Gelechia omelkoi sp. nov. – a new species from the Russian Altai Mountains related to the Nearctic Gelechia mandella Busck, 1904 (Lepidoptera, Gelechiidae), with a synopsis of Gelechia from the Altai Republic of Russia

Gelechia omelkoi sp. nov. is described from the Ukok plateau and South Chuisky ridge in the Altai Mountains of Russia. The adult of the new species, including its male genitalia, is illustrated and compared with species most similar in morphology and DNA barcodes—G. sororculella (Hübner, 1817) and G. jakovlevi Krulikovsky, 1905 from the Palaearctic region, as well as G. mandella Busck, 1904 from Canada. This last species is redescribed based on adult specimens, including the genitalia of both sexes, and a lectotype is designated. Gelechia sirotina Omelko, 1986 is recorded from the Altai Republic for the first time. An updated list of six species of Gelechia from the Altai Mountains of Russia is given. Dorsal habitus photographs of all species are provided. The male genitalia of the lectotype of G. jakovlevi is illustrated for the first time.

Developmental models of the carrion beetle Thanatophilus rugosus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera: Silphidae)

Coleoptera are currently considered a fundamental tool to help solve criminal investigations, allowing forensic entomologists to estimate post-mortem intervals and obtain other ecology-related information. Thanatophilus rugosus (Linnaeus, 1758) is an important necrophagous beetle distributed through most of the Palaearctic region, where it is readily found on human bodies and animal carcasses. In this study, the new thermal summation models for all the developmental stages of Thanatophilus rugosus are provided. Beetles were reared at six different constant and ecologically relevant temperatures (12, 14, 16, 18, 20, and 22 °C), and their developmental times were measured. Thermal summation constants were calculated for each developmental stage (egg, three larval instars, post-feeding stage, and pupa).

New Darwin wasps (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Tersilochinae, Tryphoninae) from the Eastern Palaearctic region

In this study, we describe two remarkable species, Ctenochira arkadyi Kasparyan, sp. nov. (Tryphoninae) from southern Siberia (Russia), and Probles arkadyi Khalaim, sp. nov. (Tersilochinae) from Japan. These two species are named in honour of our colleague and friend, an expert in Aculeata (Hymenoptera), Russian entomologist, Prof. Arkady Lelej, in honour of his 75th birthday. The recently described European species, Ctenochira magnusi Haraldseide, 2018, is discovered from the Russian Far East; the male of C. magnusi is recorded and described for the first time.

Morphological revision of the Palaearctic species of the nominate subgenus Meloe Linnaeus, 1758 (Coleoptera, Meloidae), with description of ten new species

A morphological revision of the Meloe (Meloe) species from the Palaearctic Region, including the Transitional Chinese area is published. Groups and subgroups of species from the Palaearctic Region are defined for the first time and relationships with Afrotropical and Nearctic groups of species are discussed. Twenty-five species are considered, mostly after the examination of the types, with brief descriptions and figures of diagnostic characters. Ten species, from China and the Himalayan region, are described: Meloe chinensis n. sp., M. distincticornis n. sp., M. himalayensis n. sp., M. kashmirensis n. sp., M. kaszabi n. sp., M. lateantennatus n. sp., M. orientalis n. sp., M. poggii n. sp., M. shapovalovi n. sp., and M. xuhaoi n. sp. Both Meloe aegyptius and M. rathjensi are referred to M. proscarabaeus as subspecies. Four new synonymies are pointed out: M. sapporensis Kôno, 1936 and M. tenuipes Jakowlew, 1897 = M. proscarabaeus exaratus Faldermann, 1832; M. medogensis Tan, 1981 = M. arunachalae Saha, 1979; M. patellicornis Fairmaire, 1887 = M. lobatus Gebler, 1832. Lectotype of M. subcordicollis is designated. M. formosensis is tentatively maintained as distinct species, with the suggestion that it could be a subspecies of M. gracilior. Meloe menoko is tentatively included in the intraspecific variability of M. auriculatus, a formal synonymy will be made by other authors. Meloe poteli is not considered in this revision, being the type is unavailable; other species (M. modestus, M. longipennis, M. elegantulus), previously considered in the nominate subgenus are excluded. A key to both sexes of the species is carried out and a catalogue of localities is recorded as Appendix 1. Ecological information about phenology, elevation range, host plants, is summarized in a table, and some biogeographical remarks are proposed.

New species and additional records of Leptusa from the Palaearctic region, with a focus on the faunas of China and the Caucasus region (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae)

Eleven species of Leptusa Kraatz, 1858 are described and illustrated: Leptusa (Aphaireleptusa) excisa spec. nov. (China: Shaanxi: Qinling Shan); L. (A.) grandipennis spec. nov. (China: Sichuan: Songpan env.); L. (A.) gonggana spec. nov. (China: Sichuan: Gongga Shan); L. (A.) habana spec. nov. (China: Yunnan: Haba Shan); L. (A.) auriculata spec. nov. (China: Yunnan: Diancang Shan); L. (Drepanoleptusa) emeiana spec. nov. (China: Sichuan: Emei Shan); L. (D.) jizuica spec. nov. (China: Yunnan: Jizu Shan); L. (D.) desculpens spec. nov. (China: Yunnan: Dawei Shan); L. (Chondrelytropisalia) procera spec. nov. (China: Sichuan: Songpan env.); L. (Yunnaleptusa) monscangi spec. nov. (China: Yunnan: Diancang Shan); L. (Chondrelytropisalia) pathibarana spec. nov. (Nepal: Taplejung district). One synonymy is proposed: Leptusa (Drepanoleptusa) emplenotoides Assing, 2006 = Leptusa (Aphaireleptusa) zhongdianensis Pace, 2010, syn. nov. Leptusa jinfomontis Pace, 2001 (previously in Nesopisalia Pace, 1992) and L. calliceroides Assing, 2004 (previously incertae sedis) are moved to the subgenus Drepanoleptusa Pace, 1982. An updated catalogue of the Leptusa species recorded from China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong is provided. The Leptusa fauna of this region now includes 73 species and three subspecies in twelve subgenera. Additional records of 22 previously named species are reported from China (eleven species), the Caucasus region (eight), Japan (two), and South Korea (one), among them several new country and regional records. Leptusa is now represented in the Palaearctic region by 418 species and 74 subspecies in 71 subgenera. Taxonomic acts Leptusa excisa spec. nov. – urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:963E5B3D-F42E-411C-A6A9-F57EBCCA00E5Leptusa grandipennis spec. nov. – urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:476EFE09-A2F0-4227-8F55-AEC9D658E159Leptusa gonggana spec. nov. – urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:063A3FD3-32D8-4F48-AABA-5AB12CF1A686Leptusa habana spec. nov. – urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:217C5415-9901-4E13-8DD8-3F8AEA4CC8C1Leptusa auriculata spec. nov. – urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1812AE30-52FF-498D-B8C2-D600DCAB2724Leptusa emeiana spec. nov. – urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:963E5B3D-F42E-411C-A6A9-F57EBCCA00E5Leptusa jizuica spec. nov. – urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D1844B8D-2B3B-4388-933D-F2F98883B6A6Leptusa desculpens spec. nov. – urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A3342BAF-F31E-43E6-9636-8250A85FBD97Leptusa procera spec. nov. – urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C3881039-6537-452F-974C-48BDAFD02762Leptusa monscangi spec. nov. – urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2B2ECDE0-93FD-42BB-BF27-6D7C7B8E38BCLeptusa pathibarana spec. nov. – urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:ED968EFF-8133-4318-992C-A4D401C04ADB

First record of the Afghan Poplar Hawkmoth Laothoe witti Eitschberger et al., 1998 (Sphingidae: Smerinthinae) from India: a notable range extension for the genus

Laothoe witti Eitschberger, Danner & Surholt, 1998, the Afghan Poplar Hawkmoth, was first described from Afghanistan, after which there have only been isolated reports of the species within the Palaearctic region. Only five species have so far been reported under the genus Laothoe with no evidence of the occurrence of the genus Laothoe in India till date. Here we provide information about the record of L. witti from Kashmir that establish first evidence of the occurrence of this species in India, extending the range of the genus Laothoe into the Indian sub-continent.

Review of the genus Anaphes Haliday, 1833 (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) in Russia, part 1: subgenus Anaphes s. str.

Species of the nominotypical subgenus of Anaphes Haliday, 1833 (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) in Russia are reviewed. A key to females of the 18 Palaearctic species of the subgenus is given. Ten species are newly recorded from Russia (two of them based on tentative identifications), and new records of the extralimital specimens examined are also provided. Three new species are described from the eastern Palaearctic region: Anaphes (Anaphes) csabai sp. n. (Kuril Islands), Anaphes (Anaphes) maxim sp. n. (Primorskii krai and Sakhalin Island), and Anaphes (Anaphes) rfe sp. n. (Primorskii krai and Beijing, China). Several historical records of some species of Anaphes in Russia are critically analyzed in the unfortunal absence of most voucher specimens, having in mind that some of them were likely misiden¬tified.

Checklist of Chalcidoidea and Mymarommatoidea (Hymenoptera) of Canada, Alaska and Greenland

A checklist of 1246 extant, described species, classified in 346 genera in 18 families of Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera) are reported from Canada, Alaska (USA) and Greenland (Denmark) based on examined specimens and published records up to December 31, 2020. Of the reported species, 1214 (in 345 genera in 18 families) are listed from Canada, 113 (in 58 genera in 10 families) from Alaska, and 26 (in 22 genera in 4 families) from Greenland. The list includes 235 new species records and 53 new generic records for Canada (no new family records). Forty-one new species records, 22 new generic records and the families Chalcididae and Eurytomidae are newly reported for Alaska. No new records were found for Greenland. Two species (in one genus) of Mymarommatoidea are reported from Canada. For each species in Canada, distribution is tabulated by province or territory, except the province of Newfoundland and Labrador is divided into the island of Newfoundland and the region of Labrador. The inclusion of known species from Alaska and Greenland results in the first comprehensive distributional checklist for the entire northern part of the Nearctic region. A brief review of the history of cataloguing Chalcidoidea in North America and a comparison of this checklist with four published checklists from the Palaearctic region is provided.