A new species of Meriadenogamasus Athias-Henriot (Parasitiformes: Parasitidae) from China, with a key to world species of the genus

The diagnosis of the genus Meriadenogamasus Athias-Henriot is updated based on the description of a new species, Meriadenogamasus longisetus Yao & Jin sp. nov., from south of China. This is the first described male mite for the genus. A key to the known species of the genus is provided.

Comparative whole plastome and low copy number phylogenetics of the core Saccharinae and Sorghinae.

Despite over 60 years' worth of taxonomic efforts, the relationships between sugarcane (Saccharum hybrid cultivars), Sorghum and their closest evolutionary relatives remain largely unresolved. Even relationships between generally accepted genera such as Miscanthus and Saccharum have not been examined in any large-scale molecular detail. Genera such as Erianthus, Miscanthidium and Narenga pose even greater taxonomic contention. Erianthus is not monophyletic and Erianthus sect. Ripidium (Valdés and Scholz 2006, Lloyd Evans et al. 2019a; Welker et al. 2019) represents a distinct and separate genus, Tripidium Scholz. Miscanthidium is placed within Miscanthus by many workers, whilst the New World Erianthus species and Narenga are currently placed within Saccharum. As these species represent a significant portion of the gene pool that sugarcane breeders use for introgression into sugarcane, their taxonomic placement and relationships to Saccharum are of significant economic import. Erianthus species from the Americas have not been significantly employed in sugarcane breeding and may represent an untapped genetic resource. In an attempt to resolve the taxonomic relationships of these genera, we have assembled three novel chloroplasts, from Miscanthidium capense, Miscanthidium junceum and Narenga porphyrocoma (this latter assembled from transcriptomic and long read data). In parallel, five low copy number loci have been assembled from species within Saccharum, Miscanthus, Sarga and Sorghum. Phylogenetic analyses were performed using both low copy number genes and whole chloroplasts. The phylogenetic results were compared with karyotype data to circumscribe the genera most closely related to sugarcane. We reveal that genera Miscanthus and Saccharum are monophyletic and have never undergone polyploidization outside their own genera. Genera Erianthus, Miscanthidium and Narenga are allopolyploids, which excludes them from being members of Saccharum and Miscanthus. Moreover, all three of these genera have divergent evolutionary histories. We therefore support the use of the genera Miscanthus, Miscanthidium, Erianthus (for the New World Species) and Narenga for those species and genera most closely allied to Saccharum. Our data demonstrate that all these genera should be excluded from Saccharum sensu lato.

The Nitidula carnaria complex, with description of a new species from Central Asia, and a key to world species of the genus (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae)

The Nitidula carnaria complex is defined to comprise three Palaearctic species: the widely distributed Nitidula carnaria (Schaller, 1783), N. maculosa Fairmaire, 1866 occurring in the eremial of North Africa and the Middle East, and a newly described N. obenbergeri sp. nov. from northern China, Mongolia and neighbouring territories of Kazakhstan and Russia. First records are given for Nitidula carnaria from Georgia, Pakistan and Tajikistan; N. flavomaculata Rossi, 1790 from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan; and for N. rufipes (Linnaeus, 1767) from Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, China (Shaanxi) and Russian Eastern Siberia. A lectotype of Nitidula latiplaga Solsky, 1876 is designated to fix its synonymy with N. flavomaculata Rossi, 1790 established by Jelínek & Audisio (2007). Habitus photographs of all species and an identification key are provided to facilitate identification of world Nitidula species. Finally, comments on the classification of four Neotropical taxa previously classified in the genus Nitidula are offered and the following changes are proposed: Mystrops bourgeoisi (Grouvelle, 1914), comb. nov., = M. gigas Kirejtshuk & Couturier, 2009, syn. nov.; and Catonura complanata (Germain, 1855), comb. nov., = Catonura ruficollis (Reitter, 1873), syn. nov., = Catonura rufithorax Reitter, 1883, syn. nov.

Review of the New World species of Microplitis Foerster (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) attacking Sphingidae (Lepidoptera, Bombycoidea)

Microplitis Foerster is a highly diverse and cosmopolitan genus within Microgastrinae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonoidea, Braconidae). Microplitis ceratomiae Riley, a widely distributed North American species, exclusively attacks sphingid caterpillars. In this paper, M. ceratomiae is reported parasitizing a caterpillar of Sphinx poecila Stephens (Sphingidae) which was collected feeding on Spiraea alba Du Roi (Rosaceae), a species of white meadowsweet native to the wet soils of the Allegheny Mountains and other portions of eastern North America. Here, we report and describe this new host-parasitoid-food plant association in southern New Hampshire, and include a distribution map for the species. Biological, ecological and phylogenetic analyses, and an identification key for the nine known species of Microplitis that attack sphingids in the New World are provided.

Tragia L. Genus: Ethnopharmacological Use, Phytochemical Composition and Biological Activity

Tragia L. is a genus of plants belonging to the Euphorbiaceae family with worldwide intertropical distribution, composed of more than 150 species. In this literature review, 26 species of the genus used as medicinal plants were found, mainly in East Africa and the Indian subcontinent, with a variety of uses among which antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and reproductive health are most common. Research has been done on a few of the species, mostly those of the Old World, with emphasis on four of them: Tragia involucrata Linn., Tragia spathulata Benth., Tragia benthamii Baker and Tragia plukenetii Radcl.-Sm., confirming several ethnomedicinal claims. Moreover, a variety of active phytochemicals have been isolated, mainly ethers, hydrocarbons, flavonoids and sterols. There is ample field for the evaluation of the activity of Tragia extracts and essential oils and the identification of their active compounds, particularly of the New World species, for which there is still very little research.

Laemophloeus souzalimai, a new species of lined flat bark beetle (Coleoptera, Cucujoidea, Laemophloeidae) from Southeast Brazil

Distinctive, remarkable specimens from Bauru, São Paulo state, Brazil are recognized as a new species of the genus Laemophloeus Dejean (sensu stricto), which is described and illustrated in this paper. Laemophloeus souzalimai sp. nov. is most similar to L. germaini Grouvelle and can be readily distinguished from all New World species of the genus by the dorsal color testaceous, without elytral maculae, antennal club of 6 antennomeres, genal processes anteriorly projected, male head with somewhat pedunculated eyes, and frons with a broad, V-shaped impressed line. Additionally, the preexisting key to Laemophloeus species with antennal club of 6 or more antennomeres is modified to include the new species, and new records for five Brazilian species of the genus are provided.

A new species of Bryobiinae (Acari: Tetranychidae) and first report of Aplonobia eurotiae (Mitrofanov & Strunkova) from Turkey

The Bryobiinae (Acari: Tetranychidae) of Turkey are reviewed and presented here. The distribution and habitats of these species are provided. A new Bryobia species, Bryobia cagani sp. nov., is described based on four females which were collected on grass and lettuce in a garlic field located at Kastamonu. Aplonobia eurotiae (Mitrofanov & Strunkova) (Acari, Tetranychidae) is reported for the first time in Turkey, based on specimens collected on a Pinus sp. (Pinaceae) from the Nemrut Mountains close to Adıyaman. Aplonobia eurotiae is re-described and an identification key to the Turkish species of Bryobiinae and world species of Aplonobia is presented.

A review of Dinetus Panzer, 1806 with descriptions of five new species and keys to world species (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae)

A review of all known species of Dinetus Panzer, 1806 is given. Five species are described for the first time: D. arabicus sp. nov., D. deserticus sp. nov., D. jordanicus sp. nov., D. schmideggeri sp. nov. and D. vanharteni sp. nov. Separate keys for males and females of all known species are provided. The females of D. arabicus sp. nov. and D. schmideggeri sp. nov. and the males of D. cereolus Morice, 1897, D. deserticus sp. nov., D. hameri Notton, 2020, D. rakhimovi Mokrousov & Khedher, 2020, D. politus Turner, 1917 and D. vanharteni sp. nov. are unknown. With this, the total number of species increases to 21. Detailed distribution data of all examined species are presented, except the widely distributed D. pictus.

A new species of scavenger Cladocera Pseudochydorus Fryer, 1968 (Cladocera: Anomopoda: Chydoridae) from the Central Mexican Plateau

A new species of the genus Pseudochydorus Fryer, 1968 is described from Central Mexico. P. margaritalfonsorum sp. nov. differs from the Old World species of the genus, P. globosus (Baird, 1843) and P. bopingi Sinev, Garibian & Gu, 2016 in the morphology of thoracic limbs I–III. Analysis of existing literature data on distribution and morphology of Pseudochydorus in America suggest than P. margaritalfonsorum sp. nov. is an endemic of Central Mexican Plateau, and at least two more species of the genus are present in other regions of America.