Revision of the genus Mimopodabrus Wittmer (Coleoptera,Cantharidae)

The genus Mimopodabrus Wittmer is reviewed, and the genus diagnosis is re-described. Three new species are described, M. multidentatus sp. nov. (Guangdong, China), M. variabilis sp. nov. (Yunnan, China) and M. diversefoveolatus sp. nov. (Lao Cai, Vietnam), with illustrations of habitus, antennae and aedeagus. A species is transferred from Micropodabrus to this genus, M. bicoloriceps (Wittmer, 1989 Wittmer, W. 1989. 42. Beitrag zur Kenntnis der indo-malaiischen Cantharidae und Malachiidae (Coleoptera). Entomol Basil., 13: 209–237.  [Google Scholar]) comb. nov. A species is synonymized, M. bicoloriceps (Wittmer, 1989 Wittmer, W. 1989. 42. Beitrag zur Kenntnis der indo-malaiischen Cantharidae und Malachiidae (Coleoptera). Entomol Basil., 13: 209–237.  [Google Scholar]) comb. nov.?=?M. bicoloriceps Wittmer, 1997 syn. nov. and the definition of M. yunnanus (Wittmer, 1993 Wittmer, W. 1993. Zur Kenntnis der palaearktischen und indo-malaiischen Cantharidae (Coleoptera). Entomol Basil., 16: 203–253.  [Google Scholar]) is restricted. A key to all known species of this genus is provided.     

Two new Tarphius species from Macaronesia (Coleoptera,Zopheridae)

Two new species of Tarphius are described: Tarphius desertaensis n. sp. sifted from saxicole lichens on the small islet of Deserta Grande, east of Madeira, and Tarphius jandiensis n. sp. from Fuerteventura, in the Canary Islands, where it lives in the upper parts of the massif of Jandía as a relict of the once more hygrophilous fauna that inhabited the island. Both species are of small size and have a fairly convex body.     

Bemerkungen zu der Gattung Triozastus Schedl (Coleoptera,Platypodidae)

Summary

This contribution establishes the characters of the genus Triozastus and the characters distinguishing six of the nine species, and is based on a re-examination of reliably identified material. It is concluded that the six species should not be reduced to subspecies as has been proposed by Schedl and that the synonymy T. propatulus Schedl 1935 = T. handeniensis Nunberg 1960 is correct.

Zunächst möchte ich an dieser Stelle meinen Dank ausprechen dem Department of Entomology in British Museum, speziell Herrn R. T. Thompson, wie auch Herrn P. Basilewsky, Chef der Entomologischen Abteilung in Kön. Museum für Zentral Afrika in Tervuren, für das bereitvillige Ausleihen der nötigen Käfer. Leider zum Bearbeiten der Art Triozastus pertenuis Schedl habe ich kein Material gehabt, weil die Typen nicht zugänglich sind (das Pariser Museum f. Naturkunde antwortet überhaupt nicht, Prof. Schedl leiht nicht die Typen).     

Aedeagal musculature in phytophaga (Coleoptera)

Summary

Three species of Cerambycidae and three of Chrysomelidae have been studied from the standpoint of the aedeagal musculature. A brief reference to this part of the anatomy in Bruchidae has also been made. On the basis of the present observations and earlier publications in this area a basic plan for the aedeagal musculature in Phytophaga could be inferred. Some major and minor modifications of the basic plan have been pointed out. It has also been inferred that ‘retournement’ of the aedeagus is a rule along Phytophaga.     

An identification guide to Eurysternine dung beetles (Coleoptera,Scarabaeidae)

An identification guide to the genus Eurysternus is presented. One new species, confusus is described from South America. The synonymies inflexus (Germar) (=planipennis Lucas), parallelus Castelnau (=femoralis Lucas), hirtellus Dalman (=cirratus Harold), calligrammus Dalman (=opacus Lucas), foedus Guérin-Méneville (=claudicans Kirsch), velutinus Bates (=hypocrita Balthasar), and caribaeus (Herbst)(=peruanus Harold) are established, and four previously established synonymies confirmed. Lectotypes are designated for the following species of Eurysternus: mexicanus Harold, plebejus Harold, angustulus Harold, velutinus Bates, hypocrita Balthasar, hamaticollis Balthasar, nebulosus Kirsch, peruanus Harold, sulcifer Balthasar, cirratus Harold, planipennis Lucas, cyanescens Balthasar, femoralis Lucas, and for Onitis deplanatus Germar.

Neotypes are designated for the following species of Eurysternus: magnus Castelnau, marmoreus Castelnau, impressicollis Castelnau, foedus Guérin-Méneville, hirtellus Dalman, opatrinus Perty, parallelus Castelnau, cayennensis Castelnau, and for Scarabaeus caribaeus Herbst.

Type-species are designated for the genera Eurysternus Dalman and Aeschrotes Saint-Fargeau & Serville.     

Nouveaux Lamiaires du British Museum (Natural History), (Coleoptera,Cerambycidae)

Summary

Detailed examination of the cheliceral flagella of four British species (C. cimicoides, L. nodosus, A. dubius, and P. scorpioides) belonging to the family Chernetidae shows that the number of blades is stabilized by the protonymph. The morphology and pattern of growth of the blades are described, and the significance of the flagellum as a useful taxonomic character at the generic, if not specific level, is discussed.     

Bionomics,behaviour and immature stages of Pelecotoma fennica (Paykull) (Coleoptera: Rhipiphoridae)

Ptilinus fuscus (Anobiidae) was confirmed as the host species of Pelecotoma fennica (Rhipiphoridae, Pelecotominae). Females of Pelecotoma oviposit into the wood infested by the host larvae. First-instar larvae are elongate, unsclerotized, very different from the triungulinid larvae known in other rhipiphorids. They search actively for the host larvae in the wood; no phoresy is involved in the life cycle. The first-instar larvae temporarily paralyse the host larva and enter its body, overwintering (some perhaps more than once) as an endoparasite. In the spring of the year of emergence, the endoparasite engorges enormously (without moulting) and develops a special sclerotized caudal structure which is then used for perforation of the host's integument. The larva undergoes a further four ectoparasitic instars. The fifth (i.e. fourth ectoparasitic) instar differs considerably from the preceding three, and is capable of boring through the wood to prepare the emergence gallery for the adult. Pupation occurs in the wood. The rate of parasitization may locally far exceed 50%. Superparasitization by the first-instar larvae is possible, but usually only 1 larva survives to the ectoparasitic stage. Larval morphology of Pelecotoma is described and illustrated. Additional data on bionomics and larval morphology are also presented for the genus Metoecus (Rhipiphorinae). Comparing the biology and larval morphology of Pelecotoma with other Rhipiphoridae, it is assumed that ancestral rhipiphorids may have been xylophilous Tenebrionoidea with predaceous or omnivorous larvae, and that the ‘triungulinid’ larvae and phoretic habits may not belong to the groundplan of the family Rhipiphoridae. The widespread opinion considering Rhipiphoridae closely related to the family Mordellidae is questioned.     

Phylogenetic trends in the Scarabaeoidea (Coleoptera)

Phylogenetic trends of the states of 24 adult and 14 larval characters of the major groups of Scarabaeoidea are discussed on the basis of outgroup and ingroup comparison. Evolutionary trends within the major groups are also discussed. The following (i) adult and (ii) larval characters are discussed: (i) antennal segments, antennal sensilla, ocular canthus, ommatidium structure, epipharynx, mandibles, maxillae, labium, tentorium, trochantin, coxal cavities, mesothoracic spiracles, wing venation, metendosternite, empodium, abdominal sternites, abdominal spiracles, male genitalia, female genitalia, ovarioles, karyotype, central nervous system, spermatozoan number and malpighian tubules; (ii) antennae, frontoclypeal suture, lateral ocelli (stemmata), labial palpi, maxillae, maxillary palpi, maxillary/mandibular stridulatory areas, labrum, epipharyngeal tormae, legs, stridulatory apparatus, spiracles, abdominal apex and central nervous system.     

Six new Scolytidae (Coleoptera) from Mexico

Alniphagus africanus Schedl, 1963, and Hylesinus africanus Schedl, 1965, were both transferred to Hylesinopsis and thereby become junior homonyms of H. africanus (Eggers, 1933). The new name H. acaciolens is proposed as a replacement for Schedl's 1963 name and H. secutus as a new name for Schedl's 1965 name. Six species from Mexico are described as new to science, including: Hylocurus atkinsoni, H. crotonis, Monarthrum xalapensis, Pseudochramesus jaliscoensis, Pseudopityophthorus durangoensis , and P. xalapae .     

Introduced and exported American Scolytidae (Coleoptera)

Fourteen North, Central, and South American Scolytidae have reached areas outside of America, namely Hawaii (5), Australia (3), Southeast Asia (2), Africa (7), Europe (1), and worldwide (1). The 44 species introduced into North and Central America have originated in South America (10), Southeast Asia (15), Africa (14), or Europe (7). Four North and Central American species have extended their ranges into new territory within this region. Most of the species that breed in the bole or roots of their host were imported more than a half century ago; those imported since 1950 breed mostly in seeds, pods, dry fruits, or small branches. Forty - five of the 62 species apparently can reproduce by means of facultative arrhenotokic parthenogenesis.