Advanced Insights into Goliathus orientalis (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) of Tanzania

Members of the Goliathus group in the order Coleoptera, family Scarabaeidae and the sub-family Cetoniidae is one among essential ecological insects worldwide with scanty documentation in Tanzania. The country was among the first point of collection of the specimen by Moser (1909) but subsequent attempts to locate and collect the specimen were unsuccessful possibly due to changed habitat and behaviour of Goliathus. Much of published work about the insect are based on the morphological characteristics of collected specimen which led to designation of six major species namely;Goliathus goliatus, G. cacicus, G. regius, G. albosignatus, G. orientalis and G. usambarensis, the last two being considered to exist in Tanzania. The current study reports on successful identification of habitats using biological cues and subsequently collected several Goliathus specimen that had been difficult to trace for more than a century. New insights into correct identity of the species by using a combination of morphological and molecular techniques have been set. The study has resolved that only one species, Goliathus orientalis with five sub-species exist in Tanzania.

内蒙古典型草原土壤动物优势类群鞘翅目(Coleoptera)昆虫研究

1 994 1 996年 ,我们对内蒙古锡林郭勒盟白音锡勒牧场境内的大针茅草原 (StipagrandisSteppe)的土壤动物优势类群鞘翅目 (Coleoptera)昆虫进行了研究 .结果表明 :1 )大针茅草原中土壤鞘翅目昆虫的组成以金龟总科 (Scarabaeoidae)、步甲科 (Carabidae)为主 .2 )土壤鞘翅目昆虫密度具有明显的季节动态 ,即春季和秋季密度较高 ,夏季密度较低 .3 )土壤鞘翅目昆虫中不同类群对季节的变化有明显不同的响应 .4 )随季节变化土壤鞘翅目昆虫在土壤中的垂直分布及水平分布有显著变化 .

Current Knowledge of Mesozoic Coleoptera from Daohugou and Liaoning(Northeast China)

The present paper is devoted to an overview on fossil Coleoptera studied from Inner Mongolia, Daohugou （Middle Jurassic, Jiulongshan Formation） and Liaoning （Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous, Yixian Formation） deposited in Chinese collections. As a result, species of the tribe Sperchopsini and Hydrophilini from Hydrophilidae, families and subfamilies Silphidae, Syndesinae from Lucanidae, Pleocomidae, Trogidae, Trogissitidae, Pyrochroidae, Diaperinae from Tenebrionidae, and Cerambycidae were first registered in the Mesozoic and some families were defined as new. It was shown that many superfamilies represented in the Recent Fauna were formed within the Middle Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous. The materials examined confirm the hypothesis that Cucujiformian beetles are a younger group than other infraordera of Polyphaga （Staphyliniformia and Elateriformia） and, therefore, they appeared in the fossil record only in the late Mesozoic. It was shown and confirmed that most superfamilies appeared in the fossil records before Cucujoidea. The synonymy of Notocupes Ponomarenko, 1964; Sinocupes Lin, 1976, syn. nov.; Amblomma Tan, Ren et Liu 2005, syn. nov.; Euryomma Tan, Ren et Shih, 2006, syn. nov., non Stein, 1899 and Ovatocupes Tan et Ren, 2006, syn. nov.; synonymy of Tetraphalerus Waterhouse, 1901 and Odontomma Tan, Ren et Ge 2006, syn. nov.; and synonymy of Priacmopsis Ponomarenko, 1966 and Latocupes Tan et Ren, 2006, syn. nov. are proposed. Sinorhombocoleus papposus Tan et Ren, 2009 is transferred from the family Rhombocoleidae to Schizophoridae. Cervicatinius complanus Tan, Ren et Shih, 2007 and Forticatinius elegans Tan, Ren et Shih, 2007 are transferred from the family Catiniidae （suborder Archostemata） to superfamily Cleroidea （suborder Polyphaga： first among the family Peltidae and second as a closely related group to the latter family）. The family Parandrexidae is transferred from the superfamily Cucujoidea to Cleroidea. The ecological circumstances of the past ecosystems and hypotheses of historical development of the order Coleoptera are discussed. The age of faunas examined is considered. The list of the taxa described from Daohugou and Liaonlng is compiled.

A New,Well-Preserved Species of Glaresidae (Coleoptera:Scarabaeoidea) from the Jehol Biota of China

Glaresis orthochilus sp. nov. （Scarabaeoidea： Glaresidae）, the best preserved glaresid fossil, is described and illustrated from the Yixian Formation of western Liaoning province, north-east China. Glaresidae, the sister group of all extant Scarabaeoidea was established in the Upper Jurassic/Lower Cretaceous and contained larger species than those found today.

Middle Jurassic Coptoclavidae (Insecta:Coleoptera:Dytiscoidea) from China:a Good Example of Mosaic Evolution

Adults of the aquatic coptoclavid beetles （Coleoptera： Adephaga： Dytiscoidea）, described from four Middle Jurassic fossil localities in Inner Mongolia and Liaoning in northeastern China, are attributed to Daohugounectes primitives Wang, Ponomarenko and Zhang, 2009, which was previously proposed after study of larvae. The generic name Timarchopsis Brauer, Redtenbacber and Ganglbauer, 1889 is proposed as a substitute for the preoccupied and junior homonym Necronectes Ponomarenko, 1977, non Milne-Edwards, 1881. Furthermore, the subfamily name Necronectinae Ponomarenko, 1977 is substituted by the available name Timarchopsinae. Daohugounectes is placed into Timarchopsinae because its adults have long, slightly apically widened tibiae and small femoral plates. The adults of this genus differ from those of other Timarchopsinae in the following features： antennae short and widened in the middle part; basal segments of protarsi not cut apically; metaventrite with a triangular plate. The larvae look like somewhat primitive forms in the subfamily Timarchopsinae. In contrast to these primitive larvae, the adults with some advanced characters can be regarded as among the most advanced forms in the subfamily Timarchopsinae, and probably represent a transition between the Timarchopsinae and Charanoscaphinae. Such mosaic evolution within Daohugounectes indicates that the evolutionary process of aquatic beetles is far more complex than previously thought.

New Genus of the Subfamily Geotrupinae (Coleoptera:Scarabaeoidea:Geotrupindae) from the Jehol Biota

Parageotrupes incanus gen. et sp. nov. （Scarabaeoidea： Geotrupidae： Geotrupinae） is described and illustrated from the Yixian Formation of western Liaoning province, China.

Fossil Hydrophilid Beetles (Coleoptera:Hydrophilidae) of the Late Oligocene Rott Formation(Germany)

Fossil water scavenger beetles （Coleoptera： Hydrophilidae） of the latest Oligocene Rott Formation are revised, based on the examination of the type specimens, as well as numerous additional material from Statz （Los Angeles） and Kastenholz （Bonn） collections. Seven hydrophilid species are recognized, five of which are reliably attributed to the following genera： Berosus morticinus （von Heyden and von Heyden, 1866）, Paracymus excitatus （von Heyden and yon Heyden, 1866）, Paracymus sp., Hydrobiomorpha fraterna （von Heyden, 1859）, and Hydrophilus rottensis （Statz, 1939）. Coccinella？protogaeae Germar 1837 is attributed to the subtribe Hydrophilina, and Cymbiodyta？ austera Statz 1939 to the subfamily Hydrophilinae. Hydrous ebeninus Statz 1939 and Paracymus excitatus （form 3） are excluded from the Hydrophlloidea. Berosus capitatus Statz 1939 is synonymized with Berosus morticinus, and Hydrous neptunus von Heyden and von Heyden 1866 with Hydrobiomorphafraterna. Lectotypes of Philydrus morticinus von Heyden and von Heyden 1866 and Hydrous ebeninus Statz 1939 are designated. The significance of the hydrophllid fossils for paleoecological reconstructions of the former Rott Lake is briefly discussed.

Possible functions of the microtrichia on the cuticle of Ulomoides dermestoides(Chevrolat)(Coleoptera:Tenebrionidae)

Ulomoides dermestoides （Chevrolat） （Coleop- tera： Tenebrionidae） is one of the most notorious pests in northeastern China. We examined microtrichia on the thorax, elytra and abdomen of U. dermestoides using scanning electron microscopy and recorded their confor- mations （size, shape and insertion method） and distribu- tions （length, width and location）. Possible functions of the microtrichia were （1） stridulation： microtrichia on the inner surface of the elytra interacted with microtrichia on the dorsoventral axis of the thorax or on the costal vein of the hind wing; （2） to increase friction： at the major surface on the middle of the abdominal tergum, hind-wings, inner surface of the medial edge of the elytra and the posterior end of the elytra; （3） protection： the microtrichia covering the posterior face of the abdomen conserved water in the body and protected the body from damage; and （4） sensing organ： the special shape of the microtrichia on the nerva- tion near the vannal fold of the hind wing, the anterio- metapleuron on the metathorax, and the posterior field of the abdomen could perceive the environment. In conclusion, the size and shape of the microtrichia are tightly related to their functions, which may have evolved with the beetles＇ lifestyle.

Antifeedant and insecticidal activities of selected plant extracts against Epilachna beetle, Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Six different indigenous plants were screened for antifeedant and insecticidal activity against fourth instar larvae of Epilachna beetle, Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata, which is a severe pest on brinjal. Among the plants screened, Achyranthes aspera showed higher activity against the selected pest. Ethyl acetate extracts of A. aspera showed higher antifeedant index and insecticidal activity against fourth instar larvae of H. vigintioctopunctata. Preliminary phytochemical analysis revealed that the presence of alkaloid and quinines in the ethyl acetate extracts indicate higher percentage of activities. Hence, it may suggest its use for controlling the vegetables insect pest, H. vigintioctopunctata.

On two new species of the genus Leptomias Faust from Kashmir (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Brachyderinae)

Marshall (1916) referred 26 species to genus Leptomias Fst.and .put generic names Heteromias Fst., Parisomias Fst. and Piazomias Lacd. (part) as its synonyms. Gunther and Zumpt (1933) added Cneorrhinus Redtenb.also in the list of synonyms of Leptomias st.Later on, Aslam (1961) revalidated Parisomias Fst.reshuffled the position of a few species and described a number of new species under the restricted Leptomias Fst.Accordingiy, as many as 32 species were referred to the genus Leptomias Fst.

Early Jurassic Coleopterans from the Mintaja Insect Locality,Western Australia

Beetles （Coleoptera） are the most common insects recovered from the Lower Jurassic Mintaja insect locality of Western Australia, with over half of the fossils recorded from this site being isolated coleopteran elytra. A range of partial beetle bodies and other isolated beetle sclerites have also been recovered from the locality; much of this material is taxonomically unidenitifiable due to its disarticulation and poor preservation. A number of the Mintaja coleopterans are assigned to the archostematan family Ommatidae, including Zygadenia westraliensis （Riek, 1968） comb. nov, previously placed in the morphogenus Mesothoris, and an unnamed species of Tetraphalerus. Also recorded is a new species of elaterid, Lithomerus wunda sp. nov., along with other fragments likely attributable to the same family. The remaining material is assigned into morphospecies, separated primarily on preserved body parts - specifically, there are three morphospecies based on partially articulated coleopteran bodies, two morphospecies based on isolated head capsules, three morphospecies based on isolated thoracic sclerites, three morphospecies based on isolated abdominal sclerites, and 13 morphospecies based on isolated elytra. Overall, the ecology of these fossils is difficult to interpret due to poor preservation, although some of the beetles were likely aquatic, and the Ommatidae and Elateridae were both likely xylophilous. There is a strong similarity between the Mintaja coleopterans and those from the Late Triassic Denmark Hill locality of Queensland, though many of these similarities are based on morphotaxa and may be superficial in nature. Of the species that have been assigned to named taxa, all are generally typical of the Late Mesozoic worldwide, with Zygadenia, Tetraphalerus and Lithomerus all long-ranging, cosmopolitan genera.

Distribution and Taxonomy of the Subtribe Lagriina (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Lagriini) in China

In this paper, the distribution and taxonomy of the subtribe Lagriina in different provinces and regions of China was summarized. According to related data, different species of the subtribe Lagriina mainly distribute in the south of China. To be specific, Yunnan Province owns the greatest number of species, followed by Fujian Province and Sichuan Province. This study laid the theoretical foundation for further investigation of the evolutionary process of the subtribe Lagriina in China.

Assessment and Monitoring Damage by <i>Coraebus florentinus</i>(Coleoptera: Buprestidae) in Mediterranean Oak Forests

Coraebus florentinus (Herbst) is a wood borer beetle that damages the most abundant Quercus species making up the Mediterranean forests. Damage is due to the feeding activity of the larvae which cuts the sap flow into the branch where it develops, drying it. In the last decades, the geographical range and the damage records of this species have expanded northwardly as a result of the climate global change since warmer conditions favor higher reproduction and quicker development of this species. On this paper, historical series of data after ten years evaluating damages by C. florentinus in Hornachuelos Natural Park (Southern Spain) are analyzed under the perspective of the environmental temperature increase linked to the global climate change. The assessment was done between 2007 and 2017, in two sampling plots of Mediterranean mixed-oak forests where holm and cork oaks are the predominant tree species. Results show that the infestation levels of this species at the beginning of the assessment period were higher than those described previously in the nineties and that they increased progressively during the monitoring time. The results also agree with the expansion of its distribution areas noticed in other areas of Europe. The foreseeable rising of damages of C. florentinus is discussed, at greater scale, under the perspective of future scenery of environmental warming and oaks decaying by losing fitness due to higher soil aridity.

A Teratological Specimen of Meristoides grandipennis Fairmaire ( Coleoptera, Chrysomeloidea, Galerucinae) from China

A teratological specimen of Meristoides grandipennis （ Fairmair, 1859）, from Sichuan, China is described here. Many photographs, detail descriptions and data of the teratoIogical specimen are given in this paper.

A Taxonomic Study of Fasciunculus Species-group(Coleoptera:Buprestoidea:Trachyini)

The genus Trachys Fabricius is the largest genus in tribe Trachyini. There are only six species-groups in genus Trachys. However, most of species are not included. Here, we added four species tofasciunculus species-greup, which made this species more complete. The information of members infasciunculus spe- cies-group was summarized in this paper, which might provide more complete information for taxonomic study of genus Trachys.

Spatial distribution of Coleoptera (Insecta) in the valley forests of the Ussuri Nature Reserve (South Primorye, Russia)

Five habitat types have been studied in the valley forests of the Ussuri Nature Reserve. The cluster analysis was used to distinguish two types of clusters. The first one combines the anthropogenically modified forest plot, the margin, and the plot of a typical valley broad-leaved tree, while the second one combines the oak forest and the coniferous and broad-leaved valley forest. The greatest number of volant Coleoptera species were observed at the margin of the broad-leaved forest.

Comparative Characterization of the Ladybird Beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) from Hazara University, Garden Campus, Mansehra, Pakistan

The ladybird beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) have great economic importance as natural enemies. Three hundred individuals belonging to 6 genera and 7 species of the subfamily, Coccinellinae and the tribe, Coccinellini was collected during March-May, 2011 from 3 study sites of Hazara University, Garden Campus, Mansehra, Pakistan. They were reported maximum (83.3%) from residential area and minimum (8%) from administration area. All collected species have glabrous hair on their slightly elongated or rounded bright colored body. The seven-spotted ladybug, Coccinella septempunctata (Linnaeus) has maximum (average: 6.7 ± 0.77 cm;n = 15) and Adalia tetraspilota (Hope) has minimum (average: 4.2 ± 0.15 cm;n = 14) body length. Moreover, transverse ladybird, Coccinella transversalis (Fabricius) has maximum (average: 4.8 ± 0.35 cm;n = 10) and Oenopia sauzeti (Mulsant) (n = 9) or adonis ladybird, Hippodamia variegate (Goeze) (n = 10) has minimum (3.1 cm) body width. Except six-spotted zigzag ladybird, Menochilus sexmaculatus (Fabricius) (n = 12), all collected species have black head, varied but attractive and dark in color pronotum and elytra, black scutellum except in fifteen-spotted ladybird, Harmonia dimidiate (Fabricius) (n = 10) which was brownish. The ventral side of body of A. tetraspilota was dark brown, however, C. septempunctata, C. transversalis, H. variegate and O. sauzeti were black;moreover, H. dimidiata was brownish-orange;further, M. sexmaculatus was brown. It is concluded that ladybird beetles of HU have great diversity. Their further studies have been needed for education and awareness.

Occurrence of European Rhinoceros Beetle, <i>Oryctes nasicornis</i>(L.) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania

The European rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes nasicornis (L.), is a large flying beetle in the subfamily Dynastinae of family Scarabaeidae and order Coleoptera. It is well-known to be a Palaearctic species, inhabiting Europe and Asia up to North Africa, with no reported material from the Sub-Saharan African region including Tanzania. The present work reports an occurrence of O. nasicornis in Tanzania specifically in Iringa region in the Southern Highlands zone of the country. The report is accompanied by description of the key morphological characters of the insect validating its diagnosis. The findings facilitate a basis for intervention of the existing records about O. nasicornis, including its biogeographical affiliation and the related undertakings. It is most likely that the species also ranges in other localities in Tanzania and the Sub-Saharan Africa region in general because of the existing proximity and interactions.