The rare octocoral genus Isidoides Nutting, 1910 was originally placed in the Gorgonellidae (now the Ellisellidae), even though it showed a remarkable similarity to the Isidae (now the Isididae). Isidoides was not classified in the Isididae mostly because the type specimen lacked skeletal nodes, a defining characteristic of that family. The genus was later assigned to the Chrysogorgiidae based on sclerite morphology. Specimens were recently collected in the south-western Pacific, providing material for genetic analysis and detailed characterisation of the morphology, and allowing us to consider the systematic placement of this taxon within the suborder Calcaxonia. A previously reported phylogeny allowed us to reject monophyly with the Chrysogorgiidae, and infer a close relationship with the Isididae subfamily Keratoisidinae. While scanning for molecular variation across mitochondrial genes, we discovered a novel gene order that is, based on available data, unique among metazoans. Despite these new data, the systematic placement of Isidoides is still unclear, as (1) the phylogenetic relationships among Isididae subfamilies remain poorly resolved, (2) genetic distances between mitochondrial mtMutS sequences from Isidoides and Keratoisidinae are characteristic of intra-familial distances, and (3) mitochondrial gene rearrangements may occur among confamilial genera. For these reasons, and because a revision of the Isididae is beyond the scope of this contribution, we amend the familial placement of Isidoides to incertae sedis.

Chlorodiella longimana is the only chlorodielline species presently known from the western Atlantic Ocean. Although C. longimana superficially resembles other species of the genus in general appearance of the carapace, morphological analyses revealed a suite of characters that separate it from all other known species of Chlorodiella – in particular, ambulatory legs having dactyli with a single tip and a basal antennal segment with a lateral flange that extends halfway into the orbital hiatus, excluding the antennal flagellum. In addition, a phylogenetic analysis of the Chlorodiellinae inferred from three mitochondrial markers (12S, 16S, COXI) and a nuclear marker (histone H3), confirms that C. longimana is genetically distinct from its congeners. A new genus, Ratha, is proposed to accommodate C. longimana. In addition, a phylogenetic analysis of six chlorodielline genera indicates that the subfamily is polyphyletic as presently defined.

The seven Australasian genera of blister beetles (Coleoptera : Meloidae : Nemognathinae) are reviewed. Included are a key to genera, generic synopses and descriptions of two new genera of Nemognathini, Australozonitis and Pulchrazonitis, as well as a new monotypic tribe Palaestrini, which features a bauplan of male genitalia unique not only to the subfamily Nemognathinae but to the entire family. The genus Palaestra is redefined to include several Australasian, Asian and African species previously assigned to Zonitis. Exceptional variation of male genitalia encountered in the Palaestrini challenges current subfamily definitions, which are partly based on male genitalic structure and correlated sexual behaviour. Generic synopses include synonyms, type species, number of species, geographic distribution, significant references on taxonomy, life history and morphology, and additional notes. Forty-six new combinations are proposed for species previously in Zonitis. Distribution and relationship of tribes within the Nemognathinae, as well as the biogeography of the Australasian Meloidae are outlined and discussed.

Species of the Greenideinae are distributed mainly throughout South-east Asia and include some important agricultural and horticultural pests. Rapid and accurate species circumscription and identification in this subfamily are very difficult because similar morphological traits are shared among congeneric species. Here, we test the efficiency of DNA barcoding in the Greenideinae by analysing 214 samples covering 42 species belonging to nine genera using two mitochondrial gene fragments (COI barcode fragment and Cytb gene fragment). The results show that DNA barcoding is a useful species identification method in this subfamily. Both genes can correctly identify most species using neighbour-joining tree analyses and distance-based analyses. Based on the molecular and morphological evidence, we question the validity of two species, Mollitrichosiphum rhusae Ghosh, 1917 and Schoutedenia emblica (Patel & Kulkarni, 1953). Further analysis of the COI barcode fragment shows that Greenidea psidii van der Goot, 1917, an invasive species in Hawaii, is possibly from China. This is a preliminary DNA barcoding study in Greenideinae, and comprehensive sampling is needed to rigorously test the usefulness of DNA barcoding in this subfamily.

Bembidion (Sloanephila) tahitiense, sp. nov. is described from Mont Mauru, an isolated massif of Tahiti Nui volcano. Based on evidence from seven genes (four nuclear protein-coding, one mitochondrial protein-coding, two nuclear ribosomal), its sister group is the Australian B. jacksoniense Guérin-Méneville, with which it shares a synapomorphic spur on the ostium of the male genitalia. In contrast to B. jacksoniense, B. tahitiense is brachypterous, with rounded humeri, constricted posterior pronotal margins and convex body form. Examination of the seven genes in two species of the Hawaiian subgenus Nesocidium Sharp reveals that the sister group of Nesocidium is subgenus Zecillenus Lindroth from New Zealand. These two subgenera belong to the Ananotaphus complex, a clade inhabiting Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii. The relationships of the second Hawaiian subgenus, Gnatholymnaeum Sharp, are less clear, although Gnatholymnaeum belongs to the Bembidion series (along with Sloanephila and the Ananotaphus complex). Bembidion beetles colonised the Society and Hawaiian islands independently from source areas in the south-west Pacific. Based on parsimonious reconstructions of flight-wing configuration, the Tahitian and Hawaiian colonisations involved winged individuals. Colonisation of the Society and Hawaiian islands by carabid beetles of two other tribes – Platynini and Moriomorphini – follow the dispersal patterns hypothesised for Bembidion.

The rare family Orussidae comprises the only parasitoid sawflies and are sister to the Apocrita, the latter comprising most of Hymenoptera. Because of this, their morphology and relationships have been particularly important for interpreting the morphology of and biological transitions within the order as a whole. Within the Orussidae the ophrynopines are a comparatively diverse clade with a predominantly southern hemisphere distribution. Here, a revised and expanded morphological dataset incorporating several new taxa is used to test ophrynopine relationships and provide further insights into their evolutionary history. The analyses largely corroborate previous results. The distribution pattern and the fossil record indicate that the ophrynopines radiated in the early Cenozoic in the Australasian-Oceanian and the Neotropic regions and later dispersed into the Nearctic, Eastern Palaearctic and Indomalayan regions. The South American genus Ophrella Middlekauff, 1985 is well supported as a monophyletic genus, whereas Ophrynopus Konow, 1897 is paraphyletic with respect to Stirocorsia Konow, 1897. Three new species, Ophrella eldorado Vilhelmsen, sp. nov., Ophrynopus guarani Blank, D.R. Smith & Vilhelmsen, sp. nov., and Ophrynopus rupestris Vilhelmsen, Costa & Alvarenga, sp. nov. are described. Ophrella lingulata Middlekauff, 1985 is treated as a junior synonym of Ophrella amazonica (Westwood, 1874). Stirocorsia is treated as a junior synonym of Ophrynopus. The species Ophrynopus apicalis (Togashi, 2000), Ophrynopus kohli (Konow, 1897), Ophrynopus maculipennis (F. Smith, 1859) and Ophrynopus tosensis (Tosawa & Sugihara, 1934), formerly in Stirocorsia, are transferred to Ophrynopus. Revised keys to the species of Ophrella, Ophrynopus and the genera in the ophrynopine clade are provided. In addition, Orussidae are recorded from Bolivia and French Guiana for the first time.