Here, we describe two new species in the tribe Porricondylini, Bryocrypta alagoana and B. matogrossensis, from Brazil. The new species are the first mycophage Bryocrypta described from Brazil for more than 100 years.

Here, we describe two new species in the tribe Porricondylini, Cassidoides japi and C. oliveirae, from Brazil. The new species are the first two representatives of the genus Cassidoides in the Neotropics.

A new species of the acrobat-ant genus Crematogaster, C. bonnieae, is described from the Western Ghats, India based on workers. The morphology of the new species is fairly distinguishable from other congeners by the following combination of characters: relatively large eyes; long antennal scapes, surpassing posterior head margin; propodeal spines reduced, tuberculate; 11-segmented antennae, and 3-segmented club. An identification key to the 33 Indian species/subspecies of Crematogaster is also provided.

Here, we describe five new species in the tribe Porricondylini, Claspettomyia angelicae, C. groverae, C. niheii, C. periotoi and C. verasilvae, from Brazil. The new species are the first five representatives of the genus Claspettomyia in the Neotropics.

Here, we describe two new species in the tribe Porricondylini, Porricondyla pantaneira and P. wenzeli, from Brazil. The new species are the first two representatives of the genus Porricondyla in the Neotropics.

Fluorescence induced by ultraviolet light has been observed in many animals, from invertebrates to mammals. Fluorophores (chemical compounds responsible for fluorescence) have been studied in feathers of bird species; for example, porphyrins (one of the most abundant biological pigments) in feathers of some owl species produce red-orange fluorescence. We conducted a fluorescence study on 13 European owl species, and found fluorescence in all of them. Contrary to what was previously reported, we also found fluorescence in the snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus). We also investigated fluorescence of different body and feather areas of the owls, and found similarities between species and some differences depending on occupied landscape, nest and life type, activity period, and plumage colour.

Tanytarsus xinglongensis Lin, a new species within the Tanytarsus aterrimus species group, is described and illustrated based on adult males from Oriental China. It is characterised by T-shaped tergal bands, rectangular superior volsella, and very short and stout stem of median volsella.

The raccoon dog was introduced from eastern to western Eurasia, and subsequently spread throughout Europe all the way to the middle part of Finland, potentially assisted by its high genetic diversity. To elucidate the genetic diversity of Finnish raccoon dogs and its association with resistance to pathogens, we genotyped 77 individuals for ten neutral and eight MHC-linked microsatellite loci, and sequenced MHC class II DRB alleles for 20 individuals. We compared the results with the data from a Japanese population, and detected no differences in the microsatellite variation between these two populations. By contrast, diversity at DRB loci was lower in the Finnish population as compared with that in the Japanese population. No spatial genetic structure was found in Finland, but our analyses revealed two sympatric genetic clusters. The analysed genetic markers did not show associations with the frequency of infection by pathogens such as Trichinella spp.

Pantala flavescens is capable of extraordinary long-distance seasonal migrations. However, few studies investigated the molecular mechanisms related to locomotion in P. flavescens. We conducted transcriptome sequencing to investigate differences in the gene expression levels between migratory and nonmigratory P. flavescens, and obtained 43.79 Gb of clean data, 17 810 unigenes, and 27 701 transcripts. Moreover, 382 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, of which 259 genes were upregulated and 123 downregulated. Eight DEGs were selected for RT-qPCR, whose results showed that the differences in the expression patterns were similar to the transcriptome results. We found that the highly expressed genes in the migratory samples were associated with electron transport chain complexes, microtubule, antioxidant and detoxication. Heat-shock proteins could be related to thermal tolerance in the nonmigratory samples. Gene ontology (GO) terms were involved in metabolic processes, respiratory transport chain, and ATP biosynthesis. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways were involved in oxidative phosphorylation and citrate cycle.

In the Americas, the tribe Didactyliini (Scarabaeidae, Aphodiinae) is exclusively represented by the native genus Aidophus Balthasar, 1963. Aidophus gema and A. notatus (Harold, 1859) are herein described from Colombia, the former as a new species. Illustrations and diagnoses are provided for both species, and the new species is also compared with the most similar species.

In this study, we focused on the diversity and abundance of Carabidae in the Somosierra forest in Madrid, Spain. This forest is atypical for the Mediterranean region due the presence of birch. Collection of 13 monthly samples yielded 29 635 specimens, including 4829 imagos of 21 Carabidae species. The dominant species was west European chorotype of Calathus (Amphyginus) rotundicollis. There was a high proportion of endemism of Iberian species, and considerable seasonal variations in the activity of different species. A wing development assessment indicated that most species were brachypterous (i.e., with reduced wings). This feature restricts the carabid dispersal suggesting high environmental stability in the forest. Overall, our study supports the uniqueness of the study forest and that stable environments support species that are highly vulnerable for anthropogenic disturbances.

Three new species in the Tetramorium tortuosum group, T. alii, T. binghami and T. hitagarciai, are described and illustrated from the Western Ghats, India. In addition, information on the remaining six know species in this group — T. belgaense Forel, 1902, T. keralense Sheela & Narendran, 1998, T. pilosum Emery, 1893, T. tortuosum Roger, 1863, T. urbanii Bolton, 1977 and T. yerburyi Forel, 1902 — is provided along with the key to all the taxa in the group. The tortuosum group is the largest of the species group with workers characterized by 11-segmented antenna from the region. Morphology and group affinities of the species are discussed, along with their distribution. However, due to sampling constraints and still insufficient taxonomic knowledge the actual diversity is yet to be properly explored.

Palaearctic species of the genus Anaphes Haliday, 1833 (Hymenoptera, Mymaridae) are reviewed. Diagnoses and identification keys to the 18 species of the nominate subgenus A. (Anaphes) and 20 native species of the subgenus A. (Patasson) Walker, 1846 are given for separation of females. Diversity of Anaphes in Finland, from where 17 previously described species of Anaphes are newly recorded, is reassessed as all of the published records from the country based on the historical specimens collected by W. Hellén were found to be incorrect due to misidentifications. The following six new species are described from the Palaearctic region: A. (Anaphes) koponeni (Finland), A. (Patasson) baqueroi (Spain), A. (Patasson) klaxon (Far East of Russia), A. (Patasson) nossatap (Greece and Stavropol'skiy Kray, Russia), A. (Patasson) paukkuneni (Finland), and A. (Patasson) varkonyii (Finland). Anaphes wolfsthali (Soyka, 1950) is treated in A. (Patasson) as A. (Patasson) wolfsthali and placed in the newly defined, informal wolfsthali species group within the subgenus along with A. (Patasson) baqueroi, A. (Patasson) klaxon, and an undescribed species from North Carolina, USA.

A new weevil species, Cnaphoscapus sternofovelus, is herein described and illustrated, and a key to the species of Cnaphoscapus is also provided. It closely resembles C. bisignatus in the presence of sub-erect brown setae on the antennal scape and funicle segment first slightly longer than second. It differs from the other Cnaphoscapus species in the arrangement of scales in the funicular segments, the presence of prothorax with a small tooth at the basal angle and the presence of a fovea in the middle of the posterior margin of the metasternum. The new species is the first member of the genus Cnaphoscapus reported from India.

Field surveys showed that adult beautiful brocade, Lacanobia contigua (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), females select primarily top parts of senesced Elymus nutans plants as their oviposition sites. Developing larvae move to feed on living E. nutans presumably because of the low-quality of senesced plants. The aim of this study was to determine whether this oviposition behaviour was of significance for this moth species. We conducted field studies on three experimental groups (top of senesced plants, top of fresh plants, and ground surface as oviposition sites) to determine the effect of oviposition site on the survival (hatching) rates of eggs. Our results showed that the survival (hatching) rate of the eggs on the tops of senesced plants was higher than that on the tops of fresh plants and ground surface, and that egg-mass survival rate was higher on top parts of senesced and fresh plants than that on the ground surface. In addition, the proportion of eggs from which larvae hatched successfully (egg hatching rate) was the highest on the top parts of senesced plants. We, thus, can conclude that the oviposition behaviour of L. contigua females to lay eggs on tops of senesced Elymus nutans improves egg survival (hatching) rates.

Buresilia macrina (Roewer, 1956) is redescribed and illustrated based on specimens collected from Adana Province, Turkey. The female is described herein for the first time.