ABSTRACT Description of a new bombardier beetle species, Brachinus paikadai sp. nov., first report of B. peltastes Andrewes, 1931 from south India and outside the type locality in Himalaya and synonymisation of B. cinctellus Chaudoir, 1876 with B. limbellus Chaudoir, 1876 are provided. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:93B7754A-8088-4631-AACD-AA55D48DFED9

ABSTRACT Isolated nineteenth and early twentieth century observations found that date stone beetles, Coccotrypes dactyliperda Fabricius would feed on and breed in almonds. As spermatophagus C. dactyliperda could pose a threat to the almond industry, beetles were offered four different almond varieties in a controlled feeding experiment. The almonds were universally rejected, seemingly contradicting

ABSTRACT Formosatettix nanjiensis : Zha & Ding sp. nov. and F. taibaiensis Zha & Ding sp. nov. are described from Zhejiang and Shaanxi provinces of China, respectively. New synonymy is established: Formosatettix tianmushanensis Zheng & Li, 2001 = Formosatettix zhejiangensis Deng, 2019 syn. nov. An updated species key to the genus Formosatettix Tinkham, 1937 is provided.http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank

Popa spurca (Stål) (Deroplatyidae) is a well-known species within the African Mantodea. Because this species is often kept as pets, several citizen-based platforms provide information on the rearing of this species. There is however no scientific information available on the distribution and biology of this species. The aim of this study was to use museum records to establish the historic distribution

The sleeping aggregative habits of the two blue nest renting wasps Chalybion bengalense (Dahlbom, 1845) and C. japonicum (Gribodo, 1882) are studied. The two species frequently aggregated on loosely hung strings or leaves for sleeping. The sleeping aggregation was loose and frequently involved both sexes, but males were more numerous than females, or only males in the case of the C. bengalense roost

Pemphredon rugidorsalis Bashir and Ma, sp. nov., of the family Crabronidae, is described from the Palearctic region of China. An identification key to the species of the genus Pemphredon from China is provided. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A4B5CAE9-C156-4EF2-9BB0-2A56FD7396F7

There is a long history of using insects on a decomposing corpse as an invaluable tool to estimate the minimum post-mortem interval (PMI) during death investigations. The present study was carried out to study the decomposition pattern and insects associated with a submerged rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus Linnaeus, 1758) carcase. A total of 1795 insect specimens were found to be associated with different

Microdytes hygropetricus sp. nov. from the northern Western Ghats in Maharashtra State, India is described and illustrated. The new species presumably inhabits exclusively hygropetric habitats on vertical cliffs and differs from all congeners by dorso-ventrally flattened body, strong punctation of dorsal surface, flattened sides of pronotum and elongate metatarsomeres without natatorial setae. Its

An up to date checklist of Indian Pterostichinae (Coleoptera: Carabidae) with taxonomic data including type species, literature details and distribution patterns of the 159 species belonging to five tribes namely, \ Abacetini (58 species), Cratocerini (11 species), Morionini (2 species), Pterostichini (52 species) and Zabrini (36 species) are provided. Out of the 159 species, 87 are exclusively Indian

Two species, Culicoides obtusus sp. nov. of the subgenus Monoculicoides Khalaf and C. cornus sp. nov. of the Shermani group Wirth & Hubert are discovered from Kushmundi, Dakshin Dinajpur, Narayanpur, Birbhum, and Burdwan Town, Purba Bardhaman respectively of the Gangetic Plains of West Bengal, India with illustrations and microphotographs. The pupal stages of C. cornus sp. nov. were reared to adults

The taxonomy of the East Asian endemic subgenus Nialoe (s. lat.) Tanaka, 1958 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Pterostichus) is still insufficient at both the specific and subgeneric levels, and the discovery of new species and revision of the subgeneric classification are ongoing. This study describes Pterostichus (Nialoe) hekosanensis sp. nov. from central Honshu, Japan. The new species is similar to P. daihizanus

Epitranus hamoni (Risbec) and Epitranus torymoides (Risbec), initially described from the Afrotropical region, are recorded for the first time from Iran in the Western Palaearctic. These species were collected using Malaise traps in the south of Iran. A key to three species of Epitranus known from Iran is provided. The female of E. hamoni is described and a short diagnose is provided for E. torymoides

Hippodamia Chevrolat, 1836 currently comprises 19 species. Four species of Hippodamia are native to the Palearctic region: Hippodamia arctica (Schneider, 1792), H. septemmaculata (DeGeer, 1775), H. tredecimpunctata (Linnaeus, 1758), and H. variegata (Goeze, 1777). Here, we provide an identification key to these species, along with illustrations of morphological characters.

Combs have a significant role as substrates for Termitomyces in providing nutrients for Macrotermitinae colonies. However, the process of comb establishment was poorly known. The study was to observe the process of fungal comb formation of fungus-growing termites in the laboratory. Each pair of alates from three species, i.e Microtermes insperatus Kemner, Macrotermes gilvus Hagen, and Odontotermes

Records of fireflies are numerous in Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah although little is known regarding the firefly population in Sarawak. Thus, the aim of this study is to document the diversity and abundance of the congregating fireflies and their display trees in Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia and to investigate the possible significance of several abiotic factors in relation to the abundance of fireflies

A new lac insect pest, Kerria destructor Talukder and Das, sp. nov. (Kerriidae) infesting the rain tree (Albizia saman), is described and illustrated based on the adult female, and a key to the known species of Kerria is provided. Recently, this species has been reported causing severe dieback on the twigs and branches leading to the death of a large number of rain trees in West Bengal, India. No previous

Hierodula jianfenglingensis sp. nov. (Ledong, Hainan) is described as a new species. Its related taxa, Hierodula chinensis Werner, 1929, is revised herein based on some confusions that exist in previous papers. Hierodula dyaka Westwood, 1889 (Xishuangbanna, Yunnan) is re-described and newly recorded from China. Mekongomantis quinquespinosa Schwarz, Ehrmann, & Shcherbakov, 2018 (Xishuangbanna, Yunnan)

During our studies on the family Ismaridae, three species from northern Iran were identified and illustrated: Ismarus dorsiger (Haliday, 1831), Ismarus halidayi Förster, 1850 and Ismarus rugulosus Förster, 1850. The first two species are new records for Iran. Diagnostic characters for all three species are provided along with illustrations. A key to the Iranian species of the genus Ismarus, as well

Three new species of the genus Aleurotrachelus Quaintance & Baker are described, A. diploclisiae sp. nov. on Diploclisia glaucescens, A. fici sp. nov. on Ficus virens and A. psydraci sp. nov. on Psydrax dicoccos. This brings to seven the number of species of the genus known from India, and a key to these is provided. Holotypes of the new species are deposited in the collection of the National Bureau

Three species of Noonamyia from Southwest China are described as new to science: Noonamyia bicolour sp. nov., Noonamyia brevisurstyla sp. nov. and Noonamyia spinosa sp. nov. A key to the species of genus Noonamyia in the world is presented. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:742C6FA4-5BCF-43E3-B179-990EFECB401

Despite the valuable scientific contributions of professional workers and amateur naturalists our knowledge of galls is still poorly known in Iran. In this study three species of the genus Eurytoma Illiger, viz Eurytoma collaris Walker, 1832, Eurytoma differta Zerova, 1977 and Eurytoma stepposa Zerova, 1980 reared from Stipa arabica Trin. & Rupr. (Poaceae) were reported for the first time for the fauna

Hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) pollinate plants, predate other insects, and feed on vegetal and decay materials, being used as bioindicators of different ecosystem conditions and processes. The main aim is to enhance the bioindicator potential of hoverflies in Algeria by increasing our knowledge on the hoverfly communities of different environments in the semi-arid Northeast of Algeria: unpolluted

The nomenclature of Scymnus quadrillum Motschulsky 1858 (nec Redtenbacher 1843), S. latemaculatus Motschulsky 1858, and Scymnus (Clitostethus) fumatus Sicard 1929, all originally described from Ceylon, is discussed and clarified. Based on examination of material at the Natural History Museum, London, identified by comparison with Motschulsky’s lectotypes, Scymnus (Pullus) coccivora Ayyar, 1925, an

The characterisation of cocoons is one of the most important requirements to know the economic importance of a sericigenous insect. Antheraea assamensis produces the golden muga silk, which is considered as the second most expensive silk in the world for its high quality. Although muga silk worm is a single species, it has many varieties with respect to its geographical areas. However, literary works

The carpenter moth Polyphagozerra coffeae (Nietner) (Lepidoptera: Cossidae) is an important pest of commercial plantations of Eucalyptus pellita F. Muell. and the hybrid E. pellita × Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill. ex Maiden (Myrtaceae) in Riau, Indonesia. This study describes a new species of tachinid fly, Cossidophaga coffeae sp. nov., record its host, P. coffeae, and redescribe the type species of C

An annotated catalogue for the Iranian Galerucinae s. str. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) is proposed. Based upon literature review and examination of collected material, a total of 56 species in 18 genera are listed for the fauna of Iran. Some species are represented in Iran with more than one subspecies, bringing the total number of taxa to 59. Farsogaleruca Lopatin, 1981 is proposed as new synonym

Numerous vertebrate species ingest palm drupes and disperse the seed by defaecation. Some insect species will predate seeds in animal scats, while others avoid them. This study examined the behaviour of date stone beetles (Coccotrypes dactyliperda) and found that the species ignored seeds coated with excreta but penetrated uncoated seeds. A case is made that the coating provides a physical barrier

Two new species of the genus Dascillus Latreille, 1797, D. chengkouensis sp. nov. and D. conchatus sp. nov. are described from Chongqing and Sichuan. The illustrations of the morphological characters and a distribution map are given. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E6E997AB-F865-42C1-8477-28B372CA89BB

The genera Ischyroptyx Delucchi, 1956 and Novitzkyanus Bouček, 1961 are first recorded from Iran. They are represented by two species, Ischyroptyx ligusticus (Masi, 1922) and Novitzkyanus cryptogaster Bouček, 1961, respectively. First species was collected from Northeast (North Khorasan Province) by sweeping net and the second species was collected from both North East, Central (Isfahan Province) and

Although the anthidiine bee Eoanthidium nasicum is little differentiated structurally, it was found that it is clustered in three units: Anatolia, the Levant and Iran. A Discriminant Function Analysis carried out on 11 morphometric parameters enabled the members of these geographically defined populations to be distinguished: 85.4% of all males and 100.0% of all females could be classified correctly

Dicopus gunathilagaraji sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Mymaridae) is described from Yercaud hills and Salem, Tamil Nadu, India. A key to the species of Dicopus from Oriental region is provided. Platystethynium glabrum Jin & Li, is reported from India and a key to the world species is provided.

Krishnacapritermes Chhotani (Isoptera: Termitidae) is one of the endemic termite genera from the Western Ghats of India. Under the genus, only two species Krishnacapritermes maitii Chhotani and Krishnacapritermes thakuri Chhotani were known earlier. The present study describes two new species, Krishnacapritermes dineshan Amina and Rajmohana sp. nov. and Krishnacapritermes manikandan Amina and Rajmohana

Two rare genera of Pteromalidae viz., Neapterolelaps Girault and Thaumasura Westwood are reported for the first time from the Oriental Region. Distribution of both the genera is currently confined to Australasian Region with majority of species reported from the Australian continent and surrounding island groups in the Indo-Australian region. Here we report the range extension of both the genera in

The holotype of Hadronotus montanus Kieffer 1906 was discovered in the collection of Hungarian Natural History Museum (Budapest). This species is transferred in Calotelea Westwood, re-described and illustrated.

Red Banded Mango Caterpillar (RBMC), Deanolis sublimbalis Snellen (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is a serious pest of mango fruits in several regions of South and South East Asia. Molecular characterisation of twenty nine different populations was done using the mitochondrial gene, Mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase-I (mtCOI) and nuclear gene, Elongation Factor 1 Alpha (EF-1α) to estimate the genetic variability

The female of Aduncothrips asiaticus (Thysanoptera: Terebrantia: Aeolothripidae) is redescribed with illustrations based on specimens collected on an agriculturally important new host plant, Moringa oleifera Lam. The previously unknown male is also described.

Aphelinus mali is an important endoparasitoid of Eriosoma lanigerum (Hausmann) (Hemiptera: Aphididae). In our previous study, A. mali in China was divided into two genetic clades, named the Shandong and Liaoning clades, which showed differences in both biological characteristics and the level of pest control. The purpose of this study was to analyse the diversity of endosymbiotic bacteria associated

With the help of life table construction, which derives the net-reproductive rate, mean time of generation and the survivorship curve, one can classify the insects into pest or as non-pest. This paper is an attempt to bring diversity information of the general pest and non-pest group of insects on Musa spp. to a broader audience and examine it in the context of related research. Pests on Musa spp.

Three species of the genus Lauxania Latreille, 1804 from China are described as new to science: L. (Lauxania) hirsuta sp. nov., L. (L.) jinyunensis sp. nov., L. (L.) valga sp. nov. Lauxania (Callixania) minor Martinek, 1974 is first recorded for China. A key to the subgenera and species of the genus Lauxania in China is presented. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D28829F9-E3DD-4EF3-A91D-5073868FFFF6

The genus Phyllomyza Fallén is recorded from Laos for the first time with the following three species which are described as new to science: P. latusipalpis sp. nov., P. orbita sp. nov., and P. verticalis sp. nov. A key to the known species of Phyllomyza from Laos is presented.

A taxonomic study of Torulisquama Zhang & Li was conducted. Its geographical distribution pattern in China is analysed with MaxEnt and ArcGIS based on known localities and 19 environmental variables. The results suggest that the most suitable areas for the genus are located in Southeast China, and the minimum temperature of the coldest month (Bio6) is revealed to the most important variable affecting

First records of Zodiomyia sumbaensis Camras, 1957 from Malaysia and Thailand are presented. The monotypic genus is illustrated for the first time. The distribution of the genus is described and all known records are summarised.

An annotated list of Figitidae (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea) present in Iran is given. A total of 33 species belonging to 11 genera and five subfamilies are reported: Anacharitinae (3 genera, 4 species), Aspicerinae (2 genera, 4 species), Charipinae (3 genera, 21 species), Eucoilinae (1 species) and ‘unplaced tribe’ (2 genera, 3 species). Two species are excluded from the fauna of Iran as nomina dubia

A new species of darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) belonging to the genus Agnaptoria Reitter, 1887, A. jinchengi sp. nov. is described from the Dhaulagiri Zone in Nepal. A new key for all known Agnaptoria species is provided. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:64D8CC42-A7DB-4CCA-B52B-C54E2F1C114F

Amyosoma chinense (Szépligeti, 1902), representing a new generic record is first recorded for the fauna of Iran. It was collected from North East of the country (North Khorasan province), quite far from its typical area of distribution. A diagnosis on the basis of the reliable morphological and morphometric characters is provided for the specimens from Iran, as additions to the knowledge on its variability

We describe Ooctonus exsertus sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) from Xizang Autonomous Region (= Tibet) and record O. lapen Triapitsyn for the first time from China. A revised key to the know species of Ooctonus from China is given. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D4365584-F8B6-4F2B-8EE2-8E6D2A9276A0

I describe Epeolus ladakhensis sp. nov., a new species of cuckoo bee from the Indian province of Kashmir. This species is closely related to Epeolus tarsalis Morawitz, 1874, and differs by the more whitish and yellowish pubescent parts of the body, the sculpture on the mesoscutum and sterna, and the shape of the apical margin of the clypeus. Only two females from one locality are known. The species

(2019). Correction. Oriental Insects: Vol. 53, No. 4, pp. 1-1.

Melitta (Melitta) indica Saini & Chandra sp. nov. a new species of genus Melitta Kirby, 1802, collected from the Uttarakhand, India has been described. There are 50 species of this genus known from all over the world, out of which three species recorded from India. The new species is the fourth species of Melitta Kirby, 1802 from India. A key to species of Melitta from India is provided. http://www

Malathion bait sprays to control medfly, Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae), in Tunisian citrus orchards is expected to be phased out in the near future due to low residue tolerance in the fruits by consumers. Attract and kill strategy that encompasses mass trapping and bait station techniques has become a widespread method for controlling medfly. Effectiveness of two bait station methods (AAL&K®

Enoplotrupes (Enoplotrupes) tawangensis sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Geotrupidae) from district Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh state, India) and Bhutan is described, diagnosed, and illustrated. The new species is compared with similar and probably closely related species E. (E.) rhinoceros Král, Malý & Schneider. A key to the genus Enoplotrupes P. H. Lucas known from India is provided. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank

The adult male of Dicrotendipes clavus sp. nov. is described and illustrated from India. Review of two species, D. arcistylus Guha, Das, Chaudhuri & Choudhuri and D. canitibialis Guha, Das, Chaudhuri & Choudhuri are made from the type specimens. A key to the adult males of the genus Dicrotendipes Kieffer from the Oriental region and a cladistic analysis of the Oriental species of the genus Dicrotendipes

Three new species of the Pacificulla Park, P. dohertyi Park, sp. nov., P. kumusiensis Park, sp. nov., and P. galbidorsalis Park, sp. nov. of subfamily Crocanthinae (Lepidoptera, Lecithoceridae) are described from the island of New Guinea. The female of Hannara buloloensis Park is reported and illustrated for the first time. Descriptions and illustrations of adult and genitalia of all species were provided

Three new species, Brachypogon (Brachypogon) beccus sp. nov., B. (B.) corneus sp. nov. and B. (Isohelea) nevis sp. nov. are described and illustrated from India. New dichotomous keys to the adult males and females of the genus Brachypogon are proposed here. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:9816D77E-9D03-4EBC-AE7F-87906A843E11

The nesting habits of Chalybion bengalense are described. Copulation takes place at the nesting site. For nesting, the female uses old nests of Sceliphron and various eumenids, preexisting holes, and trap nests. The wasp cleans the nest cell and provisions it with paralyzed spider prey, 8–32 per S. madraspatanum (Fabricius) cell or 30–60 per trap nest cell. The female lays an egg on one of her prey

Life history observations are documented for two species of rhiniid flies from the Western Ghats in India: larviposition and termitophagy in Stomorhina procula (Walker), and oviposition and saprophagy in Borbororhinia bivittata (Walker). Oviposition and larviposition strategies in termitophilous Rhiniidae (Diptera: Oestroidea) are discussed based on these examples.

The fauna of Iranian braconid subfamilies, Cardiochilinae, Rhyssalinae and the tribe Blacini of the subfamily Brachistinae are summarized in this paper. Totally 30 species within 7 genera in the three groups under study are listed as the fauna of Iran. The genus Schoenlandella Cameron (Cardiochilinae) is reported here as a new record to the Iranian fauna, with a single species, S. deserta. Blacus rufescens

The present-day composition and distribution of diaspidid scale and coccinellid beetle species in the Pacific is an amalgam of endemic distribution, and naturalisations or extirpations following unintentional accidental dispersal as well as intentional dispersal as part of biological plant pest control measures. Using primary sources, historic biogeography not only allows us to untangle the nature

Populations of the iconic, synchronously flashing firefly, Pteroptyx tener (Coleoptera: Lampyridae), are increasingly being threatened by habitat destruction and land conversion activities in Malaysia. Concerns on how this may have impacted the species led us to undertake an analysis of P. tener genetic diversity here. We also investigated how P. tener arrived at its present distribution along the

A new asilid species Astochia venkataramani sp. nov. is described with supportive illustrations of male genitalia and body parts, from Sundarban Biosphere Reserve, West Bengal, India. An updated checklist of the Indian species of Astochia Becker is also included. The holotype specimen of the new species has been deposited in the National Zoological Collections of Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata