing the new species from its congeners are presented.     

A new species of Scelidopetalon Delkeskamp (Coleoptera,Erotylidae) from China with a?key?to?world species of the genus

A new species Scelidopetalon biwenxuanisp. n. is described from China, representing the first occurrence of the genus in Hainan province. A key to the world species of this genus is provided.     

Taxonomic synopsis of the subtribe Physoderina (Coleoptera,Carabidae, Lebiini), with species?revisions?of eight genera

Ten genera of Physoderina from the Oriental Region are diagnosed and described, and twenty six species representing eight genera (Paraphaea Bates, Anchista Nietner, Metallanchista gen. n., Diamella nom. n., Allocota Motschulsky, Orionella Jedlička, Endynomena Chaudoir and Dasiosoma Britton (Oriental species only)) are revised. Keys to genera and species are provided, along with distribution maps, habitus images, photographs of the name-bearing types, and illustrations of male and female genitalia of available species. The female internal reproductive system is illustrated for fourteen species. Two genera, Anchista and Taicona, previously placed in Calleidina, are moved into Physoderina. One new genus is described: Metallanchista, gen. n. (type species Metallanchista laticollis, sp. n.). Two new generic synonyms are proposed: Taicona Bates, 1873, junior synonym of Allocota Motschulsky, 1859; Teradaia Habu, 1979a, junior synonym of Dasiosoma Britton, 1937. A new generic replacement name is proposed: Diamella, nom. n. for Diamella Jedlička, 1952 (junior homonym of Diamella Gude, 1913). The status of Paraphaea Bates, 1873 is resurrected from synonym of Anchista Nietner, 1856. Five new species are described: Paraphaea minor Shi & Liang, sp. n. (Hoa-Binh, Tonkin, Vietnam), Anchista pilosa Shi & Liang, sp. n. (Chikkangalur, Bangalore, India), Metallanchista laticollis Shi & Liang, sp. n. (PhaTo env., Chumphon prov., Thailand), Allocota bicolor Shi & Liang, sp. n. (Dengga to Mafengshan, Ruili, Yunnan, China), Dasiosoma quadraticolle Shi & Liang, sp. n. (Menglun Botanical Garden, Yunnan, China). Fourteen new combinations are proposed: Paraphaea binotata (Dejean, 1825), comb. n. from Anchista; Paraphaea formosana (Jedlička, 1946), comb. n. from Anchista; Paraphaea philippinensis (Jedlička, 1935b), comb. n. from Allocota; Metallanchista perlaeta (Kirschenhofer, 1994), comb. n. from Allocota; Physodera andrewesi (Jedlička, 1934), comb. n. from Allocota; Diamella cupreomicans (Oberthür, 1883), comb. n. from Physodera; Diamella arrowi (Jedlička, 1935a), comb. n. from Allocota; Allocota aurata (Bates, 1873), comb. n. from Taicona; Dasiosoma bellum (Habu, 1979a), comb. n. from Teradaia; Dasiosoma indicum (Kirschenhofer, 2011), comb. n. from Diamella; Dasiosoma maindroni (Tian & Deuve, 2001), comb. n. from Lachnoderma; Dasiosoma hirsutum (Bates, 1873), comb. n. from Lachnoderma; Orionella discoidalis (Bates, 1892), comb. n. from Anchista; Orionella kathmanduensis (Kirschenhofer, 1994), comb. n. from Lachnoderma. Five names are newly placed as junior synonyms: Paraphaea eurydera (Chaudoir, 1877), junior synonym of Paraphaea binotata (Dejean, 1825); Anchista glabra Chaudoir, 1877, and Anchista nepalensis Kirschenhofer, 1994, junior synonyms of Anchista fenestrata (Schmidt-Göbel, 1846); Allocota caerulea Andrewes, 1933, junior synonym of Allocota viridipennis Motschulsky, 1859; Allocota perroti (Jedlička, 1963), junior synonym of Allocota aurata (Bates, 1873). One new replacement name is proposed: Dasiosoma basilewskyi, nom. n. for Dasiosoma hirsutum Basilewsky, 1949 (secondary junior homonym of Dasiosoma hirsutum (Bates, 1892)). One species is downgraded to subspecies rank: Anchista fenestrata subpubescens Chaudoir, 1877, new rank.