Chinese Fauna Research Articles

A new and widely distributed species of Ichthyurus Westwood, 1848 (Cantharidae, Chauliognathinae, Ichthyurini) from China.

The genus Ichthyurus Westwood, 1848 is a large cantharid group consisting of approximately 200 species worldwide, with only 10 species hitherto found in China. Despite its expansive area, the Chinese fauna has historically received little attention from specialists, leading to a lack of knowledge even about some common Ichthyurus species in this region. A new species of Ichthyurus Westwood, 1848 is described under the name of I.longulus sp. nov., which is widely distributed in mainland China, including Shannxi, Gansu, Hubei, Chongqing, Guizhou and Guangxi. Although there are some variations in the pronotum colouration within the species, this new species could be easily distinguished from all others of Ichthyurus by the large-sized body, uniformly black elytra, mesotibiae each with an apical spur in male, terminal abdominal tergite of male with long and cylindrical lateral projections that are about 3/5 the length of the tergite, terminal abdominal ventrite of male saddle-shaped and deeply cleft in middle of apical 2/3 part and aedeagus with a long setifore extension that is as long as the parameres. The habitus, terminal abdominal ventrite and tergites and genitalia of both sexes are illustrated. In addition, a distribution map of this species and a list of the Ichthyurus species from mainland China are provided.

New records for the Helius Lepeletier & Serville fauna (Diptera, Limoniidae) of China

The genus Helius Lepeletier & Serville, 1828 is globally distributed with 232 species and subspecies, of which 25 have been known to occur in China. Amongst the Chinese Helius crane flies, 24 species are distributed in southern China. The species diversity of Helius in other Chinese regions may be severely underestimated due to a lack of investigation. Some investigations on crane flies in Inner Mongolia, China have been initiated by the authors together with other entomologists, with Helius being one of the key targets of attention. Two Helius species, H. (Helius) flavus (Walker, 1856) and H. (H.) gracillimus Alexander, 1938, are added to the Chinese fauna. The two newly-recorded species also represent the first records of the crane fly tribe Elephantomyiini in Inner Mongolia. Re-descriptions and illustrations of the two newly-recorded species are presented.

Eletica (Meteletica) castanea (Thomas, 1893), represents a subfamily of Meloidae (Coleoptera, Tenebrionoidea) first recorded for the Chinese fauna

Eletica (Meteletica) castanea (Thomas, 1893), represents a subfamily of Meloidae (Coleoptera, Tenebrionoidea) first recorded for the Chinese fauna

A new subgenus representing a newly recorded genus from China, with a new species featured with special palps (Acari, Hydryphantoidea, Hydryphantidae, Partnunia)

A new subgenus Peculiaripalpus subgen. nov. with a new species Partnunia (Peculiaripalpus) longlingensis sp. nov. which belongs to Partnunia Piersig, 1986 is described and illustrated. Partnunia represents a newly record genus of Protziinae Koenike, 1909 for Chinese fauna. The diagnosis of Partnunia is modified according to the new species. An updated key is provided for the subfamilies, genera and subgenera of Hydryphantidae.

One new species of Imitomyia Townsend and five newly recorded species of Dexiinae (Diptera: Tachinidae) from China

During our study of the Chinese Fauna of Diptera, many specimens from the subfamily Dexiinae were examined. One new species was recognized, Imitomyia wangi sp. nov. Additionally, five species, Actinochaetopteryx patellipalpis Richter, Chetoptilia puella (Rondani), Leptothelaira longicaudata Mesnil & Shima, Phyllomya takanoi Mesnil and Rutilia (Chrysorutilia) rubriceps Macquart, are newly recorded in China. Their descriptions, illustration and diagnoses are given.

A new spineless Myrmica species from China, with the reinstatement of M. zhengi Ma & Xu (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

A new species of the pachei-group, M. inermissp. nov., from Sichuan, China, which is unique in the Chinese fauna due to its short-spined character. The new species is similar to M. huaii Chen et al., 2016, M. phalacra Radchenko & Elmes, 2009, M. schulzi Radchenko & Elmes, 2009 and M. sculptiventris Radchenko & Elmes, 2009 resulted from clustering analysis, and the main morphological differences and diagnostic characters between this species and all species of the pachei-group are listed in this study. Considering the morphological differences between M. zhengi Ma & Xu, 2011 and M. luteola Kupyanskaya, 1990, especially in the cephalic posterior marginal hairs of the workers and the propodeal spines of the queens, we propose that M. zhengi be reinstated.

SPATIAL ORGANIZATION OF BIRD POPULATION OF THE URUP AND ITURUP ISLANDS (KURIL ISLANDS)

The ecological and geographical differentiation of the bird population at 18 sites of the Urup and Iturup islands was analyzed. The method of route accounting was applied. A total of 109 species were recorded, 62 of them on both islands. The coefficient of faunal commonality between the terrestrial habitats of the islands is 72%, and between the coastal-marine - 71%. The coefficient of similarity of the bird population between the land habitats of the islands is 36%, and between the coastal-marine - 29%. The values of bird population density on the islands are close both between terrestrial (610-757 ind./km2) and coastal-marine (536-607 ind./km2) habitats. The high population density is everywhere due to the abundance of numerically predominant species of the Far Eastern island and the Chinese fauna types. The total population of species of these faunas accounts for more than 50% of the population in terrestrial (282-469 ind./km2) and coastal marine (172-333 ind./km2) habitats. The spatio-temporal dynamics of the bird population is characteristic.

First Chinese record of the family Momoniidae K. Viets, 1926 (Acari, Hydrachnidiae, Arrenuroidea), with the description of one new species

ABSTRACT A new species, Momonides neolandbergi Li & Guo sp. nov. is described in detail, which is the fifth species all over the world in Momonidinae Lundblad, 1941, Momoniidae K. Viets, 1926. The family and subfamily are newly recorded for Chinese fauna. The new species are recorded by camera, optical microscope, and scanning electron microscope. Publication:http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E2D3D7E3-A2FD-4064-B8A6-2DE177A5D930New species:http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BAAF7F6D-5580-4BF0-8E91-096CC11C7A6D

Taxonomy of the genus Periacma Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Autostichidae) from China, with a checklist of the world species.

Ten new species of the genus Periacma Meyrick, 1894 are described: P. anterosinuata sp. nov., P. falcata sp. nov., P. largiloba sp. nov., P. laterispinulosa sp. nov., P. platygnatha sp. nov., P. ludingensis sp. nov., P. mediacantha sp. nov., P. securiformis sp. nov., P. solitaridens sp. nov. and P. subaequalis sp. nov. Periacma lianzhouensis (Wang, 2006) comb. nov. is transferred from the genus Irepacma to the present genus. The females of P. acriuncata Wang, Li & Liu, 2001, P. ferialis Meyrick, 1894, P. lianzhouensis (Wang, 2006), P. nepalensis Ueda et Moriuti, 1996 and P. rectignatha Wang et Li, 2006 are described for the first time. Periacma himalayensis Ueda et Moriuti, 1996, P. kunai Moriuti, Saito et Lewvanich, 1985, P. nakhonnayokensis Moriuti, Saito et Lewvanich, 1985 and P. nepalensis Ueda et Moriuti, 1996 are newly recorded for the Chinese fauna. Images of the new species and the newly described females are provided, and a global checklist of the described Periacma species is included.

First record of the subgenus Hemilepistus (Desertellio) (Isopoda, Agnaridae) from China.

The subgenus Hemilepistus (Desertellio) Verhoeff, 1930 is reported from China for the first time. A new species of the subgenus, H. (D.) gracilentus Li & Jiang sp. nov., is described from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwestern China and H. (D.) ruderalis (Pallas, 1771) is redescribed as a new record for Chinese Fauna, and its polymorphism is verified by using the COI sequences. A key to the worldwide species of the subgenus is provided.

Biostratigraphy, organic petrography and carbon isotope chemostratigraphy of the Ordovician-Silurian black shales from the Northwestern Domain of Peninsular Malaysia

Integrated biostratigraphy, petrography, organic carbon and carbon isotope chemostratigraphy were used in tandem to assess the paleoenvironment and hydrocarbon potential of the latest Ordovician to Early Silurian basin in the Northwestern Domain of Peninsular Malaysia. Graptolite biostratigraphy indicated a Hirnantian to Aeronian age for the Tanjung Dendang Formation in Pulau Langgun, Langkawi. The graptolite fauna from the Langkawi Islands demonstrates a close association with the South Chinese fauna. The graptolite fragments show a non-granular surface morphology and are mostly present in a long, stipe-like, lath shape when observed under reflected white light microscopy. The pyrites present are relatively small and sparse during the latest Ordovician, suggesting a euxinic condition, but during the Silurian, the pyrites are larger and more common, suggesting anoxic and later dysoxic bottom water. The mean random reflectance of non-granular graptolite in sections perpendicular to the bedding range from 1.8% to 3.07%, and the equivalent vitrinite reflectance ranges from 1.86% Ro to 3.12% Ro, suggesting an overmature stage in term of hydrocarbon generation. The TOC of the Langkawi black shale averages 2.1 wt%, while the rock from the Mahang and Sungai Petani areas measures 1.37 wt% and 0.47% wt%, respectively. δ13Corg chemostratigraphy for the Tanjung Dendang Formation resulted in δ13Corg level between −31.4 ‰ to −28.7 ‰. The Hirnantian Isotope Carbon Excursion (HICE), signalled by a high δ13Corg value, is documented near the base of the formation, followed by a sudden negative shift towards the Ordovician-Silurian boundary. δ13Corg more or less maintained during the Silurian except for slight carbon excursion events during the middle Rhuddanian and early Aeronian. The δ13Corg excursion events from the Tanjung Dendang Formation in Langkawi can be accurately correlated with successions from China, the United Kingdom and Artic Canada.

Two new species and one newly recorded species of the genus Chilo Zincken, 1817 (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) from China, with a list of Chinese species.

Three species of the genus Chilo are studied in China. Chilo argenteus sp. nov. collected from Yunnan and C. sinuafasciata sp. nov. collected from Hainan are described as new in science. Chilo partellus (Swinhoe, 1885) is newly recorded for the Chinese fauna. Images of adults and genitalia of the three species are provided. A list of 19 known Chilo species in China is included.

Cavariella Del Guercio (Hemiptera, Aphidinae, Macrosiphini) in China, with a new species, new synonymies, and first country records.

The genus Cavariella is distinguished from other Macrosiphini genera (Aphididae, Aphidinae) because it has a supra-caudal process on abdominal tergite VIII which possesses two setae distally. It is Holarctic in distribution, and half of its species are Asian. The Chinese fauna of this genus, 17 species, have been restudied, morphologically and through DNA barcodes. As a result: Cavariellahidaensis Takahashi is transferred to Elatobium; Cavariellasculptura Qiao & Xu, sp. nov. is described from specimens collected on Torilis and Cryptotaenia (Apiaceae); Cavariellacessana Zhang, Chen, Zhong & Li, syn. nov. and Cavariellalargispiracula Zhang, Chen, Zhong & Li, syn. nov. are respectively junior synonyms of Cavariellaaquatica (Gillette & Bragg) and Cavariellasapporoensis Takahashi; Cavariellagilgiana Zhang, Chen, Zhong & Li and Cavariellalhasana Zhang are confirmed as valid species and complete descriptions are provided; Cavariellabhutanensis Chakrabarti & Das, Cavariellanigra Basu, Cavariellapastinacae (Linnaeus), and Cavariellapustula Essig are recorded for the first time from China. Additionally, keys for species of Cavariella known in China are provided and modifications to the key by Blackman and Eastop of aphid species on Angelica (Aphids on World's Plants) are presented.

Molecular phylogeny and identification of agromyzid leafminers in China, with a focus on the worldwide genus Liriomyza (Diptera: Agromyzidae)

Leaf-mining flies (Diptera: Agromyzidae) are a diverse family of small-bodied insects that feed on living plant tissues as larvae. Various species in this family are considered globally invasive and have caused great agricultural economic losses. In China, economically important vegetable crops have been seriously damaged by these pest insects, especially by species of the genus Liriomyza. However, these species are difficult to differentiate because of their morphological similarities, and the Chinese fauna remains poorly known. To explore the relevant pest species in China and their phylogeny, agromyzid leafminers were collected from 2016 to 2019, and identified based on morphological characteristics and DNA barcodes. In total, 27 species from five genera of Agromyzidae were sampled and identified, including 16 species of Liriomyza. Both mitochondrial and nuclear genes were used to reconstruct their phylogenetic relationships and estimate the divergence time. Highly congruent and well-supported phylogenetic trees were obtained using the Bayesian inference and maximum-likelihood methods. This analysis revealed two main clades in Liriomyza, and clade 2 was inferred to have diverged from clade 1 approximately 27.40 million years ago (95% highest posterior density: 23.03–31.52 million years ago) in the Oligocene. Differences were observed in the distribution patterns and host associations between the Liriomyza clades. Clade 2 species are distributed in cool, high-latitude environments, suggesting that they may have evolved into a cool-adapted lineage.

The second species of Testudacarus and one new record of Torrenticola for the Chinese fauna (Acari, Hydrachnidia, Torrenticolidae)

Two water mites species of Torrenticolidae are reported from China. Testudacarus sinensis Gu and Guo sp. nov. is described as the second species of Testudacarinae in Chinese fauna and the 22<sup>nd</sup> species of the subfamily. Moreover, the first record from China is given for Torrenticola rangareddyi Pešić and Smit, 2019. In addition to an updated key for all species of Torrenticolidae recorded from China, the dorsal plate arrangements of torrenticolid mites are reviewed to provide further references and data for the taxonomy of Chinese Torrenticolidae.

First Record of Osphya (Melandryidae: Osphyinae) from Chinese Mainland Based on Morphological Evidence and Mitochondrial Genome-Based Phylogeny of Tenebrionoidea

Osphya Illiger (Melandryidae: Osphyinae) as a species-poor insect group, exhibits a widespread distribution in the Northern Hemisphere, however, the research of the genus is poorly documented especially in East Asia. Herein, an interesting species is discovered in Shennongjia National Natural Reserve (Hubei, China). The examination of morphological characters and comparisons with others show it to be a new member of Osphya, which is described under the name of O. sinensis sp. n. The characteristic photos and a key to the species of Osphya from East Asia are provided. Meanwhile, the mitochondrial genome of O. sinensis sp. n. is sequenced and annotated. Based on this obtained mitogenome and the publicly available data, we reconstructed the phylogeny of Tenebrionoidea by different cladistics methods to investigate the relationships between the new species with others. The results consistently recover O. sinensis sp. n. sister to O. bipunctata (Fabricius) with high supporting values, which further confirm the placement of the new species in the genus Osphya. This is the first time reporting the genus Osphya, the only representative genus of melandryid Osphyinae from mainland China, which enriches the diversity of beetles from the Chinese fauna at both generic and subfamilial levels.

Two new species of Platynectes Régimbart, 1879 from China with notes on other Chinese members of the genus, including a key to species (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Agabinae)

Two new Platynectes species, P. maizuqii sp. nov. from Guangdong and P. pangu sp. nov. from Yunnan, are described. New records are provided for the following species: P. davidorum Hájek, Alarie, Šťastný & Vondráček, 2019 from Jiangxi, P. dissimilis (Sharp, 1873) from Guangxi, P. gemellatus Šťastný, 2003 from Hunan and Zhejiang, P. kashmiranus lemberki Šťastný, 2003 from Xizang and P. nanlingensis Šťastný, 2003 from Jiangxi. Additional records are also given for most other Chinese species. Platynectes kashmiranus kashmiranus J. Balfour-Browne, 1944 is removed from the Chinese fauna. The habitus of all and the male genitalia of most species are illustrated. An updated key to all Chinese species of Platynectes is provided.

A newly-recorded species of the genus Rhodotritoma Arrow, 1925 (Coleoptera, Erotylidae) from China.

The genus Rhodotritoma Arrow, 1925 (Coleoptera, Erotylidae, Erotylinae, Tritomini) includes 12 known species worldwide, including three species distributed in China. In the last four decades, no work was conducted on Rhodotritoma in China. In this paper, we review the taxonomy of this genus for Chinese fauna and redescribe a newly-recorded species in China. Rhodotritomamanipurica Arrow, 1925 is recorded from China for the first time. The morphological characters of the adult are redescribed in detail and illustrated. A key to species of the genus Rhodotritoma Arrow, 1925 in China is provided. Chinese specimens were collected from Tibet Autonomous Region and Yunnan Province, which were then deposited in the Museum of Hebei University. The holotype examined is kept in the Natural History Museum.

Three new and two newly recorded species of the water mite genus Arrenurus Dugs, 1834 (Acari, Hydrachnidia: Arrenuridae) from China.

This paper deals with five species of Arrenurus Dugs, 1834 from P. R. China. Arrenurus (Truncaturus) linguaus sp. nov., Arrenurus (Arrenurus) pseudodistinctus sp. nov. and Arrenurus (Arrenurus) yanchengensis sp. nov, are new to science; Arrenurus (Arrenurus) crassicaudatus Kramer, 1875 and Arrenurus (Megaluracarus) ussuriensis Sokolow, 1931 are recorded for the first time for the Chinese fauna. Arrenurus (Truncaturus) linguaus sp. nov. can be distinguished by tongue-shaped hyaline petiole, trapezoid hyaline membrane, and more or less triangular acetabular plates. Arrenurus (Arrenurus) pseudodistinctus sp. nov. can be distinguished by the median of petiole enlarged, obviously wider than the front and rear ends; ligulate process well-developed and fishtail-shaped; hyaline membrane trapezoid. Arrenurus (Arrenurus) yanchengensis sp. nov can be distinguished by a short hyaline membrane and extending to the base of the well-developed pygal lobes; petiole lobes have the same length as the petiole. Detailed descriptions and illustrations of the new and newly recorded species are given in this paper.

A review of Copelatus Erichson, 1832 of Mainland China, with description of ten new species from the japonicus complex (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Copelatinae).

The species of the genus Copelatus Erichson, 1832 from China Mainland are reviewed. 22 species are recorded in total. Ten new species: C. dentatipenis sp. nov. (Fujian, Hunan, Jiangxi), C. diversistriatus sp. nov. (Yunnan; Laos, Myanmar, Thailand), C. felicis sp. nov. (Yunnan), C. miaowangi sp. nov. (Guizhou), C. mopanshanensis sp. nov. (Yunnan), C. nanlingensis sp. nov. (Guangdong), C. puzhelongi sp. nov. (Yunnan; Laos, Vietnam), C. rosulae sp. nov. (Yunnan), C. tengchongensis sp. nov. (Yunnan), and C. xiniudong sp. nov. (Guizhou) are described. Copelatus chinensis Rgimbart, 1899 is reinstituted as a valid species with Copelatus collocallosus Falkenstrm, 1932 and C. collocallosus Falkenstrm, 1933 as its junior subjective synonyms. One species from Hongkong remains unidentified since it is so far known only from a limited number of females. Additional records are provided for the known species; three species: C. bacchusi Wewalka, 1981, C. malaisei Guignot, 1954 and C. parallelus Zimmermann, 1920 are recorded from China for the first time. Copelatus takakurai Sat, 1985 is withdrawn from the Chinese fauna. All species are diagnosed, and their habitus and male genitalia are illustrated. An updated identification key to Chinese Copelatus is provided.