Xingke Yang

The Stenothemus volaticus species group is proposed, comprising a total of 13 species from the Himalayas and southwestern China. Within this group, two new species are described under the names of S. dromoensis sp. nov ., and S. liangi sp. nov . Meanwhile, the female internal reproductive organs of S. schneideri Švihla, 2004 and S. volaticus Champion, 1925 are illustrated for the first time. An identification key for the species and a distribution map of the S. volaticus species group are provided.

Taiwanocantharis Wittmer, 1984 is a genus of soldier beetles that are remarkable for their metallic green or blue elytra, medium-sized body, subrounded pronotum and usually appendiculate outer tarsal claws in both sexes. Currently, the genus comprises 19 species distributed across the Indochina Peninsula and the Himalayan Region. Two new species of Taiwanocantharis have been discovered and described under the names of T . flavipes sp. nov . and T . liangi sp. nov . (China, Yunnan). Both species are illustrated with habitus of both sexes, aedeagus, as well as abdominal sternite VIII and reproductive systems of the female. An updated key to the genus is provided.

Nine new species of Habronychus (Habronychus) Wittmer, 1981 are described, viz. H. (H.) divergens sp. nov ., H. (H.) nigricollis sp. nov ., H. (H.) taizhouensis sp. nov ., H. (H.) profundifissus sp. nov ., H. (H.) laticornis sp. nov ., H. (H.) nigripennis sp. nov ., H. (H.) bilineatus sp. nov ., H. (H.) rufolineatus sp. nov ., and H. (H.) hainanensis sp. nov . Habronychus (H.) szechwanus Wittmer, 1988 is redescribed. The habitus, aedeagus, female abdominal sternite VIII, and internal genitalia of these species are illustrated. A worldwide key to the subgenus is updated.

Originally, the cantharid Lycocerus plebejus subgroup of L. vitellinus group contained only one species. In the present study, six previously known species are assigned to this subgroup. Meanwhile, three new species are discovered from China, including L. rectangulus sp. n., L. ziguiensis sp. n. and L. orientalimimus sp. n., based on comparative morphology and geometric morphometric analyses of hindwing shapes. Moreover, phenotypic relationships among these species are elucidated through UPGMA, NJ and MP analyses of morphometric data of hindwings. The results demonstrate that L. rectangulus sp. n. and L. ziguiensis sp. n. are related to L. asperipennis (Fairmaire, 1891) + L. prattianus (Gorham, 1889), and L. orientalimimus sp. n. to L. orientalis (Gorham, 1889), respectively. These findings align with comparative morphological assessments of the aedeagus and general appearance. This study offers new insight into inferring the phenotypic relationships among insects at the specific level through a quantitative approach.

Five new species of Plateros Bourgeois, 1879 are discovered from Hainan Island, China, and described as P. hainanensis sp. nov ., P. sinuatus sp. nov ., P. elongatus sp. nov ., P. dentaticornis sp. nov ., and P. spinulosus sp. nov . Three previously known species, including P. belokobylskyi Kazantsev, 2011, P. binhanus (Pic, 1925), and P. bachmaensis Kazantsev & Pham, 2026, are recorded to China for the first time. Females of P. belokobylskyi and P. incurvusimimus Fang, Yang, Yang & Liu, 2024 are identified for the first time. These species are illustrated with their habitus and male genitalia. An identification key to the Plateros species found on Hainan Island, China is provided.

Mêdog County, Xizang Autonomous Region, is situated at the eastern edge of the Himalaya. Almost no survey of Cassidinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) has been done there. Here we describe one new species, Dactylispa (Triplispa) sicieni sp. nov., based on six specimens collected during an insect biodiversity survey conducted in 2024. The new species can be readily separated from other congeners by pronotum yellowish, each elytron bearing only two primary spines on the second elytral interval.

A new dasytid species of the genus Mimothrix Majer, 1989 is discovered from Mêdog, Xizang, China, and described as M. medogensis Yang & Miao, sp. nov. The description is supported by illustrations of the habitus, pygidium, abdominal sternite VIII, and genitalia of both sexes. The new species can be readily distinguished from other species of Mimothrix by its relatively short and stout median lobe, which is regularly shaped at base and blunt at apex. Additionally, M. montivaga Majer, 1995, is redescribed in detail and illustrated with habitus, pygidium and abdominal sternite VIII of both sexes, as well as the female genitalia for the first time, to make comparison with the new species.

The Ichthyurus davidi species group is proposed based on the anatomical comparison. It comprises a total of nine species, including I. davidi Gestro, 1892, I. senensis Pic, 1926, I. laniger Gestro, 1891, I. platyurus Gestro, 1906, I. bisignatus Pic, 1926, I. maculicollis Gestro, 1888 (new record to China), I. luctuosus Gestro, 1891 (new record to China), I. vitalisi Gestro, 1918 (new record to China), and I. medogensis sp. nov. (China: Xizang). These species are illustrated with habitus and genital segments of both sexes, mesothoracic legs and aedeagus of the male, as well as internal genitalia of the female. A key for identification and a distribution map of this species group are provided.

The Lycocerus purpurascens species-group is redefined. Lycocerus purpurascens (Wittmer, 1978) is redescribed in detail. Another four species are assigned to this species-group, including L. safraneki (Švihla, 2004), L. benesi (Švihla, 2004), L. nigromaculatus sp. nov. (Sichuan, Chongqing, Hubei, Shaanxi) and L. medogensis sp. nov. (Xizang). These species are illustrated with habitus, aedeagus, as well as abdominal sternite VIII and internal reproductive organs of female. An identification key and a distribution map of the species-group are provided.

A new species of Morphosphaera Baly from Mêdog County, Xizang Autonomous Region is described: M. medogensis sp. nov., and a newly recorded species from China is reported: M. montivaga Maulik. Illustrations of the habitus and external genitalia of these species are provided, along with a key and a checklist of all known Morphosphaera species worldwide. And the new provincial distribution of Morphosphaera in China has been added.