Hongliang Shi

A new species, Amara (Zezea) yizhu sp. nov., is described from northwestern Yunnan. Its type locality, Mount Niaodiao (Eryuan, Dali, Yunnan), represents a typical “sky island” within the Hengduan Mountains. The new species constitutes the second known member of the subgenus Zezea Csiki, 1929 from the Oriental Region.

Two new species of the genus Pisenus Casey, 1900 (Coleoptera: Tetratomidae) are described from China: Pisenus qizai sp. nov. (type locality: Foping, Shaanxi Province) and Pisenus atrox sp. nov. (type locality: Maoxian, Sichuan Province). This represents the first definitive record of the subfamily Piseninae from the Chinese mainland.

This study deals with the taxonomy of the tribe Pterostichini (Coleoptera: Carabidae) from Mêdog County, Xizang, China, where we describe one new genus, Medogia Wang & Shi gen. nov. (type species: Medogia mirabilis sp. nov.), and three new species: Medogia mirabilis Wang & Shi sp. nov. (type locality: Mêdog, 62K, 2794 m), Medogia melanaria Shi & Wang sp. nov. (type locality: Mêdog, Lage, 3270 m), and Pterostichus (Circinatus) medogensis Shi & Wang sp. nov. (type locality: Mêdog, 62K, 2794 m). To verify the establishment of the new genus, a preliminary phylogenetic analysis based on molecular data was conducted. As a result of this study, the Pterostichini fauna of Mêdog County comprises eight species, categorized as follows: three new species described herein, two species newly recorded from the county [Pterostichus (Pseudethira) rugosiceps Schmidt, 2012 and Nirmala odelli Andrewes, 1930], and three previously recorded species. Additionally, the male genitalia of P. rugosiceps are described and illustrated for the first time.

The subgenus Morphohaptoderus Tschitschérine, 1898, of the genus Pterostichus in Hubei is reviewed, with 14 species recognized. Among them, eleven species are distributed in Shennongjia, and the remaining three species are from Wufeng County. Ten new species are described: Pterostichus (Morphohaptoderus) quyuani sp. nov. (type locality: Shennongjia, alt. 1700 m), P. (M.) lisao sp. nov. (type locality: Shennongjia, alt. 1884 m), P. (M.) lingjun sp. nov. (type locality: Shennongjia, alt. 1361 m), P. (M.) wangshu sp. nov. (type locality: Wufeng, alt. 900–1000 m), P. (M.) yaotiao sp. nov. (type locality: Shennongjia, alt. 1700 m), P. (M.) lianquan sp. nov. (type locality: Wufeng, alt. 900–1000 m), P. (M.) zhizheng sp. nov. (type locality: Wufeng, alt. 900–1000 m), P. (M.) xuanzhang sp. nov. (type locality: Shennongjia, alt. 2700 m), P. (M.) rongyu sp. nov. (type locality: Shennongjia, alt. 1361 m), and P. (M.) chachi sp. nov. (type locality: Shennongjia, alt. 2500 m). The scientific names of all these new species are derived from Qu Yuan and his poems. All 14 species of the subgenus in Hubei Province are keyed, described, and illustrated. Additional comments on the subgenus Morphohaptoderus are also provided, primarily focusing on morphology and species relationships.

Sirex wood wasps (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) constitute a group of economically significant xylophagous pests that cause substantial damage to forestry globally. Herein, we present a systematic revision of the Chinese Sirex species. Through phylogenetic analyses, some taxonomic ambiguities were resolved. Sirex chimerasp. nov. is described (type locality: Chifeng, Inner Mongolia). Two new synonyms are proposed: S. rufiabdominis Xiao & Wu, 1983 and S. sinicus Maa, 1949 are synonymized with S. nitobei. S. dux (Semenov, 1921) stat. rev. is confirmed as a distinct species rather than a subspecies of S. juvencus or S. cyaneus, with the male described for the first time. Re-examination confirms that previous Chinese records of S. imperialis represent misidentifications of S. nitobei. The Chinese Sirex fauna is revised to comprise nine valid species: S. chimera sp. nov., S. dux, S. ermak, S. juvencus, S. nitobei, S. noctilio, S. piceus, S. tianshanicus, and S. vates. Comprehensive re-descriptions and a key to species are provided.

Descriptions of three new Broscosoma Rosenhauer, 1846, from China and notes on the occurrence of this genus in Tibet (Coleoptera, Caraboidea, Broscinae). Three new species of the genus Broscosoma Rosenhauer, 1846, are described from China: B. mirabile n. sp. and B. shizishanense n. sp. from Sichuan, and B. bolaicum n. sp. from Tibet. On this occasion, additional notes are given on the presence of the genus Broscosoma in Tibet.

Three new species of the genus Osphya Illiger (Coleoptera: Osphyidae) are herein described from the western part of Yunnan Province, China: Osphya flavomarginata sp. nov. (type locality: Tiechang, Yunlong County), Osphya azurea sp. nov. (type locality: Maji, Fugong County), and Osphya clavata sp. nov. (type locality: Xima, Yingjiang County). Comparisons to their related species, keys for their identification, as well as the diagnosis of the genus Osphya are provided.

Herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) serve as powerful defense mechanisms that help plants mitigate pest-induced stress. Geraniol is a HIPV released by tea leaves in response to damage inflicted by tea green leafhoppers. In order to investigate whether the release of geraniol is a defensive mechanism of tea plants against infestation by tea green leafhoppers, our study explored the effects of geraniol on tea green leafhoppers, including the selectivity of tea green leafhoppers’ response to geraniol, survival and reproductive parameters, as well as alterations in endophytes and the transcriptome. The findings indicated that while geraniol did not exhibit strong repellent or lethal effects on tea green leafhoppers, it significantly reduced the egg-laying and hatching rates. Through 16S rRNA microbial sequencing, we found that geraniol treatment significantly altered the composition of endophytic microbial communities in tea green leafhoppers, potentially affecting their metabolic functions. Transcriptome analysis further showed that genes associated with energy metabolism, such as glutamate dehydrogenase, were significantly upregulated in response to geraniol, suggesting that tea green leafhoppers may enhance energy metabolism to counteract geraniol-induced stress. Additionally, the downregulation of antimicrobial peptide-related signaling pathways suggests that geraniol may weaken the immune capacity of tea green leafhoppers, potentially reducing their resistance to pathogens. These findings indicate that the strategic application of geraniol could be a promising approach to controlling tea green leafhopper populations. This study enhances our understanding of the insect-resistant mechanisms of HIPVs and provides new insights into environmentally sustainable pest management strategies for tea plantations.

The subfamily Leiestinae (Endomychidae) included only seven genera and fifteen species worldwide. In the present work, a new species Sinopanamomus crypticus sp. nov. is described from the Gaoligong mountains (Lushui city: Pianma pass) of Yunnan Province, China. This is the second known species of the genus, as well as the second record of the subfamily Leiestinae from China.