Entomology Commons^™

Systematics, Biogeography, And Comparative Morphology Of Emerald And Tigertail Dragonflies (Anisoptera: Synthemistidae & Corduliidae), Aaron M. Goodman

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata Fabricius, 1793) are among the most widely recognized and charismatic insect groups, whose significance have permeated throughout artwork, culture, and religion. They are highly mobile predators, currently consisting of ~ 6,500 species, and possessing some of the complex visual color systems, visual acuity, and flight patterns on Earth. Odonata are the among the earliest flying insects, with proto-odonates (Griffinflies) dating back to the Carboniferous (~360mya), with crown-odonata fossils stretching back to the Triassic (~250mya). Overall, dragonflies and damselflies are considered models of ecological and evolutionary research due to their long evolutionary history, range of habitats, and …

Correction On The Status Of Nematodes Pavidus Horn, 1886 (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae: Dromaeolinae: Dromaeolini), With Redescriptions Of Two Species From The Southeastern United States And The Caribbean, Robert L. Otto

Insecta Mundi

The status of Nematodes pavidus Horn (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae), in relation to Nematodes punctatus LeConte and Nematodes teres Horn is being questioned after Muona (2000) revised the family in the Nearctic region. Investigations into the status of N. pavidus included explorations of the histories among these three species and examining images of the types through the Museum of Comparative Zoology’s website. It has been confirmed that Muona erred by synonymizing N. pavidus with N. teres before transferring both N. punctatus and N. teres to Dromaeolus Kiesenwetter. A correction has been made by transferring N. pavidus …

Descriptions Of Four New Species Of Leptophloeus Casey (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae) From The United States, Michael C. Thomas, Kyle E. Schnepp

Insecta Mundi

Four new species of Leptophloeus Casey (Coleoptera: Laemophloeidae) are described: L. barbarus Thomas and Schnepp is described from Florida; L. glacialis Thomas and Schnepp is described from Alaska; L. peregrinus Thomas and Schnepp is described from Hawaii; and L. shoshone Thomas and Schnepp is described from Wyoming. Diagnoses and figures are provided for the new species.

A New Species Of Paranthrene Hübner (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae) From The Northern Midwest United States, William H. Smith Iii, William H. Taft Jr., Anthony I. Cognato

Insecta Mundi

A clearwing moth species, Paranthrene sogaardi Taft and Smith, 2024, new species, is described from Michigan and Minnesota. The recognition of this new species is based on a phylogeny estimated from mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I and wingless DNA sequences of 25 specimens representing all Paranthrene Hübner species including individuals from various locations. Paranthrene sogaardi new species was monophyletic and differed from Paranthrene tabaniformis Rottenburg, 1775 by a mean of 7.6% COI pairwise “p” distance, coloration, and genitalic morphology.

ZooBank registration. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:8B9ED6CE-4DEB-4CB2-9235-3CA593F4D9DB

Concepts In Animal Parasitology: Master Bibliography, Sue Ann Gardner

Concepts in Animal Parasitology

Master bibliography for the open educational resource/open access textbook Concepts in Animal Parasitology, Scott L. Gardner and Sue Ann Gardner, editors, published by Zea Books, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States, 2024. This includes the references from literature cited and suggested supplemental reading.

Two New Species Of False Click Beetles (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae) From The Americas, Robert L. Otto

Insecta Mundi

Abstract

Identifications of recently collected Eucnemidae (Coleoptera: Elateroidea) borrowed from two collections have resulted in the discovery of two new species: Entomophthalmus abbreviatus Otto (Cuba) and Trigonopleurus cordobaalfaroi Otto (Guatemala and Louisiana, United States). Images of the two newly described species along with two New World Entomophthalmus Bonvouloir species for comparative purposes are included.

Resumen

Las identificaciones de Eucnemidae (Coleoptera: Elateroidea) recolectados recientemente tomados de dos colecciones han resultado en el descubrimiento de dos nuevas especies: Entomophthalmus abbreviatus Otto (Cuba) y Trigonopleurus cordobaalfaroi Otto (Guatemala y Louisiana, United States). Se incluyen imágenes de las dos especies recientemente descritas junto con …

A Revision Of Dyscolotaxia Horn, 1890 (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae: Macraulacinae: Macraulacini), With The Description Of Amazotaxia New Genus From South America, Robert L. Otto

Insecta Mundi

Abstract

The Neotropical eucnemid genus, Dyscolotaxia Horn, is revised following the examination of specimens from five collections, examination of the published original description of Plesiofornax tetratoma Chassain, and from images provided by Fernanda Salazar-Buenaño (QCAZI). Dyscolotaxia championi Horn is redescribed with included descriptions of the male genitalia and a female specimen. Three new species of false click beetles (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae) are described from the Neotropical region. These new species are: Dyscolotaxia chiriquiensis (Panama), Dyscolotaxia hispaniolensis (Dominican Republic), and Dyscolotaxia picea (Ecuador). Amazotaxia new genus is described from South America for Plesiofornax tetratoma Chassain, creating Amazotaxia tetratoma (Chassain) new combination. Morphology …

Revision Of Aneflomorpha Casey And Neaneflus Linsley (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) Of The United States With An Illustrated Key To Species, Steven W. Lingafelter

Insecta Mundi

This paper presents a taxonomic review of the genus Boreocanthon Halffter, restored generic sta­tus, a group of ball-rolling (telocoprid) dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) endemic to North America. The genus, heretofore treated as a subgenus of Canthon, comprises 13 species, each keyed, diagnosed, illustrated and presented with information on distribution, relationships, and biology (*signifies restored generic combination): *Boreocanthon ateuchiceps (Bates, 1887); B. coahuilensis (Howden, 1966); *B. depressipennis (LeConte, 1859c); *B. ebenus (Say, 1823); *B. forreri (Bates, 1887); *B. integricollis (Schaef­fer, 1915); *B. lecontei (Harold, 1868); …

Description, Diversity, And Phylogeography Of The North American Spider Beetle (Coleoptera: Ptinidae) Genus Coleotestudo, Robert Chambliss

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

A new genus, Coleotestudo, is proposed for the American species currently placed in the genus Niptus LeConte and are transferred herein. Two new species from Mexico are also described as C. potosi n. sp. and C. nahua n. sp. Distinguishing morphological characteristics for the North American Coleotestudo species are given. The combined set of morphological evidence, DNA sequence data, and a Western New World distribution strongly support the hypothesis that Coleotestudo does not share a recent common ancestor with N. hololeucus and both represent unrelated clades of spider beetles.

During the summer of 2021, Coleotestudo was collected mainly from …

A Review Of The Nearctic Species Of Nematodes (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae: Macraulacinae: Nematodini) With A Description Of One New Species, Robert L. Otto

Insecta Mundi

The Nearctic species of Nematodes Berthold (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae: Macraulacinae: Nemato­dini) are reviewed. Four species are redescribed. One new species, Nematodes rugosipennis Otto (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae) is described from Florida, Georgia, and Oklahoma, USA. A key to species modified from Mu­ona (2000) is provided for all known species of Nematodes present in the Nearctic region.

While identifying false click beetles (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae) in the Florida State Collection of Arthropods, I discovered a new species of Nematodes Berthold collected in Florida. Additional specimens of the new species were identified from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, California Department of Food and Agriculture, …

A New Species Of Coomanius Fleutiaux, 1924 (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae: Macraulacinae: Nematodini) From Southeast Asia, Robert L. Otto

Insecta Mundi

A new species of false click beetle, Coomanius badius Otto (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae), is described from Sarawak, Malaysia. An identification key is provided for species of Coomanius Fleutiaux distributed in the Southeast Asian region. Images for each species are provided.

During the spring and summer of 2020, many new species were discovered during identifications of beetles loaned from BMNH and other collections. One is described here in the first of many planned papers covering these new discoveries. Additional insights within Eucnemidae from around the world are still bound to continue as new information comes to light during the course of ongoing …

Systematics Of Eastern North American Podothrombium (Parasitengona: Podothrombiidae), Kelsey Lynn Cline

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Velvet mites of the genus Podothrombium Berlese, 1910 are found worldwide with only two described species known from North America, both occurring on the west coast. The present study describes five new species occurring in the east, from both larval and post-larval stages. Species hypotheses are supported with morphology and analysis of mitochondrial (barcoding region of COI) and nuclear genes (D2-3 expansion regions of 28S rDNA). Specimens are incorporated from the Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD), allowing our dataset to span most of North America. Therefore, we were able to raise the number of Podothrombium in North America from …

A New Vaejovis C.L. Koch From The Sierra Madre Occidental Of Durango, Mexico (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae), Jessica S. Azzinnari, Robert W. Bryson, Matthew R. Graham, Carlos Solís-Rojas, W. David Sissom

Insecta Mundi

A new montane species of Vaejovis C.L. Koch (Scorpiones: Vaejovidae) is described from the Si­erra Madre Occidental of Durango, Mexico. Vaejovis baggins Azzinnari, Bryson, Graham, Solís-Rojas, and Sissom, new species, is similar to mexicanus group species in the mountain range, including V. montanus Graham and Bryson, V. sierrae Sissom, Graham, Donaldson, and Bryson, and V. mcwesti Sissom, Graham, Donaldson, and Bryson, but differs from these species based on aspects of body size, pedipalp carination, chelae granulation, morphometrics, and setal patterns on the metasoma. A molecular clock estimate indi­cates that the new species shared a common ancestor with V. mcwesti …

A Review Of The Nearctic Species Of Fornax Laporte (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae: Macraulacinae: Macraulacini) With Descriptions Of Six New Species, Robert L. Otto

Insecta Mundi

The Nearctic species of Fornax Laporte are reviewed. Three species are redescribed, and six new species are described mainly from southeastern United States. The new species are F. appalachiensis , F. con­vexicollis, F. floridana, F. lucidicollis, F. melsheimeri and F. parallelicollis. A neotype is designated for Hylochares bicolor Melsheimer, with notes on its purpose. Each species is diagnosed and imaged. A new identification key is provided for all known species of Fornax present in the Nearctic region, replacing previous Nearctic species keys of Muona (2000) and Otto (2017).

Taxonomic Revision Of The Western Hemisphere Checkered Beetle Genus Axina Kirby (Coleoptera: Cleridae: Clerinae), Weston Opitz

Insecta Mundi

The New World genus Axina Kirby (Coleoptera: Cleridae) is revised for the first time. Thirty-two new species are described: Axina acutipennis, A. adelosa, A. atmis, A. bahia, A. bella, A. brunnea, A. chiasta, A. furcula, A. heveli, A. ignota, A. klisis, A. latilinea, A. lobispinula, A. luzia, A. macilenta, A. megaspina, A. minas, A. ochra, A. oligocheia, A. ordinis, A. …

New Genera, Species, And Records Of Acanthocinini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) From Hispaniola, Steven W. Lingafelter

Insecta Mundi

Two new genera of Acanthocinini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), Luctithonus Lingafelter and Duocris­tala Lingafelter, are described from Hispaniola. Two new species of Luctithonus are described: Luctithonus aski Lingafelter and L. duartensis Lingafelter. A third species, L. pantherinus (Zayas), is newly recorded from Hispan­iola and the Dominican Republic (new country record), and transferred from Sternidius Haldeman as a new combination. Additional new species of Lamiinae are described from Hispaniola: Eugamandus albipumilus Lingafelter; Leptostylopsis opuntiae Lingafelter; and Lethes turnbowi Lingafelter. Keys to tribes of Lamiinae, genera of Acanthocinini, and species of Luctithonus in Hispaniola are included.

Amphicoma Gandhara, A New Species Of Glaphyridae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) From Swat District In Northern Pakistan, Milan Nikodým, Guido Sabatinelli

Insecta Mundi

Amphicoma gandhara Nikodým and Sabatinelli (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Glaphyridae), a new species from Swat District of northern Pakistan, is described and illustrated. The new species is compared with related taxa, in particular with the most similar species, A. schneideri Nikodým, 2005.

Revision Of Zosteragathis Sharkey Of Thailand (Hymonoptera, Braconidae, Agathidinae, Agathidini), Michael J. Sharkey, Eric G. Chapman

Entomology Faculty Publications

Based on cladistic analyses recently conducted by Sharkey and Chapman, the genus Zosteragathis Sharkey is revised. Twenty-two species are reported from Thailand, three previously described species, Z. samensis, Z. contrasta and Z. nuichuaensis, and 19 new species, i.e., Z. chaiyaphumensis, Z. eukos, Z. hinensis, Z. hongensis, Z. inthanonensis, Z. krachanensis, Z. lampangensis, Z. lampooensis, Z. luangensis, Z. ngamensis, Z. perknos, Z. petchaburiensis, Z. phahompokensis, Z. phuphanensis, Z. sakaeratensis, Z. sakonensis, Z. samensis, Z. surinensis, Z. taemensis, Z. tonensis. …

Canthidium Alvarezi Martínez And Halffter, 1986: A Remarkable Ateuchus Weber, 1801 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae), Francois Genier, Mario Cupello

Insecta Mundi

The species Canthidium alvarezi Martínez and Halffter, 1986 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) is transferred to the genus Ateuchus Weber, 1801, becoming Ateuchus alvarezi (Martínez and Halffter), new combination. Its relationship with other species in the genus is briefly discussed. The validity and ranking of the genus Lobidion Génier, 2010, originally described from a single female, is discussed based on the discovery of male specimens, which lead us to reclassify it as a monotypic subgenus of Ateuchus, becoming Ateuchus (Lobidion), new rank, with the only included species becoming Ateuchus (Lobidion) punctatissimus (Génier, 2010) new combination …

Systematic Revision Of The Species Of Geomyphilus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae) Of Mexico And Neighboring Countries With Description Of A New Mexican Species, Marco Dellacasa, Giovanni Dellacasa, Paul E. Skelley, Robert D. Gordon

Insecta Mundi

A systematic redefinition of the species belonging to the genus Geomyphilus Gordon and Skelley, 2007 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae) of Mexico and neighboring countries is presented. The new species G. tuzincola of Mexico is described and figured. The new combination Coelotrachelus macgregori (Islas, 1955) is proposed.

Description Of The Female Of Solenoptera Tomentosa Lingafelter, 2015 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Prioninae: Solenopterini), Sergio Devesa, Elier Fonseca, Alejandro Barro

Insecta Mundi

The female of Solenoptera tomentosa Lingafelter, 2015 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Prioninae: Solenopterini) is described and illustrated for the first time.

La hembra de Solenoptera tomentosa Lingafelter, 2015 (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Prioninae: Solenopterini) es descrita e ilustrada por primera vez.

A Revision Of Phlegoninae (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae), With Descriptions Of A New Genus And Four New Species, Robert L. Otto

Insecta Mundi

A primitive subfamily of false click beetles (Coleoptera: Eucnemidae: Phlegoninae) distributed primarily in the Neotropical region is revised. Euryphlegon gen. nov. is described from Belize in Central America. New species include: Phlegon chiriquiensis sp. nov. (Panama), Phlegon panamensis sp. nov. (Panama), Euryphlegon jacqueschassaini sp. nov. (Panama) and Euryphlegon parallelus sp. nov. (Belize). Phlegon herculeanus (Lacordaire) stat. res. is resurrected from synonymy with Phlegon buqueti Laporte. One new combination is proposed: Euryphlegon degallieri (Muona) (Phlegon). Based on a number of observed external character traits, Euryphlegon is placed in Orodotini Muona, 1993 within Macraulacinae Fleutiaux, 1922. …

The Mantispidae Of The West Indies With Special Reference To The Dominican Republic (Neuroptera: Mantispidae), Kevin M. Hoffman, Oliver S. Flint Jr, Daniel E. Perez-Gelabert

Insecta Mundi

The Antillean fauna of Mantispidae (Neuroptera) consists of six species in four genera, all in the subfamily Mantispinae. Two new species are here described: Leptomantispa antillesensis Hoffman, n. sp., is described from Puerto Rico, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands (Grand Camanoe, Guana, Tortola), United States Virgin Islands (St. Croix, St. John, St. Thomas), Dominica, and Guadeloupe, and Leptomantispa hispaniolaensis Hoffman, n. sp. is described from Hispaniola (Dominican Republic). Mantispilla zayasi Alayo is synonymized under Leptomantispa pulchella (Banks), new synonomy, and Mantispilla taina Alayo is synonymized under Zeugomantispa minuta (Fabricius), new synonomy. Climaciella cubana Enderlein is recorded for the first time from …

Ten New Genera Of Agathidini (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Agathidinae) From Southeast Asia, Michael J. Sharkey, Eric G. Chapman

Entomology Faculty Publications

The Agathidini (Braconidae: Agathidinae) genera of Southeast Asia are revised based on a phylogenetic analysis of COI and 28S. Ten new genera are proposed, i.e., Agathigma, Asperagathis, Chimaeragathis, Cymagathis, Liragathis, Leuroagathis, Scabagathis, Trochantagathis, Xanthagathis, and Zosteragathis. An illustrated key to the Southeast Asian genera of this tribe is presented. Species from Thailand are keyed and described for all genera of Agathidini except Bassus and Zosteragathis which have too many species for this publication and will be dealt with separately. The phylogenetic analyses indicate that Bassus s.s. is polyphyletic. However, there …

Euotophorus Imeldae New Genus And New Species Of Mexican Aphodiini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae), Marco Dellacasa, Giovanni Dellacasa, Robert D. Gordon

Insecta Mundi

Euotophorus new genus and E. imeldae new species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae) from Mexico are described and figured.

Integrative Taxonomy Of North American Torrent Mites (Parasitengona: Torrenticolidae: Torrenticola), Jon Ray Fisher

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mites are notorious for being under-studied and incomplete knowledge of distribution, life-history, and morphology are commonplace. They typically gain attention through the relatively few pest species that plague our crops, pets, or bodies. Despite representing a successful radiation with an estimated 3–5 million species, relatively few mite lineages attract research attention from non-acarologists. However, the largest radiation of all mites—Parasitengona—has potential to bridge the gap between specialists and non-specialists. Parasitengona are the butterflies of the mite world. Obvious are the bright red mites searching for pollen on concrete, or the large, furry velvet mites coming out to mate after spring …

Key To Florida Alydidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) And Selected Exotic Pest Species, M. Andrew Jansen, Susan E. Halbert

Insecta Mundi

A key to the fourteen native Florida species and seven exotic pest species of Alydidae is presented here. The key uses external, non-genitalic morphology and allows for rapid separation of the native species and exotic pests included herein.

Current Disposition Of Earwigflies, Merope Tuber Newman And Austromerope Poultoni Killington (Mecoptera: Meropeidae), In The Florida State Collection Of Arthropods, James C. Dunford, Louis A. Somma, David Serrano

Insecta Mundi

We provide the current holdings of Meropeidae in the Florida State Collection of Arthropods (FSCA). To date, FSCA holds a well-curated collection of extant meropeids representing 17 U.S. states and Western Australia (n = 316 Merope tuber Newman, five Austromerope poultoni Killington). Merope tuber records from Vermont, Texas, and South Carolina are published here for the first time. A total of 298 pinned M. tuber and four pinned A. poultoni; six M. tuber specimens preserved in 95% ethanol; and 12 M. tuber and one A. poultoni sputter-coated with gold-palladium for SEM are available for researchers interested in studying this unique …

Oxyomoides, A New Genus For Three Species Of Scabrostomus Gordon And Skelley, 2007 In The Southeastern United States (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae), Marco Dellacasa, Giovanni Dellacasa, Robert D. Gordon

Insecta Mundi

The new genus Oxyomoides (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Aphodiinae) is established for three species, O. baileyi (Skelley and Gordon, 2002), O. dyspistus (Skelley and Woodruff, 1991), and O. sepultus (Cartwright, 1944) previously placed in the genus Scabrostomus Gordon and Skelley, 2007.

Molecular Phylogenetics, Systematics And Host-Plant Associations Of The Bruchidius Albosparsus (Fåhraeus) Species Group (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Bruchinae) With The Descript Ion Of Four New Species, Alex Delobel, Bruno Le Ru, Gwenaëlle Genson, Boaz K. Musyoka, Gael J. Kergoat

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Bruchidius Schilsky is a large paraphyletic genus of seed beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae) which consists of multiple lineages that are usually associated with narrow sets of host-plants. In this study we focus on a group that mostly develops on wattle trees (acacias) belonging to the genus Vachellia Wight & Arn. This group originally included nine species and was designated as the Bruchidius centromaculatus (Allard) species group, but recent phylogenetic analyses revealed that these species belong to a much wider group of species with similar morphologies. For reasons of anteriority we call this enlarged group Bruchidius albosparsus (Fåhraeus). Here we review …