Color Habitus Research Articles

Two new species of Diastatotropis Lacordaire (Coleoptera: Anthribidae) from east Madagascar with a key to species of the genus

Two new species, Diastatotropis lepidus Trýzna & Baňař sp. nov. and Diastatotropis humeralis Trýzna & Baňař sp. nov. (Anthribidae: Anthribinae: Cappadocini), from Madagascar are described. Colour habitus photographs are provided. A key to the known species of the genus Diastatotropis is provided.

A new species of the genus Tetratoma Fabricius (Coleoptera, Tetratomidae) from China.

A new species of tetratomid beetle, Tetratoma (s. str.) yunnanensis Nikitsky sp. nov. is described from Southern China (Yunnan). Description, colour habitus photographs and an illustration of the aedeagus are provided, and the species is compared with other members of the genus. Biogeographical observations on the species and subgenera of Tetratoma are given.

Two New Species ofPulvillophylusfrom Western Australia (Insecta: Hemiptera: Miridae: Phylinae: Cremnorrhinini)

ABSTRACT Two new species of phyline Miridae were collected from unique localities in Kadji Kadji and Lochada Reserves of Western Australia during the Avon Wheatbelt Bush Blitz survey of September 2009. Based on head shape and male genitalic structure, P. cuneomaculatus, n. sp., and P. ecdeiocoleae, n. sp., are members of Pulvillophylus Schuh and Schwartz, 2016. The latter species was taken on the flower spikes of Ecdeiocolea monostachya F. Muell. (Ecdeiocoleaceae) and provides the first confirmed host-plant record for the genus Pulvillophylus. Documentation for both species is provided by diagnoses, descriptions, color habitus images of males, a distributional map, illustrations of male genitalic structures, and images of the endosoma. Digital images of the dorsal habitus and female genitalic structures of P. ecdeiocoleae are provided as well as digital images and a distribution map for the plant host.

Nineteen New Genera and 82 New Species of Cremnorrhinina from Australia, Including Analyses of Host Relationships and Distributions (Insecta: Hemiptera: Miridae: Phylinae: Cremnorrhinini)

ABSTRACT The tribe Cremnorrhinini, subtribe Cremnorrhinina, is recognized for the first time as occurring in Australia. Existing collections allow for the description of the following 19 new genera within which 82 new species of the group are placed: Adunatiphylus, Asterophylus, Austroplagiognathus, Bifidostylus, Dicyphylus, Eremotylus, Grandivesica, Gyrophallus, Halophylus, Lepidophylus, Maculiphylus, Monospiniphallus, Myoporophylus, Myrtophylus, Omnivoriphylus, Proteophylus, Pulvillophylus, Spinivesica, and Telophylus. Documentation is provided in the form of a subtribal diagnosis, key to genera, diagnoses and descriptions of all genera and species, color habitus images of males (and females where available) of all species, distributional maps, illustrations of male genitalic structures, images of the endosoma of all species and female genitalic structures in representative species, and scanning electron micrographs of representative morphology within the group based on a sample of nine genera. Host-pla...

Classification, Natural History, and Evolution of Tarsosteninae (Coleoptera: Cleroidea: Cleridae). Part III. Taxonomy of the New World GeneraArdearsusOpitz, New Genus,AbiliellaPeracchi,OchraceaOpitz, New Genus, andSomaovalisOpitz, New Genus

Abstract This work represents the third contribution of a series of publications focused on the study of the natural history and evolution of the Tarsosteninae. The work includes four genera: Abiliella Peracchi, Ardearsus Opitz, new genus, Ochracea Opitz, new genus, and Somaovalis Opitz, new genus. Six new species are described: Abiliella albosutura Opitz, Abiliella galbina Opitz, Ardearsus morulus Opitz, Ochracea xanthosa Opitz, Somaovalis sexnaeva Opitz, and Somaovalis sinestigma Opitz. Among the species treated in this work, only Abiliella fasciata Peracchi was previously described. It is postulated that the genera and species in question originated in South America after the Andean orogenic events that took place during the Miocene. Included in this work are: a key to the genera and species, 17 line drawings, eight electron micrographs, seven color habitus photographs, six photographs of genitalia, a species-level phylogenetic tree, and one distributional map of the species.

Wheelerodemus muhlenbergiae, a New Genus and New Species of Blissidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Lygaeoidea) from Oklahoma and Texas

Abstract. The new blissid genus Wheelerodemus is described to accommodate the new species W. muhlenbergiae, based on specimens collected on the grasses Muhlenbergia lindheimeri and M. reverchonii from the Arbuckle Mountains in southcentral Oklahoma and the Edward's Plateau in westcentral Texas. Because the size of specimens from Oklahoma appeared consistently smaller than those from Texas, samples from each area were sequenced using the COI barcode region to help determine that only one variable species was involved. Diagnoses, descriptions, a color habitus illustration of the adult male, dorsal and lateral photographs of the adult male and female, photomicrographs of selected structures, illustrations of male and female genitalia, and a key to the U.S. blissid genera are provided to help distinguish this new genus and species from other Blissidae.

Revision ofAphelonotusUhler (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pachynomidae), with Description of Six New Species and Documentation of Nymphal Morphology for Three Species

ABSTRACT Aphelonotus Uhler is revised with the recognition of 14 species, six of them described as new: A, alvarengai, A. elongatus, A. minutus, A. paramedius, A. taino, and A. xenos. Aphelonotus brevirostris Carayon and Villiers is treated as a junior synonym of A. fraterculus Harris. Color habitus images and illustrations of the male parameres are provided for all species; morphology for the adult female of A. major is documented through the use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Measurements of male and female specimens are presented and analyzed, documenting a strong correlation between total length and the length of the proximal portion of the antennal pedicel and the consequent utility of either of these measurements in species discrimination. Nymphs are described for the first time for the genus, for the species A. fraterculus, A. major, and A. xenos; their morphology is documented by SEM and color images. Distributional maps show a pattern of occurrence restricted primarily to the New World tr...

Review of Canadian species of the genus Mocyta Mulsant & Rey (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae), with the description of a new species and a new synonymy.

Six species of the genus Mocyta Mulsant & Rey are reported from Canada: Mocyta amblystegii (Brundin), Mocyta breviuscula (Mäklin), Mocyta discreta (Casey), Mocyta fungi (Gravenhorst), Mocyta luteola (Erichson), and Mocyta sphagnorum Klimaszewski & Webster, sp. n. New provincial and state records include: Mocyta breviuscula – Saskatchewan and Oregon; Mocyta discreta – Quebec, Ontario and Saskatchewan; Mocyta luteola – New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Massachusetts and Minnesota; and Mocyta fungi – Saskatchewan. Mocyta sphagnorum is described from eastern Canada from specimens captured in Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario. Mocyta negligens Mulsant and Rey, a native European species suspected of occurring in Canada, is excluded from the Nearctic fauna based on comparison of European types with similarly coloured Canadian specimens, which are now identified as Mocyta luteola. The European species, Mocyta gilvicollis (Scheerpeltz), is synonymized with another European nominal species, Mocyta negligens, based on examination of type material of the two species. Lectotypes are designated for Eurypronota discreta Casey, Atheta gilvicollis Scheerpeltz, Homalota luteola Erichson, Colpodota negligens Mulsant and Rey, Acrotona prudens Casey and Dolosota redundans Casey. The latter species is here synonymized with Mocyta luteola. A review of the six Nearctic species is provided, including keys to species and closely related genera, colour habitus images, images of genitalia, biological information and maps of their distributions in Canada.

Studies on the Chrysomelidae (Coleoptera) of the Baja California peninsula: the genusCryptocephalusGeoffroy, 1762 (Chrysomelidae: Cryptocephalinae: Cryptocephalini: Cryptocephalina)

Abstract. Two new species of Cryptocephalus Geoffroy, 1762 are described from the Baja California peninsula, Mexico: C. drewi sp. nov., and C. incognitus sp. nov., with illustrations of the male genitalia presented for the former. Specimens previously reported as C. sanguinicollis nigerrimus Crotch, 1874 from the Baja California peninsula were determined to represent C. drewi, while specimens previously reported as C. vapidus White, 1968 were identified as C. californicus Clavareau, 1913. As a result, C. sanguinicollis nigerrimus and C. vapidus are removed from the list of chrysomelid species believed to occur in the Baja California peninsula. A non-type male specimen of C. californicus is described, and differences between the male and female are provided. Color habitus photographs and information on distribution are provided for all three species.

Sarandibrinus, a new genus of Saprininae subfamily from Madagascar (Coleoptera, Histeridae) (Second contribution to the knowledge of the Histeridae of Madagascar).

Sarandibrinus araceliae, a new genus and species of the Saprininae subfamily is described from southern Madagascar. The new taxon exhibits autapomorphic characters for the Saprininae subfamily and is unusual especially for its large and deep prosternal foveae and the shape of spiculum gastrale. The description is accompanied by color habitus images, SEM micrographs, mouthparts and antenna line drawings and drawings of the male genitalia. Key to the genera of the Saprininae of Madagascar and the adjacent archipelagos is given. Hypocaccus (Baeckmanniolus) rubiciliae (Lewis, 1899) is newly reported from Madagascar and Hypocaccus (Nessus) perparvulus (Desbordes, 1916) is new to Mauritius.

Revision of the New World GenusParapelonidesBarr (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Enopliinae)

The genus Parapelonides Barr consists of five species: Parapelonides beckeri Barr, Parapelonides bellamyi Opitz, new species, Parapelonides chamelae Barr; Parapelonides nigrescens (Schaeffer), and Parapelonides penrosei Barr. Morphological evidence suggests that the sister genus of Parapelonides is Pelonides Kuwert. Included in this work are a generic description of Parapelonides, description of one new species, a key to species, 15 line drawings, eight scanning electron micrographs, one species distribution map, three color photos of male genitalia, five color habitus illustrations, and a discussion of the diversification of the species.

Review of Canadian species of the genus Dinaraea Thomson, with descriptions of six new species (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae, Athetini)

Twelve species of the genus Dinaraea Thomson are recognized in the Nearctic region, ten of which occur in Canada, all east of the Rocky Mountains. Six species are herein described as new to science: Dinaraea bicornis Klimaszewski & Webster, sp. n.; Dinaraea curtipenis Klimaszewski & Webster, sp. n.; Dinaraea longipenis Klimaszewski & Webster, sp. n.; Dinaraea quadricornis Klimaszewski & Webster, sp. n.; Dinaraea worki Klimaszewski & Jacobs, sp. n.; and Dinaraea piceana Klimaszewski & Jacobs, sp. n. Four formerly described species are confirmed in Canada: Dinaraea angustula (Thomson), Dinaraea backusensis Klimaszewski & Brunke, Dinaraea borealis Lohse, and Dinaraea pacei Klimaszewki & Langor. The previously unknown male of Dinaraea borealis Lohse and female of Dinaraea backusensis are described. All species are illustrated with colour habitus images and black and white images of the median lobe of the aedeagus and spermatheca, and tergite VIII and sternite VIII of both sexes. New habitat and distribution data are presented and a key to all Nearctic species of the genus is provided.

Taxonomic revision and systematics of continental Australian pygmy water boatmen (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Corixoidea: Micronectidae)

The pygmy water boatmen (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Micronectidae) of continental Australia are revised. The two genera and 17 species occurring in Australia are fully described and keyed. The following species are transferred to Austronecta gen. nov.: Micronecta australiensis Chen, M. micra Kirklady, and M. carinata Chen. Austronecta bartzarum, sp. nov., is newly described. Within Micronecta Kirkaldy, thirteen species are recorded, including M. paragoga sp. nov. The following new synonymies are proposed: Micronecta illiesi Wróblewski, Micronecta concordia King and Micronecta dixonia King are junior synonyms of Micronecta annae Kirkaldy. A lectotype is designated for Micronecta tasmanica Wróblewski. Micronecta ludibunda Breddin is newly recorded for Australia, based on one male examined from Queensland. Within Australia, range extensions are recorded for the following species: Austronecta australiensis (New South Wales, Queensland); A. micra (Western Australia); Micronecta lansburyi Wróblewski (Western Australia); M. adelaidae Chen (Western Australia); M. major Chen (Queensland); M. halei Chen (South Australia); M. virgata Hale (Northern Territory); M. quadristrigata Breddin (Northern Territory); and M. queenslandica Chen (Northern Territory). All species are described and illustrated. Discussion and documentation of all primary type material is provided and where available, type specimens are illustrated. All male genitalic structures are illustrated with scanning electron micrographs. Line drawings are included for all other diagnostic characters, along with color habitus illustrations for both sexes of all species. Distribution maps are included for the following species: Austronecta micra, A. bartzarum, Micronecta paragoga, M. lansburyi, M. adelaidae, M. major, M. virgata, M. halei, M. quadrstrigata, and M. queenslandica. Diagnostic morphology and variation is discussed for all treated species. A phylogenetic analysis of Australasian micronectid generic relationships is presented. Discussion is provided on zoogeographic relationships of Australian Micronectidae.

Notes on the genera Peritropisca Carvalho & Lorenzato and RewafulviusCarvalho (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Cylapinae), with the description of a new species of Peritropisca from Indonesia.

The genera Peritropisca Carvalho & Lorenzato, 1978 and Rewafulvius Carvalho, 1972 are redescribed. A description of a new species of the genus Peritropisca from Indonesia-P. laticostata sp. nov. and a redescription of P. bituberculata Carvalho & Lorenzato, 1978 are provided. The genus Euchilofulviella Gorczyca, 1999 is proposed as a junior synonym of Rewafulvius Carvalho, 1972 syn. nov. A color habitus picture of the adult and male genitalia drawings of each treated species are provided. A key to the genus Peritropisca is given.

New Staphylinidae (Coleoptera) records with new collection data from New Brunswick and an addition to the fauna of Quebec: Staphylininae

Forty-four species of Staphylininae are newly reported from New Brunswick, bringing the total number of species known from the province to 126. Quedius criddlei (Casey) is reported for the first time from Quebec. Bisnius cephalotes (Gravenhorst) is removed from the faunal list of New Brunswick due to a lack of supporting voucher specimens. Additional locality data are presented for seven species either recently recorded from the province or with few previous records and little habitat data. We provide the first documented records of Atrecus americanus (Casey), Quedius erythrogaster Mannerheim, Quedius labradorensis labradorensis Smetana, Quedius plagiatus (Mannerheim), and Neobisnius terminalis (LeConte) from New Brunswick. Collection and habitat data are presented and discussed for all species.

New Staphylinidae (Coleoptera) records with new collection data from New Brunswick, and an addition to the fauna of Quebec, Canada: Aleocharinae

Thirty-eight species of Aleocharinae are newly reported from New Brunswick, bringing the total number of species known from the province to 216. Thirty-one of these species are newly recorded for the Maritime provinces, and four of them, Phloeopora oregona Casey, Gyrophaena michigana Seevers, Gyrophaena wisconsinica Seevers, and Tomoglossa decora (Casey), are newly recorded for Canada. Tomoglossa constitutes a new generic record for Canada. Collection and habitat data for all these species are presented and discussed. Color habitus, median lobe of the aedeagus, and male tergite and sternite 8 images are presented for the first time for Phloeopora oregona, and references to illustrations are provided for all other species included in this paper. A color habitus image is presented for Tomoglossa decora.

Book Review

The Staphylinidae (Rove Beetles) of Britain and Ireland. Parts 7 and 8: Oxyporinae, Steninae, Euaesthetinae, Pseudopsinae, Paederinae, Staphylininae (Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects Volume 12) by Derek A. Lott and Roy Anderson . 2011 . Royal Entomological Society, St. Albans, U.K. 340 pp . with line drawings and colour photo plates . ISBN 9780901546920 , paperback, £49. Staphylinidae are loved by many coleopterists and shunned by at least as many, especially beginners, both because of their immense diversity and the necessity to look at details for identification. It is in fact THE beetle family with most described species. Freude et al. (1964, 1974, updated by Assing & Schülke, 2012) are the long-time standard handbooks for determining Staphylinidae in Central Europe. For the focus area of this handbook (the British Isles, but not the Channel Islands) this was still needed. Tottenham (1954) started work on a series of staphylinid handbooks, but only the first of three intended sections was published. In 2009 work began on updating and hopefully completing this project, incorporating the latest developments in taxonomy and making workable keys available. The first part on the Oxyteline group (Lott, 2009) set the new design and structural standard for the new mini-series. The present book starts out with an abstract (containing an irritating mistake of ‘five’ subfamilies and then naming six, unfortunately reproduced by many booksellers), acknowledgements and an introductory part. This is a slightly updated and adjusted version of the 2009 introductory part, containing, for example, general introduction, morphology, biology, collection and preservation, a short morphological glossary, the newest taxonomic state and an overview of the structure of this huge family (a kind of publishing plan). It becomes apparent that the book at hand deals with all subfamilies of the Staphylinine group, but unfortunately excludes the newly added Scydmaeninae. This subfamily of only 32 species in the area will thus either make it into a micro-handbook or be treated together with subfamilies of other affiliations. This is followed by the subfamily key from 2009 (slightly updated) and an extremely useful checklist, where more ranks (e.g. subtribes) as well as synonyms to genera and species are added, disentangling the flood of names somewhat. The subfamilies are then dealt with in due order, starting with a compilation of general facts: characters for easy recognition, natural history, distribution and species numbers, both worldwide and for the focus area (unfortunately, the authors didn't get their numbers for Staphylininae right: 185, not 181 or 184). A key to genera is then presented, treating these genera one by one with a similar fact sheet, a species key and very good species accounts. All keys are accompanied with numerous line drawings in just the right place to illustrate characters referred to in the key, with the nice side effect that there is left space between the alternatives for your own notes (a positive surprise in times of restricted publishing space). Species accounts are separated from the key (in contrast to Käfer Mitteleuropas), so that a lot of information can be provided: a short description, a very useful section on similar species, habitat and distribution on the British Isles, and, where possible, notes on biology. This is an invaluable resource for collectors, monitoring biologists and anybody who is just interested. Illustrations of special body parts are also arranged in plates for easy and quick comparison between species. Although the drawings of external characters are usually of good quality and reasonably detailed, many of the drawings of aedeagi suffer from severe simplification and appear outright sketchy, a few even on the verge of [being] useless (especially where the lateral view is not provided). Spermatheca, even where possible to use, are not depicted at all. The beautiful plates of colour habitus photographs (190 spp, quite a good chunk of the 328 species covered in all) at the end of the book compensate a bit for this, at least aesthetically. All in all, this handbook is a valuable and much-needed source for determining the Staphylinidae of the British Isles. As there is this huge diversity in all respects, the group is very rewarding for everybody, from the amateur collector to the hardened professional systematist. The volume (and the whole mini-series) will hopefully help encourage those faint-of-heart coleopterists around the British Isles to get over their reluctance and start determining staphylinids, discover that they are not as bad, and maybe do some more work on them. Andrea M. Schomann 1

Systematics, Biodiversity, Biogeography, and Host Associations of the Miridae (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Cimicomorpha)

The Miridae, a hyperdiverse family containing more than 11,020 valid described species, are discussed and the pertinent literature is reviewed. Diagnoses for the family and subfamilies are given. Color habitus photos are presented for representatives of most of the 35 currently recognized tribes. Key morphological character systems are discussed and illustrated, including pretarsal structures, femoral trichobothria, external efferent system of the metathoracic glands, male and female genitalia, and molecular markers. A historical comparison of tribal classifications and the most up-to-date classification are presented in tabular form. A brief history of the classification of each of the eight recognized subfamilies is presented. Distributional patterns and relative generic diversity across biogeographic regions are discussed; generic diversity by biogeographic region is presented in tabular form. Taxonomic accumulation graphs are presented by biogeographic region, indicating an ongoing need for taxonomic work in the Southern Hemisphere, and most particularly in Australia. Host plant associations are evaluated graphically, showing high specificity for many taxa and a preference among phytophagous taxa for the Asteridae and Rosidae.

The Mycetophagidae (Coleoptera) of the Maritime Provinces of Canada

The Mycetophagidae (hairy fungus beetles) of the Maritime Provinces of Canada are surveyed. Seven species in the genera Mycetophagus, Litargus, and Typhaea are found in the region. Six new provincial records are reported including Mycetophagus punctatus and Mycetophagus flexuosus, whichare newly recorded in the Maritime Provinces. The distribution of all species is mapped, colour habitus photographs of all species are figured, and an identification key to species is provided. The discussion notes that four of the species found in the region are apparently rare, possibly due to the history of forest management practices in the region; a situation similar to that of a significant proportion of other saproxylic beetles found in the Maritime Provinces.

A remarkable new species of Himalusa Pace from Thailand (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae): phytophagous aleocharine beetle with potential for bio-control of skunkvine-related weeds in the United States

A new aleocharine species, Himalusa thailandensis Pace, Klimaszewski & Center sp. n., found feeding on sewer vine, Paederia pilifera Hook. f., in Thailand, is described and illustrated. This is the first record of the genus Himalusa for Thailand. Himalusa was previously known from the Himalayan region in Nepal where it was originally described. New data on bionomics and distribution are provided, including a discussion on the potential use of this species in the biological control of weeds in the United States. A short diagnosis, description, colour habitus images of adult and larva, and black and white genital images are provided. A key to the world species of Himalusa is also given. A new tribe Himalusini Klimaszewski, Pace & Center, is erected to accommodate Himalusa species.