Xiaoli Tong

Freshwater biodiversity underpins ecosystem functioning but is rapidly declining due to urbanization and habitat modification, particularly in Southeast Asia where accurate species inventories remain limited. Integrative taxonomy, combining morphological and molecular approaches, provides a robust framework for generating standardized biodiversity data and biomonitoring assessments. We assessed mayfly (Ephemeroptera) biodiversity across a natural-to-urbanized gradient in Hong Kong using nymph morphology and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) barcoding to establish the first regional DNA barcode reference library. Our integrated taxonomy efforts resulted in 45 unique morphospecies (i.e. gamma-diversity). Subsequently, the Hong Kong mayfly barcode database includes 146 barcode sequences representing 53 Barcode Index Numbers (BINs), of which 67.3% were newly registered in the Barcode of Life Data System (BOLD), including seven putative undescribed lineages and four new regional records. Additionally, we found that mayfly richness declined significantly with increasing urban intensity (β = –0.308, p = 0.007) and conductivity (β = –0.427, p = 0.002), with elevation showing a marginal effect. Indicator species analysis identified Choroterpes elliptica HK01 as potentially indicative of natural sites and Tenuibaetis pseudofrequentus and Caenis lubrica likely corresponding with peri-urban habitats, while no taxa were indicative of urbanized sites. Our results demonstrate both the substantial mayfly diversity in Hong Kong and highlight the detrimental impacts of urbanization on freshwater assemblages. Critically, the barcode library presented here supports future DNA-based biomonitoring applications (e.g. eDNA metabarcoding), providing an important resource for rapid biodiversity assessment of critical habitats and helping to ensure long-term ecosystem health and stability.

Branchiobaetis Kaltenbach, Kluge & Gattolliat, 2022 and Megabranchiella Phlai-ngam & Tungpairojwong, 2022 (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) are newly recorded in China. Two new species, Branchiobaetis borealissp. nov. based on larval stage and Branchiobaetis megasinussp. nov. based on larval and imaginal stages associated by laboratory rearing, are described. Megabranchiella longusa Phlai-ngam & Tungpairojwong, 2022, previously only distributed from Thailand, is recorded from China for the first time.

Historical, nomenclatural, technical, and biological problems associated with the 42 species of Mesothrips are discussed. Type specimens have been re-examined of 14 of the 25 species that were described prior to 1930 and remain known only from imperfectly slide-mounted specimens. As a result, seven new synonyms are recognised. From China, six species of Mesothrips have been listed, but the records of M. alluaudi and M. manii are rejected, and three new species are described: M. jianfengisp. nov., M. longistylussp. nov., and M. verniciasp. nov. These three species are divergent from other members of Mesothrips in lacking a prominent fore tarsal tooth and may indicate a possible generic relationship to the flower-living species in the Asian genus Dolichothrips. An illustrated key is provided to the seven Mesothrips species now known from China.

Two new species of Nigrobaetis Kazlauskas (in Novikova & Kluge), 1987 are described from Southwest China: Nigrobaetis bilongus sp. nov. based on larval and imaginal materials which are reared from larvae; Nigrobaetis trialbus sp. nov. based on larval stage.

Nandithrips niveae sp. n. is described from Southern China. This is the second species of Nandithrips, a genus that is remarkable among Thripinae with ocellar setae I and II absent, abdominal tergite VIII of female with posteromarginal comb absent medially, and sternite II of male with an oval pore plate. The body of this new species is sharply bicolored, in contrast to the uniformly golden yellow type species. Both species are known only from the flowers of plants in the family Urticaceae.

Paegniodes oligopilus sp. nov., a first hygropetric species in the genus Paegniodes Eaton, 1881 found from madicolous habitat, is described based on larvae from Southwest China. The new species is characterized by the posterior margin of 1st segment bearing a row of 13–15 stout setae; mesonotum and abdominal tergites II–IX having a reddish brown median stripe; swimming setae of cerci and median caudal filament are vestigial. The morphological affinities and feeding habits with other known species are discussed.

Helionothrips mube and Panchaetothrips bifurcus are here recognized as new synonyms of Helionothrips aino and Panchaetothrips timonii based on large numbers of specimens and continuous morphological differences. Three species, Caliothrips insularis, Hercinothrips femoralis and Phibalothrips rugosus are newly recorded from China and the previous record of Caliothrips indicus from China is here considered incorrect. Illustrations of males and larvae of Hercinothrips femoralis are also provided.

In software development, new software is often based on a previous version with some improvements or new features. A similar software development practice holds true for malware writers, that is, hackers tend to add features to existing malware and release revised versions, which can be viewed as belonging to existing malware families. Therefore, a malware family typically evolves over time. In this paper, we build on recent research that has demonstrated that malware evolution can be detected using machine learning techniques. Specifically, we account for concept drift in the context of malware evolution, in the sense that we retrain our models whenever substantial evolution is detected. By accounting for concept drift, we obtain improved results as compared to models that do not consider concept drift.

In the present research, the mitochondrial genome of Ephemera serica was sequenced through next generation sequencing methods and its phylogenetic position in Ephemeroptera was analyzed. Total mitochondrial genome is 15,004 bp in length, and contains 13 protein coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and 22 transfer RNA genes. Mitogenomic phylogeny trees were constructed including 45 species from 13 families. The results show that E. serica is closely related to E. rufomaculata.

A new species of Phlaeothripinae, Psephenothrips aporosae sp. n., is described based on specimens collected in leaf galls on Aporosa octandra [Phyllanthaceae] in China. The new species is characterized by the head being much shorter than wide, the tube slightly longer than the head, and the metanotum with close longitudinal reticulation.