Fischer Von Research Articles

The first complete mitochondrial genome of Mylabris sibirica (Coleoptera: Meloidae) and its phylogenetic analysis

The complete mitochondrial genome of Mylabris sibirica Fischer von Waldheim, 1823 was sequenced and characterized. The mitogenome is 15,794 bp long with 37 annotated genes, comprising 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, and two ribosomal RNA genes. The phylogenetic analysis based on the mitochondrial genome sequences revealed that M. sibirica clustered with M. quadripunctata. This study presents the complete mitochondrial genome of M. sibirica for the first time, which could be beneficial for systematic studies on Mylabrini.

Behavioral responses of predatory flies of the genus Medetera Fischer von Waldheim (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) and the tree-killing beetle Ips typographus L. (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) to odor compound blends

Key MessageMedetera (Fischer von Waldheim) flies, natural enemies of the spruce bark beetle Ips typographus (L.), were attracted to synthetic blends of compounds produced by infested spruce trees. A subset of trapped specimens revealed sixteen Medetera species. Most abundant were M. signaticornis, M. infumata, and M. prjachinae. Only blends containing beetle-produced compounds significantly attracted Medetera spp. and I. typographus.ContextFly species of the genus Medetera (Fischer von Waldheim) (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) represent one of the most important groups of natural enemies of the Eurasian bark beetle Ips typographus (L.), which infests Norway spruce Picea abies (L.) Karst. In a previous study, we showed that adult Medetera flies exploit semiochemicals to find beetle-infested trees however, the exact nature of those attractive compounds has not yet been determined.AimsThe aim of this follow-up study was to investigate the behavioral responses of Medetera spp. and I. typographus, to different combinations of semiochemicals.MethodsIn this study, 22 volatile compounds identified from I. typographus-infested Norway spruce were divided into five groups (A–E) based on being primarily produced by the bark beetle I. typographus (group A), bark beetle-associated microorganisms (groups B and C), or spruce tree (groups D and E). The effect of the compounds in these groups in the attraction of Medetera species and I. typographus was tested in two different subtractive field trapping assays.ResultsIn the first subtractive assay, the full blend (ABCDE), and the blends lacking microbial compounds of group C, or spruce tree compounds of group D led to significant attraction of Medetera flies. Morphological identification of a subset of the specimens collected revealed that sixteen species were attracted to the synthetic blends, with M. signaticornis Loew being the most abundant. In the second subtractive assay, high attraction of Medetera flies and I. typographus was found for a 12-component synthetic blend.ConclusionThe insights gained provide a basis for developing synthetic attractants to facilitate monitoring of Medetera flies. Future testing and optimization of these attractants will enhance our ability to monitor, conserve and utilize Medetera flies, thereby enabling us to better protect forests from the damaging effects of spruce bark beetles.

Профессор Г. И.Фишер фон Вальдгейм и музейная деятельность Московского университета

Professor G.I. Fischer von Waldheim played an important role not only in the history of Moscow University, but also of Russian science in general. Having adopted a number of concepts in the first period of his life that gave new impetus to the development of natural sciences in Europe, he then became the founder of large university scientific schools and areas of research in Russia. But his contribution to the development of museums was especially significant, the study of which served as the subject of this article. While still in Paris, having familiarized himself with and researched the methods of displaying various natural science collections, he then began to create the Moscow University Museum - the first public museum not only in the history of Russian universities, but for Moscow as a whole. The article explores the main concepts that guided the professor for placing the exposition. It is also emphasized that in the development of scientific museums, Fischer saw great potential for further educational activities, as well as for the use of collections in the educational process. These concepts logically led him to put forward in 1832 a plan for a National Museum based on the collections of Moscow University, which would be designed to demonstrate all the natural wealth and resources that Russia possesses. This concept, although not realized, influenced subsequent museum activities in Moscow. The historical memory of Fischer von Waldheim is currently maintained within the museums of Moscow University.

Additions to the fauna of casebearer moths (Lepidoptera, Coleophoridae) of Omsk Region, Russia. Results of expeditions in 2021-2023

The data on the casebearer moth family Coleophoridae from Omsk Region was summarized based on materials collected by the second author in 2021-2023. A list of 53 species is given. 25 species are new to the territory of Omsk Region. Six species are new to Asian part of Russia, among them Orthographis impalella (Toll, 1961), Orthographis uralensis (Toll, 1961), Multicoloria spumosella (Staudinger, 1859), Casignetella helgada (Anikin, 2005), Casignetella riffelensis (Rebel, 1913) and Goniodoma auroguttella (Fischer von Röslerstamm, 1841). Multicoloria perissa (Reznik, 1975) is reported for the fauna of Russia for the first time. The total number of Coleophoridae from Omsk Region is increased to 80 species.

Catalogue of Carabus estreicheri Fischer von Waldheim, 1820 & Carabus excellens Fabricius, 1798 (Coleoptera, Carabidae) specimens deposited in the State Museum of Natural History NASU, Lviv, Ukraine

The species Carabus estreicheri Fischer von Waldheim, 1820 was recorded from the following settlements and regions: Drancha Mt. near Brody town, Podillia (Butsyky village, Tovtry, Pantelykhy steppe) (Nowicki, 1864), Brody (Łomnicki, 1868), Butsyky (Łomnicki, 1870), Podillia (Nowicki, 1873), Maksymivka village (Rybinski, 1903), Galicia, Volynska, Podilska (Proskuriv, Fisch.-W.), Khersonska (Kryn., Chaud.), Kyivska, Poltavska, Katerynoslavska gubernias (governorates (gubernias) – administrative divisions Russian Empire) , Podillia (Łomnicki, 1913), Lvivska province: Brody town vicinity, Brodivskyi district, Peniaky village, Zolochivskyi district, Velyka Vilshanytsia village vicinity, Lysa Hora Mt., Novosilky village, Pidlypivtsi village; Ternopilska province: Borshchivskyi district, Ivane-Puste village vicinity, Husiatynskyi district, Hrymailiv town, Medobory ridge, Terebovlianskyi district, Derenivka locality , collected for the first time in the post Second World War years in Barber’s soil traps 12.05-2.06.2007 near village Yaseniv (Brodivskyi district, Lvivska oblast) in a small (1-1.5 ha) steppe area , Right-Bank Polissia (Mixed Forest Zone), Left-Bank Polissia (Mixed Forest Zone), Broadleaved Forest Zone (including the Ciscarpathian region, and with the foothills of the Carpathians up to 300 m a.s.l. and Male Polissia), Right-Bank Forest Steppe, Left-Bank Forest Steppe, Northern sub-zone of the Right-Bank Steppe, Northern sub-zone of the Left-Bank Steppe (Пучков, 2012). There are 27 specimens of Carabus estreicheri Fischer von Waldheim, 1822 in the collection of the State Museum of Natural History NASU, Lviv. The beetles were collected by M. Łomnicki, J. Łomnicki, V. Zanko, M. Świątkiewicz, J. Mazurek, A. Stöckl and apparently by Nowicki M. All specimens were collected in the second half of the 19th century and in the first half of the 20th century, and only two labels indicate the years of collection: 1904 and 1906, while the rest of the labels have only date marks (day/month). There is a reason to believe that one specimen (Inventory number – Е2.19.01.04.07/3, Digital record number – SMNH002254, Data Centre “Biodiversity of Ukraine” – ID 21599) was probably collected by M. Nowicki and mentioned by himself in his work (Nowicki, 1865), and another one specimen (Inventory number – Е2.19.01.04.07/4, Digital record number – SMNH002255, Data Centre “Biodiversity of Ukraine” – ID 21600) was apparently too collected by M. Nowicki and mentioned by himself in his work (Nowicki, 1864). The species Carabus excellens Fabricius, 1801 was recored from the following settlements and regions: Podillia, Butsyky village (Nowicki, 1864), Tovste village, Synkiv village (Łomnicki, 1870), Kyiv city vicinity (Hochhuth, 1871), Podillia, northern part of Bukovyna (Nowicki, 1873), Vovchynets village (mountain) (Łomnicki, 1875), Bilche village (Łomnicki, 1877), near Lviv city (Mokrotynski hills), Bibrka town, Chornushovychi village (Łomnicki, 1890), from Ternopil city to Pidvolochysk town (Rybinski, 1903), Eastern Galicia, Eastern Bukovyna, Volynska, Podilska, Kyivska, Kharkivska, Katerynoslavska, Khersonska, Chernihivska gubernias (Якобсон, 1905), Podillia (Łomnicki, 1913), Kamianets-Podilskyi vicinity , Vovchynets village, Sokal town (Kuntze, 1937-1938), «Trostianets» dendrarium , recorded from the Crimea [6], obviously, by mistake , Vinnytska province: Mohyliv-Podilskyi district, Yaryshiv village; Ivano-Frankivska oblast: Horodenka town; Kyiv city; Lvivska province: Zolochivskyi district, Velyka Vilshanytsia village vicinity, Lysa Hora Mt., Lviv city, Zhovkivskyi district, Hriada village, Pustomytivskyi district, Chornushovychi village; Ternopilska province: Borshchivskyi district, Ivane Puste village, Melnytsia Podilska town, Husiatynskyi district, Butsyky village, Hrymailiv town; Monastyryska town, Pidvolochyskyi district, Skalat town , C. e. excellens Fabricius, 1798 Right-Bank Polissia (Mixed Forest Zone), Left-Bank Polissia (Mixed Forest Zone), Broadleaved Forest Zone (including the Ciscarpathian region, but with the foothills of the Carpathians up to 300 m and Male Polissia), Right-Bank Forest Steppe, Left-Bank Forest Steppe, Northern sub-zone of the Right-Bank Steppe, Northern sub-zone of the Left-Bank Steppe, Southern sub-zone of the Right-Bank Steppe, Southern sub-zone of the Left-Bank Steppe, C. e. frivaldskyi Kraatz, 1887 Zone of broadleaf forests (including Prykarpattia, and with the foothills of the Carpathians up to 300 m and Male Polissya) (Bukovyna) (Пучков, 2012). There are 71 specimens of Carabus excellens Fabricius, 1801 in the collection of the State Museum of Natural History NASU, Lviv. The beetles were collected by Dzieduszycki W., M. Łomnicki, J. Łomnicki, Stetsiv V., Zanko V., Hankevych K., Polianskyi S., Sheshurak P.M., Zelenko N., Yanytskyi T.P., Rizun V.B. The specimens were collected in the second half of the 19-th century, the first half of the 20th century, and during the recent decades. This article was written with the support of the National Research Foundation of Ukraine, call 2022.01 «Science for the Recovery of Ukraine in the War and Post-War Periods» the project 2022.01/0013 «Digitization of natural history collections damaged as a result of hostilities and related factors: development of protocols and implementation on the basis of the State Museum of Natural History of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine». The contents of this article do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Research Foundation of Ukraine and are the sole responsibility of the State Museum of Natural History, NAS of Ukraine.

Molecular characterization and phylogenetic position of the giant deep-sea oyster Neopycnodonte zibrowii Gofas, Salas & Taviani, 2009

The giant deep-sea oyster Neopycnodonte zibrowii Gofas, C. Salas & Taviani, 2009 is a keystone deep-sea habitat builder species. Discovered about fifteen years ago in the Azores, it has been described and assigned to the genus Neopycnodonte Fischer von Waldheim, 1835 based on morphological features. In this study, we generated DNA sequence data for both mitochondrial (COI and 16S) and nuclear (ITS2 and 28S) markers based on the holotype specimen of N. zibrowii to establish a molecular phylogenetic framework for the systematic assessment of this species and to provide a reliable (i.e., holotype-based) reference sequence set for multilocus DNA barcoding approaches. Molecular data provide compelling evidence that the giant deep-sea oyster is a distinct species, rather than a deep-water ecophenotype of Neopycnodonte cochlear (Poli, 1795), with extremely high genetic divergence from any other gryphaeid. Multilocus phylogenetic analyses place the giant deep-sea oyster within the clade “Neopycnodonte/Pycnodonte” with closer affinity to N. cochlear rather than to P. taniguchii Hayami & Kase, 1992, thus supporting its assignment to the genus Neopycnodonte. Relationships within this clade are not well supported because mitochondrial variation is inflated by saturation that eroded phylogenetic signal, implying an old split between taxa within this clade. Finally, the set of reference barcode sequences of N. zibrowii generated in this study will be useful for a wide plethora of barcoding applications in deep-sea biodiversity surveys. Molecular validation of recent records of deep-sea oysters from the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea will be crucial to clarify the distribution of N. zibrowii and assess the phenotypic variation and ecology of this enigmatic species.

Contribution to the knowledge of darkling beetles from Türkiye, with four new country records (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae)

A selection of twelve rarely collected Tenebrionidae species, including new country records, coming from the Turkish Oak Habitat Project (TOHP), a large-scale study of the fauna of old oaks in Türkiye, is highlighted. Pentaphyllus testaceus (Hellwig, 1792), Philhammus aharonii (Reitter, 1910), Stenosis fulvipes (Reiche & Saulcy, 1857), and Tenebrio punctipennis Seidlitz, 1895, are reported from Türkiye for the first time. Occurrence in this country of Pentaphyllus reibnitzi Schawaller & Merkl, 2012, is confirmed. Other treated poorly known species are: Adelostoma subtile subtile Reitter, 1900, Corticeus fasciatus (Fabricius, 1790), Cryphaeus cornutus (Fischer von Waldheim, 1823), Lyphia tetraphylla (Fairmaire, 1856), Metaclisa azurea (Waltl, 1838), Palorus ratzeburgii (Wissmann,1848) and Tenebrio syriacus Zoufal, 1892. Photos of the five species new or confirmed to Türkiye are presented.

Yetişkin Evergestis Hübner [1825]'in timpanal organ morfolojisinin karşılaştırılması (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

Insects communicate with each other and the environment in different ways such as sound, smell and taste. One of the ways to communicate is through the sense of sound. In insects, sound is received through the tympanal organ. It is known that the tympanal organ structure and placements can be used in the classification of higher categories. In this study, hypothesis regarding to the usage of the tympanal organ features can also be used in the classification of was tested. For this purpose, tympanal morphology of the four taxa (Evergestis frumentalis (Linnaeus, 1761) E. flavifuscalis Rebel, 1903, E. mundalis (Guenée, 1854) and E. umbrosalis (Fischer von Röslerstamm, 1841)) belonging to the Evergestis genus in the Evergestinae subfamily were examined, analyzed and photographed.

Jewel beetle Anthaxia (Cratomerus) scorzonerae (Frivaldszky, 1837) (Coleoptera, Buprestidae) - a new species to the Russian fauna

The rst to the Russian fauna record of the jewel beetle Anthaxia ( Cratomerus ) scorzonerae (Frivaldszky, 1837) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) from Volgograd Province and its comparison with the closely related A. ( C. ). diadema (Fischer von Waldheim, 1824) are presente d. The images of both species with photographs of the biotopes and map of locations of A. scorzonerae in Volgograd Province are given.

Prediction of seasonal population dynamics of Grapholita molesta (Busck) and Adoxophyes orana (Fischer von Röslerstamm) in peach orchards using sex pheromone trap and degree-days and its implications in pest management

The successful management of lepidopteran moths in orchards usually depends on the precise forecast of adult activity. However, the seasonal phenology of moths varies between crop cultivars and years, making it difficult to schedule the control measures. Here, we monitored male flight activity of oriental fruit moth Grapholita molesta and summer fruit tortrix moth Adoxophyes orana by using sex pheromone traps in peach orchards of three different cultivars for three successive years. We developed a logistic multiple-peaks model to fit data and then calculated degree-days (DD) required for male activity and neonate emergency. Results show that G. molesta and A. orana males had 4–5 and 3 flight peaks per year, respectively. The seasonal phenology of G. molesta or A. orana was quite stable with an identical timing of each flight peak between cultivars in a year. The flight activity was usually higher in the second and third peaks for both moths, with a higher cumulative number of G. molesta males captured than that of A. orana. Compared to A. orana, G. molesta emerged early in spring and required lower degree-days to reach the subsequent flight peaks and for neonate emergency. Our results suggest that to decline the possibility of outbreaks of moths during the growing seasons, pheromone traps should be scheduled in April with a cumulative DD between 49.6 and 207.1 for G. molesta and in mid-May–early June with a cumulative DD between 450.4 and 866.7 for A. orana, aiming to trap the newly emerged male adults or disrupting female mating success of overwintered moths in orchards. Based on the thermal requirement for egg hatching (i.e., 79.4 DD for G. molesta and 90.0 DD for A. orana), insecticide treatments would be applied in late-April–early May and late May–early June to reduce the field population density of neonates of G. molesta and A. orana, respectively, to reduce fruit damage in orchards. Furthermore, pheromone traps set up in late July–early August (573.8–1025.2 DD) for G. molesta and in mid-September (1539.7–1788.9 DD) for A. orana may suppress overwintering populations and thus decrease pest infestation in next year.

THE STRUCTURE ASSOCIATIONS OF CARABIDAE (COLEOPTERA) IN WATERSHED LINDEN FORESTS OF UDMURTIA AND THEIR CHANGES UNDER ANTHROPOGENIC INFLUENCE

The composition and structure of peculiar complexes of ground beetles (Carabidae) of watershed linden forests of Udmurtia were studied and analyzed in comparison with complexes of disturbed forests with a predominance of linden in the green zone of Izhevsk. It has been shown that about 40 species of the family inhabit the primary watershed linden forests, among which forest mesophiles and mesohygrophiles predominate, including a number of rare and specially protected species of Siberian and Ural origin ( Carabus schoenherri Fischer von Waldheim, 1820, C. aeruginosus hermanni Mannerheim, 1827, Carabus henningi Fischer von Waldheim, 1817, Pterostichus urengaicus Jureček, 1924, P. uralensis krasnobaevi O.Berlov & Tilly, 1998) and representatives of European fauna ( Carabus glabratus Paykull, 1790, C. hortensis Linnaeus, 1758, Pterostichus aethiops (Panzer , 1796). Complexes of recreational and, especially, park linden forests are characterized by low species richness and trivial species composition, which is based on common eurybiont and meadow-field species, as well as an invasive European species - Carabus nemoralis Müller, 1764.

A new species of Medetera Fischer von Waldheim, 1819 (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) with a key to the species known from Iran

A new species of Medetera Fischer von Waldheim, 1819 (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) with a key to the species known from Iran

New records on Lepidoptera (Insecta) of the northwestern environs of Lysychansk (Luhansk Region, Ukraine)

An annotated list of new records of butterflies and moths of the northwestern environs of Lysychansk (Berezove, Bilohorivka, Shypylivka) is provided. The list includes 204 species registered in the research area for the first time, 7 of which (Stigmella catharticella (Stainton, 1853), Nemophora metallica (Poda, 1761), Whittleia undulella (Fischer von Röslerstamm, 1837), Apterona helicoidella (Vallot, 1827), Bucculatrix thoracella (Thunberg, 1794), Argyresthia spinosella Stainton, 1849, Eurrhypis pollinalis ([Denis et Schiffermüller], 1775)) are new records for Luhansk Region. Totally, there are 233 species of Lepidoptera registered in the NW environs of Lysychansk

The Adult and Larva of a New Species of the Genus Dila (Coleoptera, Blaptinae, Blaptini) from Himalayas, with Molecular Phylogenetic Inferences of Related Genera of the Blaptini.

In this study, a new species of the genus Dila Fischer von Waldheim, 1844, D. ngaria Li and Ren sp. n., was described from the southwestern Himalayas. The adult and larva were associated using molecular phylogenetic analyses based on fragments of three mitochondrial and one nuclear gene fragment (COI, Cytb, 16S and 28S-D2). Additionally, a preliminary phylogenetic tree was reconstructed and discussed based on a molecular dataset with seven related genera and 24 species of the tribe Blaptini. Meanwhile, the monophyly of the subtribe Dilina and the taxonomic status of D. bomina Ren and Li, 2001 are discussed. This work provides new molecular data for phylogenetic studies on the tribe Blaptini in the future.

Review of the genus Cybister in China, with description of a new species from Guangdong (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae)

The genus Cybister Curtis, 1827 is reviewed with respect to the fauna of China. A new species, Cybister (Melanectes) danxiaensis sp. nov. is described and illustrated. Altogether, 16 Cybister species are recorded from China, although the status of two of them remains in question. All species are diagnosed, with their habitus and male genitalia illustrated. Additional faunistic data from China are provided for the following species: C. guerini Aubé, 1838 from Hainan; C. lewisianus Sharp, 1873 from Guangdong and Hainan; C. limbatus (Fabricius, 1775) from Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan; C. rugosus (W. S. Macleay, 1825) from Chongqing, Guangdong, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Yunnan, Zhejiang; C. tripunctatus lateralis (Fabricius, 1798) from Chongqing, Guangxi, Jiangxi, Shanghai; C. brevis Aubé, 1838 from Guizhou, Hunan, Zhejiang; and C. sugillatus Erichson, 1834 from Guangxi and Yunnan. An updated identification key and distribution maps for all species are provided. Cybister lateralimarginalis torquatus (Fischer von Waldheim, 1829) is recorded for the first time from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

The genus Medetera (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) in the Czech Republic with first records of twelve species

The faunistics of long-legged flies of the genus Medetera Fischer von Waldheim, 1819 in the Czech Republic (further subdivided into Bohemia and Moravia) are investigated. A total of 61 species are listed, new records of 34 species presented and numerous previously published records discussed. Twelve species are recorded from the Czech Republic for the first time: Medetera acanthura Negrobov & Thuneberg, 1970, M. belgica Parent, 1936, M. betulae Ringdahl, 1949, M. brevitarsa Parent, 1927, M. freyi Thuneberg, 1955, M. incrassata Frey, 1909, M. inspissata Collin, 1952, M. kerzhneri Negrobov, 1966, M. parenti Stackelberg, 1925, M. prjachinae Negrobov, 1974, M. pseudoapicalis Thuneberg, 1955, and M. unisetosa Collin, 1941. Six other species are recorded from Bohemia for the first time: Medetera annulitarsus von Roser, 1840, M. feminina Negrobov, 1967, M. insignis Girschner, 1888, M. jugalis Collin, 1941, M. muralis Meigen, 1824, and M. lorea Negrobov, 1967; and six species from Moravia for the first time: Medetera ambigua (Zetterstedt, 1843), M. caeruleifacies Naglis & Negrobov, 2014, M. excellens Frey, 1909, M. infumata Loew, 1857, M. melancholica Lundbeck, 1912, and M. seguyi Parent, 1926.

Notes on the systematics and nomenclature of some taxa of the genus Chlaenius Bonelli, 1810 (Coleoptera, Carabidae) from the Far East

A revision of some Far Eastern Chlaenius species is presented. The following synonyms are proposed: Chlaenius circumductus A. Morawitz, 1862 = Chlaenius lineellus Motschulsky, 1859, syn. nov.; Chlaenius semipurpureus Motschulsky, 1865 = Chlaenius posticalis Motschulsky, 1854, syn. nov. Lectotypes of Chlaenius lineellus Motschulsky, 1859, Chlaenius semipurpureus Motschulsky, 1865 and Chlaenius hospes A. Morawitz, 1862, as well as the holotype of Chlaenius posticalis Motschulsky, 1854 are designated. Only one species of the subgenus Agostenus Fischer von Waldheim, 1829, viz. Chlaenius quadrisulcatus (Paykul, 1790), is shown to populate the Far Eastern islands of Sakhalin and Kunashir (Russia), and Hokkaido and Honshu (Japan), which is new to the fauna of the Kuril Archipelago.

Carabus (Tomocarabus) bessarabicus Fischer von Waldheim, 1823 (Coleoptera: Carabidae)—New Steppe Element for the Bulgarian Fauna from the Karst Refugium of the Chepan Planina Mt.

During a study of the distribution and status of Carabus hungaricus Fabricius, 1792 (Coleoptera: Carabidae), with pitfall traps exposed between November 2021 and April 2022, immediately south of Petrovski Krast Peak (1206 m a.s.l.) in the Chepan Planina Mt., at 1188 m a.s.l., the rare and stenotopic steppe species Carabus bessarabicus Fischer von Waldheim, 1823, was found for the first time in Bulgaria and the European Union. In October 2022, elytra of both species were also found by handpicking in the same area. The coexistence of these two specific and rare steppe species has been recorded only in few localities in Ukraine and Russia and in no EU country. This finding is also very interesting given the high conservation status of Carabus bessarabicus, the significant remoteness of its newly established locality (more than 1200 km) from its previously known range, and its strong south-westward drift. The species is used as a bioindicator for the anthropogenically uninfluenced steppe environment, which can also probably be applied in Bulgaria. The establishment of this first record for the EU also implies an increase in the conservation status of the species through its inclusion in the Union-wide conservation documents and ecological networks.

Complete mitochondrial genome and phylogenetic analysis of Mastax latefasciata Liebke 1931 (Insecta: Coleoptera: Carabidae)

The genus Mastax Fischer von Waldheim 1827 belongs to the family Carabidae. Specimens of adult Mastax latefasciata Liebke, 1931 were collected from Yājì Hill, Huáihuà City, Húnán Province, China. The complete mitochondrial genome (GenBank accession number ON674050.1) of M. latefasciata was sequenced, annotated, and characterized. The results showed that it was a circular DNA molecule of 16,735 bp with 81.07% AT content and comprised 13 protein-coding genes (PCG), 22 tRNA genes, 2 rRNA genes, and 1 control region. The PCGs were initiated using typical ATN (Met) and TTG (Met) start codons and terminated using typical TAN stop codons. The phylogenetic position of Mastax within the Carabidae was first evaluated using complete mitogenomes, and the results showed that it was close to Cicindela anchoralis and Manticora tibialis.

Anchoscelis fuscomixta noravanka, a new subspecies from Armenia (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae: Noctuinae).

A new subspecies of the genus Anchoscelis Guene, 1839, Anchoscelis fuscomixta noravanka ssp. n. is described from south-west Armenia. The new subspecies belongs to the nominate subgenus of Anchoscelis and is similar, besides Anchoscelis fuscomixta (Gyulai L. Ronkay, 2006), to Anchoscelis pauli (Staudinger, 1892), Anchoscelis kindermanni (Fischer von Rslerstamm, 1839) and Anchoscelis consueta (Herrich-Schffer, 1852). Adults and male and female genitalia of the new subspecies and the similar taxa are illustrated. The habitat of the new subspecies is characterised and illustrated.