Vasily V. Grebennikov

We describe a new genus and species of weevils, Ymmox hermes gen. et sp. n., based on three specimens from Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea. A phylogenetic analysis using 24 terminals scored for 79 adult morphological characters places the new taxon into the monophyletic, although weakly supported, tribe Ithyporini of the subfamily Molytinae. The female elytro-tergal stridulatory system and the elongate shelf posterior to the ostium of the penis are two potential synapomorphies of the tribe. We illustrate the new species and provide its DNA barcode sequence. Zusammenfassung Wir beschreiben eine neue Rüsselkäfergattung und -art, Ymmox hermes gen. et sp. n., auf der Basis von drei Exemplaren aus Kamerun und Äquatorialguinea. Eine phylogenetische Analyse mit 24 terminalen Taxa und nach 79 morphologischen Merkmalen kodiert erlaubt es, das neue Taxon in den monophyletischen, jedoch nur schwach gestützten Tribus Ithyporini der Unterfamilie Molytinae zu stellen. Das elytrotergale Stridulationssystem der Weib-chen und der langgezogene hintere Schaft beim Ostium des Penis sind zwei mögliche Synapomorphien dieser Tribus. Wir illustrieren die neue Art und stellen einen DNA-Sequenzabschnitt zur Verfügung.

We present a summary of the geographic distribution data of all 3,341 species of the jewel-beetle genus Agrilus taxonomically valid at the end of 2022. Our work is richly illustrated with maps and diagrams. The genus Agrilus is the most speciose in the Americas (1,292 species) and Asia (1,187 species). The Americas have the best-delimited fauna at the regional level, with 100% of Agrilus species unique to the region, followed by those of Africa (95.8%) and Asia (93.4%). Europe has the lowest percentage of unique Agrilus species on all levels (regional, subregional and country). Among the subregions, the genus Agrilus is the most speciose in South-Eastern Asia (784 species), South America (769), Central America (427) and Eastern Asia (342); on the other hand, Micronesia has a single species, Polynesia has six species and the Caribbean has 18 species. New Zealand has no Agrilus. Brazil (477 species), Mexico (317) and Laos (265) are the three countries with the highest number of Agrilus species. Among 3,341 Agrilus species, 2,924 (87.5%) are unique to one biogeographic realm or transitional zone, and 417 species (12.5%) are shared by two or more biogeographical realms or transitional zones. Three widely distributed Agrilus species found in four biogeographic realms or transitional zones (A. acutus, A. auriventris and A. occipitalis) are pests of cultivated plants Citrus, Abelmoschus, Corchorus, Hibiscus, Malachra, Urena, are likely native to Southeastern Asia and were dispersed by humans. The number of Agrilus species by biogeographic realm varies between 12 (Oceanic) and 1,115 (Neotropical). The genus Agrilus is most speciose in the following realms: Neotropical (1,115 species, 33.4%), Indomalayan (810, 24.2%) and Afrotropical (694, 20.8%). The percentage of unique Agrilus species by biogeographic realm or transitional zone varies between 15.2% (Nearctic–Neotropical transitional zone) to 95.7% (Afrotropical realm). The range of 2,803 Agrilus species (83.9%) lies within a single biogeographic realm: Neotropical (974 species), Afrotropical (665), Indomalayan (662), Palearctic (234) Australasian (174), Nearctic (86) and Oceanic (8). Agrilus species reported from the largest number of countries are A. viridis, A. cuprescens, A. pratensis, A. angustulus, A. biguttatus, A. subauratus, A. cyanescens, A. suvorovi, A. hyperici and A. graminis; they are all native to the Palearctic realm. French Guiana (1.81), Laos (1.12), Vietnam (0.54) and Malaysia (0.53) are the countries with the highest number of Agrilus species per thousand square kilometers. On the sub-country level, the Laotian provinces Houaphan (7.09) and Bolikhamxai (5.52), as well as the Thai province Mae Hong Son (6.55) have the highest number of Agrilus species per thousand square kilometers. Indochina, French Guiana and Mexico are the global hotspots of Agrilus diversity. Our estimates suggest that the true number of Agrilus species in subtropical and tropical zones is at least twice higher than is currently known.

Wir klären die taxonomische Zugehörigkeit und die phylogenetische Stellung zweier konspezifischer weiblicher Rüsselkäfer aus der Streuschicht des Huisun-Waldes auf Taiwan. Diese Rüsselkäfer sind denjenigen der Gattungen Protacalles Voss, 1957, Protacallinus Morimoto, 1962 und Protacallodes Morimoto, 2011 am ähnlichsten, welche alle endemisch für Japan sind. Wir führten eine phylogenetische Analyse mit 37 Taxa und 83 parsimonieinformativen morphologischen Merkmalen durch. Der sparsamste Baum ergab eine Klade dieser drei Gattungen, mit der Art aus Taiwan als Schwesterart zu Protacallodes. Der Baum wird statistisch nur schwach unterstützt und die Kladen kollabierten nach dem Bootstrapping-Verfahren. Wir beschreiben die taiwanesischen Rüsselkäfer als Protacallodes bhudevi sp. n. Dies ist die dritte Art der Gattung und der Erstnachweis der Gattung für Taiwan. Die neue Art und ihre möglichen verwandten Arten werden illustriert und in einem angepassten Bestimmungsschlüssel vorgestellt.

This study targets two specimens of a morphologically highly unusual pill scarab from Cameroon. The original morphology-inspired hypothesis that these beetles represent a new genus is refuted. Instead, a phylogenetic analysis of 90 terminals and 3231 aligned DNA positions linked both specimens with the Afrotropical genus Melanophilharmostes Paulian, 1968. Both Cameroonian specimens are herein described as Melanophilharmostes tuber Grebennikov, new species. Re-evaluation of the morphological characters of this species in light of molecular results corroborated this taxonomic decision by detecting all three morphological autapomorphies of the genus: the presence of setae and horseshoe-shaped microsculpture on the dorsal body surface, as well as the presence of the lateral carina on each elytron. Except for a single representative of the genus Melanophilharmostes placed within the genus Pseudopterorthochaetes Paulian, 1977 (interpreted as an analytical artifact), both genera are sister groups, in agreement with the pre-existing morphology-based hypothesis. Both genera, together with the Malagasy/Comorian genus Synarmostes Germar, 1843 and monotypic Balleriodes Grebennikov, 2021 from Tanzania, constitute the strongly supported Synarmostes group of genera.

The nominal genus Tasactes Faust, 1894, consisting of two originally included nominal species from Myanmar, is rediscovered for the first time since being erected. Adult weevils herein assigned to the taxonomically re-defined Tasactes were abundant in forest floor litter at five localities in China (Yunnan and Sichuan), plus one specimen is available from Shaanxi and three from Nepal. Phylogenetic analysis of a 2,275 bp matrix concatenated from one mitochondrial (COI) and two nuclear markers (ITS2 and 28S) revealed that the monophyletic Tasactes consists of eight evolutionary significant terminal clades, either allopatric (three) or sympatric (two on Cang Shan in Yunnan and three on Mount Emei in Sichuan). The genus Tasactes is nested within the monophyletic Stromboscerini, while the tribe is sister to monophyletic Dryophthorus. The two morphological diagnostic characters of Tasactes, which are unique within the tribe, are the transversely truncated antennal club and conically projecting velvety apex of the club. So defined, Tasactes renders the genus Orthosinus paraphyletic. Considering the taxonomic neglect and uncertainties surrounding nominal Stromboscerini, all herein reported members of this tribe, including the Tasactes, are not assigned to Linnaean species. This paper illustrates the "clogging taxonomy" phenomenon, in which obscure historical names render taxonomic assignment of newly sampled specimens precarious. All the data used herein (localities, sequences, specimen images) are available online in public datasets dx.doi.org/10.5883/DS-TASACT1 and dx.doi.org/10.5883/DS-TASACT2.

All more than 3000 species ofAgrilusbeetles are phytophagous and some cause economically significant damage to trees and shrubs. Facilitated by international trade,Agrilusspecies regularly invade new countries and continents. This necessitates a rapid identification ofAgrilusspecies, as the first step for subsequent protective measures. This study provides the first DNA reference library for ~100Agrilusspecies from the Northern Hemisphere based on three mitochondrial markers:cox1–5′(DNA barcode fragment),cox1–3′, andrrnL. All 329Agrilusrecords available in the Barcode of Life Database format, including specimen images and geo data, are released through a public dataset ‘Agrilus1 329’ available at: dx.doi.org/10.5883/DS-AGRILUS1. AllAgrilusspecies were identified using adult morphology and by using molecular phylogenetic trees, as well as distance- and tree-based algorithms. Most DNA-based species limits agree well with the morphology-based identification. Our results include cases of high intraspecific variability and multiple species para- and polyphyly. DNA barcoding is a powerful species identification tool inAgrilus, although it frequently fails to recover morphologically-delimitedAgrilusspecies-group. Even though the current three-gene database covers only ~3% of the knownAgrilusdiversity, it contains representatives of all principal lineages from the Northern Hemisphere and represents the most extensive dataset built for DNA-delimited species identification within this genus so far. Molecular data analyses can rapidly and cost-effectively identify an unknown sample, including immature stages and/or non-native taxa, or species not yet formally named.

Type specimens of all three nominal species of the East African genus Molytophilus Hartmann are studied and illustrated. The genus is taxonomically restricted to include only the type species M. carinatus Hartman known from two collecting events in Tanzania and Somalia. Both other species of Molytophilus, described from Ethiopia, are herein transferred to the genus Oreoscotus as O. affinis (Hustache, 1936) comb. n. and O. puncticollis (Hustache, 1936) comb. n. A lectotype is designated for Molytophilus carinatus Hartmann. Type specimens of all three nominal species are illustrated.

Dryophthorinae weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) of the forest floor in Southeast Asia: illustrated overview of nominal Stromboscerini genera