Macrosiagon vittata (Erichson), M. mutilata (Gerstaecker) and M. gracilis Manfrini de Brewer are assigned to the new provisional species group vittata on the basis of possessing two protibial apical spurs, a transversely flattened vertex not elevated above the dorsal margin of the eyes and thread-like antennal rami in males. A key to these species is presented and each is redescribed. The following nomenclatural changes are made: M. mutilata (Gerstaecker) (= M. quadrimaculata (Gerstaecker), = M. melanoptera (Chevrolat), = M. vitraci (Fleutiaux and Sallé)) new synonymies, and M. vittata (Erichson) (= M. vittata var. biinterrupta Pic, = M. vittata var. bahiensis Pic, = M. vittata var. latelutea Pic, = M. discicollis (Gerstaecker), = M. brasiliensis Pic, = M. pectoralis Pic) new synonymies. Lectotypes and paralectotypes are designated for the following species: M. mutilata, M. quadrimaculata and M. vittata. A brief discussion of Macrosiagon taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships within the Macrosiagonini is also presented.

The necrophagous dung beetle Coprophanaeus telamon (Erichson 1847) buried decomposing hen eggs in the rain forest of Ecuador. We suppose that the volatiles 2-butanone, cresol, indole, skatole, and butyric acid are responsible for attracting Coprophanaeus because these components of dung odour attract dung beetles and are also present in rotten eggs. A number of them are also produced by bacterial spoilage of raw meat. Abandoned clutches, infertile eggs or eggs with dead embryos of ground-nesting birds may be used as a resource by dung beetles.

A taxonomic study of Bryothinusa Casey in Korea is presented. Four species are recognized, two of which are described as new species (B. gangjinensis, Type locality—Gangjin, Jeonnam Prov., Korea and B. koreana—Type locality—Jindo Is., Jeonnam Prov., Korea). Types and paratypes of the new species are designated. The other two species (B. minuta Sawada and B. nakanei Sawada) are reported for the first time in Korea. Spermatheca of B. nakanei is illustrated for the first time. Illustrations of diagnostic features and a key are provided.

For conservation purposes and to supply rare insects for laboratory use, a system for artificial breeding is crucial. However, in the case of carnivorous freshwater insects such as diving beetles, constant conditions in aquariums are difficult to maintain due to their high rate of food consumption. Furthermore, surface rippling caused by the pumping system for water circulation hinders the respiration of small larvae. We developed a new open aquarium system without water circulation that was successfully applied to the rearing of larvae of diving beetles, Dytiscus sharpi (Wehncke) (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae). In comparison to conventional methods, a high proportion of larvae developed into adult insects. The size of reared adults was almost the same as those of field-collected adults. The new method could be applied to the conservation and breeding of other rare species, such as water beetles and water bugs.

The cabbage seedpod weevil is a serious pest of canola or oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) and several other brassicaceous seed crops in both Europe and North America. A number of Ceutorhynchinae species can occur in canola or in cruciferous weeds infesting the crop, but immature stages of few of the species are well described. The morphology of pre-imaginal life stages of the cabbage seedpod weevil, Ceutorhynchus obstrictus (Marsham), is presented. Descriptions are given of taxonomic characters observed under both phase contrast and scanning electron microscopy. Characters to separate C. obstrictus and its sympatric congener Ceutorhynchus neglectus Blatchley include the numbers of dorsal, ventral, and lateral epicranial setae and the numbers of setae on the labrum, maxillary palps, stipes, and mala.

Nordus horni (Bernhauer) and Plociopterus belti Sharp are recognized for the first time as junior subjective synonyms of Plociopterus variegatus Sharp. Lectotypes are here designated for N. horni and P. variegatus. The taxonomic history is given for the species.

The endangered American burying beetle, Nicrophorus americanus Olivier, presently occurs in small and widely scattered areas on the periphery of its former range. As part of the recovery plan for this insect implemented by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), we conducted surveys in Nebraska to ascertain its presence. Additionally, we examined various trapping methods and procedures in the course of our survey work. We compared the effectiveness of different trap designs, trap placement, timing of trapping, types and amounts of bait, and monitoring traps. We also developed methods to reduce beetle mortality in traps. Our work offers more effective sampling procedures for N. americanus and suggests the current USFWS sampling protocol should be modified. New procedures include larger traps, moist soil substrate, a soil berm to the edge of the trap, longer trapping season, and increased distances between traps. A moist soil substrate, in combination with a shade-giving rain cover, precludes the necessity of servicing all traps by 9 AM each day (as mandated in the current protocol), a task that is logistically difficult or impossible if there are many traps. The sampling procedures we have identified as most appropriate for N. americanus will also improve sampling for other silphid species.

A leaf litter flea beetle was collected for the first time in North America as a result of the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This flea beetle is identified as Psylliodes appalachianus new species and is described and illustrated. The history of leaf litter collecting of flea beetles is briefly outlined.

The agonistic behavior of Exechesops leucopis (Jordan) (Anthribidae) that is associated with Styrax species (Styracaceae) is reported for the first time. This species shows remarkable sexual dimorphism in its cephalic morphology. The male head capsule is frontally flattened and laterally extended to form a pair of processes supporting eyes, whereas the female head capsule lacks processes. Head width exhibited a positive correlation with the body length. The head width was highly variable among male individuals and broadened with the increase of body length at a higher rate in males than in females. Males, particularly of large size, frequently exhibited territorial behavior on sprays bearing fruit or on individual fruit of Styrax trees where they copulated with females. Our observations revealed that males utilize their forehead as a weapon to exclude other males from their own territory, where they wait for females to mate and then guard the females after mating. Males that encountered obviously larger individuals fled without physical contact, suggesting that the male head width might be an indicator to assess the fighting ability of an opponent before actual fighting. The agonistic behavior was not observed between small males. They may adopt a mating strategy that is different from the strategy adopted by larger individuals.

A new species, Alagoasa aurora, from high elevation Costa Rica is described. Adult habitus (dorsal and ventral), mouthparts, and male and female genitalia are illustrated. Morphometric data are presented and graphed. Alagoasa aurora bears a hind tarsomere similar to species of Asphaera, the highly vaulted habitus of Alagoasa, and the large eyes and nocturnal habits usual in Walterianella. This species also bears a mandibular mola that has never been reported before for an oedionychine flea beetle. Phylogenetic affinities and other close relatives of this species are discussed.

Cryocolaspis crinita n. gen., n. sp. is described from the mountains of central Costa Rica. The genus is a member of the tribe Adoxini and can be distinguished from other setose Neotropical Eumolpinae genera Sphaeropis, Brevicolaspis, Trichospinthera, and Xanthonia by its long erect setae and the combination of bidentate margins and depressions on the disc of its pronotum.

The third instar larva and pupa of Dynastes neptunus Quenzel are described using 15 specimens collected in Cotopaxi, Ecuador. Drawings of the diagnostic structures, notes on the biology of this species and a key to the known third instar larvae of the genus Dynastes are included.

An endogean carabid from Portugal (type locality Aldeia do Mato), Hypotyphlus lusitanicus, new species, is described, belonging to the Hypotyphlus pandellei Group. This work provides diagnostic characters and a description. A key to species of the Iberian Peninsula of the genus Hypotyphlus Jeannel is given. This is the first species of this genus to be reported as far west as Portugal. The new species is more closely related to the geographically remote, Pyrenees-inhabiting, H. ribagorzanus (Bolivar) and H. lidiae Hernando and Fresneda than to the geographically more proximate H. guadarramus (Ehlers) and H. huetei Ortuño, of the Spanish Sistema Central, suggesting a complex history of the pandellei species Group in the Iberian Peninsula.

Phanaeus yecoraensis Edmonds, new species, is described from the vicinity of Yécora, Sonora (Mexico). It is illustrated and compared with Phanaeus flohri Nevinson, from which it differs by male and female secondary sexual characters, elytral relief and sculpturing, and distribution.

Nuclear magnetic resonance microscopy was used to observe the internal structure of male and female carrion rolling scarab Canthon cyanellus cyanellus adults. Images were produced with a NMR microscope built at the University of Orsay, France. The NMR microscope operated at 360 MHz and produced images of live insects with an in-plan resolution of 30 μm × 30 μm from a slice 125 μm thick. NMR images of horizontal slices through head, thorax, and abdomen of males and females of different ages and physiological stages were obtained. Internal organs such as reproductive organs, gut, fat body, and pygidial glands were clearly observed in both sexes; ova at different stages and aedeagus were identified in females and males, respectively. Pygidial glands in both sexes and ova and fat body in females seem to be good indicators of the reproductive condition of the beetles. These results show the potential of NMR microscopy as a non-invasive method to study the relationships between the internal morphology, behavior, and physiological status of live beetles.

Phratora daccordii Ge and Wang new species and P. jinchuanensis Ge and Wang new species from Sichuan province, south-west China (Chrysomelidae: Chrysomelinae) are described. The distinctive characters of these new species in relation to others are discussed. Phratora daccordi resembles P. moha Daccordi most closely but is distinguished by the morphology of the antennae, the shape of lateral margins of pronotum, median lobe and spermatheca. Phratora jinchuanensis is allied to P. vulgitissima (Linnaeus), differing in the marginal bead along the pronotal base, median lobe morphology and bristles of the antennae. Illustrations of the habitus of P. daccordi, and median lobes and spermathecae of the new species are included. Type specimens are deposited in the Zoological Museum, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China.

Host plant associations are given for the adults of 17 species of the melolonthine genera Serica MacLeay and Diplotaxis Kirby. Beetles were collected on 23 plant species. Ten species of Serica occur on Adenostoma fasciculatum, while seven species of Serica and Diplotaxis moerens LeConte occur on Eriogonum fasciculatum.