A review of the non-lyctine powder-post beetles of Yunnan (China) with a new genus and new species (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae)

The powder post beetles (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) (except Lyctinae) of Yunnan Province in Southwest China are reviewed for the first time. Keys to twenty-six genera and fifty-two species from the Yunnan region are provided. One new genus and seven new species are described: Dinoderus (Dinoderastes) hongheensis sp. nov., Dinoderus (Dinoderastes) nanxiheensis sp. nov., Gracilenta yingjiangensis gen. nov., sp. nov., Calonistes vittatus sp. nov., Calophagus colombiana sp. nov., Xylodrypta guochuanii sp. nov. and Xylodrypta zhenghei sp. nov.. Fourteen species are recorded in China for the first time. The bostrichid fauna of Yunnan is compared with those of the neighbouring bio-geographically related Southeast Asian and Himalayan regions. The fauna has a close affinity with that of tropical Southeast Asia and a much weaker relationship with the Palearctic region. The differences with the Himalayas may reflect the separate evolutionary and complex geological history of the two areas.

Associations between carabid beetles and fungi in the light of 200 years of published literature

Describing and conserving ecological interactions woven into ecosystems is one of the great challenges of the 21st century. Here, we present a unique dataset compiling the biotic interactions between two ecologically and economically important taxa: ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and fungi. The resulting dataset contains the carabid-fungus associations collected from 392 scientific publications, 129 countries, mostly from the Palearctic region, published over a period of 200 years. With an updated taxonomy to match the currently accepted nomenclature, 3,378 unique associations among 5,564 records were identified between 1,776 carabid and 676 fungal taxa. Ectoparasitic Laboulbeniales were the most frequent fungal group associated with carabids, especially with Trechinae. The proportion of entomopathogens was low. Three different formats of the data have been provided along with an interactive data digest platform for analytical purposes. Our database summarizes the current knowledge on biotic interactions between insects and fungi, while offering a valuable resource to test large-scale hypotheses on those interactions.

The genus <i>Allodia</i> (Diptera: Mycetophilidae) in Miocene Ethiopian amber

A new, extinct species of Allodia Winnertz is described from early Miocene amber of Ethiopia. Allodia paleoafricana sp. nov. is mostly characterized by the scutum with strong anteromarginal, dorsocentral, and lateral setae and the wing with the stem of the M-fork slightly shorter than the vein r–m and the base of the M4–CuA fork aligned with the base of r–m. The assignment to any of the two subgenera Allodia stricto sensu or Brachycampta Winnertz remains equivocal as the fossil intermingles traits found in both taxa. Allodia is known mostly from the Palearctic region, while only a few species have been described from Africa. In this regard, the new fossil species from Ethiopia brings significant new information regarding the Afrotropical distribution and natural history of the genus.

Another step towards understanding evolutionary changes in Bruggmanniella Tavares, 1909 group (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae, Asphondyliini)

An update of the delimitation of the genus Bruggmanniella based on phylogenetic analysis using morphological data is presented. We included the seven new species of Bruggmanniella described between 2019 and 2020, and discuss some aspects of the evolutionary changes among the closely related genera Bruggmanniella, Pseudasphondylia, and Illiciomyia. Bruggmanniella is confirmed here as a monophyletic Neotropical lineage, divergent from the Asian species. The phylogenetic reconstruction hypothesized here reinforces the pertinence of the genus Odontokeros to house all species occurring in the Oriental/Palearctic region under Bruggmanniella. The delimitation of Bruggmanniella, the geographical distribution, and niche occupation are discussed.

A review of the Palearctic Ptycerata Ely, 1910 (= Caulastrocecis Chrétien, 1931, syn. nov.) based on morphology (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae)

The genus Ptycerata Ely, 1910 is recognised as a senior synonym of Caulastrocecis Chrétien, 1931, syn. nov., and revised in the Palearctic region. Nine species are recognised as valid. Three new species are described: Ptycerata sumpichi sp. nov. (Italy), Ptycerata nupponeni sp. nov. (Russia: Altai) and Ptycerata transbaikalica sp. nov. (Russia: Zabaikalskiy kray). Three new synonyms are established: Aristotelia salinatrix Meyrick, 1926, syn. nov. of Ptycerata furfurella (Staudinger, 1871) comb. nov., Xystophora tripunctella Snellen, 1884 syn. nov. of Ptycerata pudicella (Mann, 1861) comb. nov.; Aristotelia condensata Meyrick, 1928 syn. nov. of Ptycerata interstratella (Christoph, 1872) comb. nov. Further new generic combinations are proposed: Ptycerata gypsella (Constant, 1893) comb. nov., Ptycerata cryptoxena (Gozmány, 1952) comb. nov., Ptycerata perexigella (Junnilainen, 2010) comb. nov. In order to stabilise nomenclature lectotypes are designated for Ptycerata busckella Ely, 1910, Gelechia furfurella Staudinger, 1871, Hypsolophus pudicellus Mann, 1861, Aristotelia condensata Meyrick, 1928 and Aristotelia interstratella Christoph, 1872. The female genitalia of P. interstratella are described for the first time. Ptycerata pudicella is recorded as new for Cyprus and Mongolia, and P. interstratella as new from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tadzhikistan and Iran. Ptycerata pudicellus is removed from the list of Lepidoptera found in Spain.

Evolution of andrenine bees reveals a long and complex history of faunal interchanges between the Americas during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic

Bees are presumed to have arisen in the early to mid-Cretaceous coincident with the fragmentation of the southern continents and concurrently with the early diversification of the flowering plants. Among the main groups of bees, Andreninae sensu lato comprise about 3000 species widely distributed with greatest and disjunct diversity in arid areas of North America, South America, and the Palearctic region. Here, we present the first comprehensive dated phylogeny and historical biogeographic analysis for andrenine bees, including representatives of all currently recognized tribes. Our analyses rely on a dataset of 106 taxa and 7952 aligned nucleotide positions from one mitochondrial and six nuclear loci. Andreninae is strongly supported as a monophyletic group and the recovered phylogeny corroborates the commonly recognized clades for the group. Thus, we propose a revised tribal classification that is congruent with our phylogenetic results. The time-calibrated phylogeny and ancestral range reconstructions of Andreninae reveal a fascinating evolutionary history with Gondwana patterns that are unlike those observed in other subfamilies of bees. Andreninae arose in South America during the Late Cretaceous around 90 Million years ago (Ma) and the origin of tribes occurred through a relatively long time-window from this age to the Miocene. The early evolution of the main lineages took place in South America until the beginning of Paleocene with North American fauna origin from it and Palearctic from North America as results of multiple lineage interchanges between these areas by long-distance dispersal or hopping through landmass chains. Overall, our analyses provide strong evidence of amphitropical distributional pattern currently observed in Andreninae in the American continent as result at least three periods of possible land connections between the two American landmasses, much prior to the Panama Isthmus closure. The andrenine lineages reached the Palearctic region through four dispersal events from North America during the Eocene, late Oligocene and early Miocene, most probably via the Thulean Bridge. The few lineages with Afrotropical distribution likely originated from a Palearctic ancestral in the Miocene around 10 Ma when these regions were contiguous, and the Sahara Desert was mostly vegetated making feasible the passage by several organisms. Incursions of andrenine bees to North America and then onto the Old World are chronological congruent with distinct periods when open-vegetation habitats were available for trans-continental dispersal and at the times when aridification and temperature decline offered favorable circumstances for bee diversification.

First Life Table of Synthesiomyia nudiseta (Diptera: Muscidae) From Palearctic Region for Analyzing the Effect on Its Dispersal Ability

To better understand the population dynamics and dispersal ability of insect species, it is often helpful to derive a life table containing fundamental demographic data. The aim of this study was to determine a life table for the predatory necrophagous species Synthesiomyia nudiseta (van der Wulp, 1883) on a pig liver diet and under controlled laboratory conditions (29.5 ± 2. 5°C, RH 50 ± 15%, and a photoperiod of 12:12). This species has medical and veterinary importance and its distribution extends in tropical and subtropical areas and now it has been established in the southwestern of Europe. The mean adult longevity was 36. 18 ± 2. 06 d and the net reproduction rate, R, was 27.65 offspring/female, the mean generation time, T, was 22. 09 d, the finite rate of increase, λ, was 1. 16 d−1, and the intrinsic rate of increase, r, was 0. 15 d−1. These results indicate that S. nudiseta cannot be considered an r-strategist as the most common synanthropic necrophagous blowflies due to its predatory behavior; however, its invasive and colonist abilities are discussed. This is the first life table study of this species from Palearctic region to analyze the effect of its dispersal ability.

The first record of Caenis rivulorum (Ephemeroptera: Caenidae) from Japan

Caenis rivulorum Eaton, 1884 is widely distributed and has been reported from a wide range in the Palearctic Region. We report this species from Japan for the first time, from five localities of Hokkaido, based on morphology and molecular data.