The Imaginal Characters of Neoephemera projecta Showing Its Plesiomorphic Position and a New Genus Status in the Family (Ephemeroptera: Neoephemeridae)

The newly collected imaginal materials of the species Neoephemera projecta Zhou and Zheng, 2001 from Southwestern China, which is linking the other genera of the family Neoephemeridae, are described in detail. Nymphs are also photographed for the first time. The morphology of this species shows some characters of the other genera in Neoephemeridae and several autapomorphies. However, most characters can be seen as plesiomorphies of the family. Specifically, the dorsal-oriented fimbriate gills, projected frons and slim labial palpi in nymphs plus large reddishly pigmented wings, many crossveins, 4-segmented forceps with a relatively long basal segment, fused penes and unforked anal vein show that this species is closer to the taxon Fossoriae rather than to the previously considered Potamanthidae. To reflect its primitive position, a new genus, Pulchephemera Zhou gen. n., is established for this species, Pulchephemera projecta comb. n. Its eggs and observed biology are also described.

Geometric Morphometrics Captures Variations in Wing Development of Black Soldier Flies

The black soldier fly is considered an important insect due to its ability to convert organic wast into high quality organic fertilizer. Studies have shown that food quality at the larvae stage contributes greatly to their development. In this study, we applied geometric morphometric measurements to access the variations in the black soldier fly fed on different food substrates as captured in the wings. Eggs of black soldier fly were collected from the field and cultured on different food substrates such as; restaurant waste, fruit waste, wheat brand and layer meal until maturity. The right fore wing of 140 individuals of black were used for the experiment. The results showed a significant difference between the shape of landmarks within each food substrate group. Landmark 3, 7 and 9, corresponding to end of first radial vein R1, intersession between medio-cubital vein and cubito-anal vein (m-cu and CuA), and intersission between cubito Anal vein and Anal vein (CuA + Cup) contributed most to the variation between the different food substrates. Partial least square showed a strong association between food substrate and wing development. Therefore, the variations in wing development could be due to the impact of nutritional compositions quality of the different food substrates.

A new genus and a new species, representing a new tribe of the family Issidae (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Fulgoroidea), from Costa Rica

New genus and species (Cordela rubra gen. et sp. nov.) are described from Costa Rica. They represent a new tribe of the subfamily Thioniinae (Cordelini trib. nov.) which is based on the unique structure of the hind wing having weak clefts on the terminal margin, the cubitus anterior and cubitus posterior not fused with each other, and the second anal vein simple.

Two new species of the genus Givarbela Clench, 1957 (Lepidoptera: Cossidae: Hypoptinae) from South Neotropics

Givarbela steinbachi was described as a new genus and species by Clench (1957), based on 21 specimens from central Bolivia (Prov. del Sara; Buena Vista and Rio Japacani). He indicated that Givarbela (Figs 1‒8) belongs to the Langsdorfia-Givira group of genera but differs from them by the following combination of characters: “R2 stalked with R3-R4, R5 free; the long palpi; absence of fore tibial epiphysis; absence of median cell-vein on fore wing and the open cell-end there; stalked M2-M3 on hind wing; absence of all but traces of a single hind wing anal vein; short hind wing cell; deeply excised hind wing costa“ (Clench 1957).

A new genus representing a new tribe of the family Issidae (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Fulgoroidea) from the forest canopy of French Guiana

Guianaphryna dendrophila gen. et sp. nov. is described from the forest canopy of Northeastern French Guiana and represents a new tribe, Guianaphrynini trib. nov., of the subfamily Thioniinae. This tribe is characterized by the peculiar structure of the forewings bearing pustules and lacking transverse veins, and of the 3-lobed hind wings with an intermediate poorly sclerotized area between the remigial and remigio-vannal lobes which is replacing the cubital cleft, as well as with a strong intermediate vein between CuP and Pcu at the middle of the wing and rudimentary furcation of the second anal vein.

Sambia succinica, a crown group tenthredinid from Eocene Baltic amber (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae)

Sambia succinica gen. et sp.n. from Eocene Baltic amber is described and illustrated. It is apparently the first amber fossil that can be definitively assigned to Tenthredininae. It displays two diagnostic forewing characters for this subfamily: having a bend distally in vein R and the junctions of veins M and Rs + M with vein R being some distance from each other. The variance and possible transitions between the anal vein configurations among the genera in Tenthredininae is briefly discussed.

Systematics of the Euro-Mediterranean Empis (Kritempis) (Diptera: Empididae: Empidinae)

The Euro-Mediterranean subgenus Kritempis Collin of Empis Linnaeus is here redefined on the basis of three synapomorphies, namely (1) hypandrium reduced to its lateral arms, (2) presence of a posteroventral group of spine-like setae on the female mid tibia at base, (3) anal vein faint, incomplete. This subgenus includes eight species: Empis (K.) algira Macquart, E. (K.) livida Linnaeus, E. (K.) macquarti Becker, E. (K.) macropalpa Egger, E. (K.) nigrimana Becker, E. (K.) sardoa sp. nov., E. (K.) sibillina Bezzi and E. (K.) taffertensis sp. nov. A detailed diagnosis of the group as well as a key to all known species is provided. All species are described or redescribed, exclusive of the well-known E. (K.) livida. The holotype of E. (K.) algira is identified and a lectotype designated for E. (K.) macquarti, E. (K.) macropalpa and E. (K.) sibillina. Empis hoffmannseggii Loew is moved from the subgenus Kritempis to the subgenus Coptophlebia Bezzi. The subgenus is restricted to the Mediterranean basin exclusive of E. (K.) livida which is widely distributed in Europe and Algeria where the species is newly recorded.