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We identify 94 species of New World Bruchinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) that have not been revised since original publications that predate the establishment of current bruchine genera. Many of these have appeared in catalogs or checklists and have been transferred to genera without inspection of primary type specimens. We were able to inspect the primary types of 77 of these species; we provide new combinations for 38 and confirm previous combinations made in catalogs for an addition 39. We provide emended names for four taxa and designate a neotype for Bruchus atrosignatus Pic, 1935. Type specimens could not be located for 14 of the additional 17 species, with only three species of known deposition not yet inspected. These 17 species should be considered as species incertae sedis and included as such in any catalogs or checklists until types are examined by future reviewers.

Encompassing 39 species groups, Amblycerus Thunberg, 1815 is the second most diverse genus of seed-beetles in the Americas. Considering that the delimitation of some of the included species-groups is incongruent in the literature, this work tackled one particularly problematic group, the dispar group, which includes species that, depending on the classification scheme, have been classified in two other groups, namely the spondiae and alternatus groups. We recognize six valid species in the dispar group, viz. A. dispar (Sharp, 1885), A. crassipunctatus Ribeiro-Costa, 1999c A. insuturatus (Pic, 1902), A. schwarzi Kingsolver, 1970, A. taeniopygus Ribeiro-Costa, 1999 c, and Amblycerus goianiensis Santos & Ribeiro-Costa, sp. n., and four in the spondiae group, viz. A. spondiae Kingsolver, 1980, A. cuernavacensis Romero, Johnson & Kingsolver, 1996, A. vitis (Schaeffer, 1907) and A. alternatus (Pic, 1954). Three species are excluded from their original groups, namely A. eustrophoides (Schaeffer, 1904), A. serieguttatus (Chevrolat, 1877), from the alternatus group, and A. simulator (Jacquelin DuVal, 1857), from the dispar group, all considered here as incertae sedis. The remaining species of the alternatus group, A. schwarzi and A. alternatus, are transferred to other previously mentioned groups, thus dissolving this group. We provide diagnoses for the 13 species studied, redescribe three species, and describe one new species. Color illustrations of the dorsum and pygidium, drawings of the male genitalia and geographic distribution maps are included. Identification keys are also added for the dispar and spondiae groups. We record new host plants for four Amblycerus species and new localities for five species. The plant taxa Sarcomphalus mistol (Griseb.) Hauenschild, Terminalia corrugata (Ducke) Gere & Boatwr., T. tetraphylla (Aubl.) Gere & Boatwr. and Rhus virens Lindh. ex A. Gray var. choriophylla (Wooton & Standl.) L. D. Benson are first registered here as hosts of Amblycerus. Four new records for Amblycerus, namely Capparis, Neopringlea, Rhus and Sarcomphalus, and two new records at the family level, Capparaceae A. Juss. and Salicaceae Mirb., the latter also being a new record for Bruchinae.

After an extensive revision of the literature, we come to the following conclusions concerning the nomenclature of Southern African monkey beetles of the subtribe Pachycnemina: firstly, the current usage of the nominal subgenus Pachycnemula Schein, 1959 for a subgenus taxon different from Pachycnema s. str. Le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau Audinet-Serville, 1828 is incorrect since both names share the same type species-Melolontha crassipes Fabricius, 1775-and are therefore objective synonyms. Hence, here we invalidate Pachycnemula and establish the new nominal subgenus Macacoplia Cupello Ribeiro-Costa to denote the subgenus taxon currently known as Pachycnema (Pachycnemula). Secondly, we discuss the different spellings of the nominal genus Lepithrix Le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau Audinet-Serville, 1828, which was originally established as Lepitrix but emended to Lepithrix in 1913 by Dalla Torre. Although originally an unjustified emendation, the Lepithrix spelling is currently in prevailing usage and therefore should be deemed a justified emendation according to Article 33.2.3.1 of the current edition of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. That being so, it becomes necessary to acknowledge the homonymy between Lepithrix Le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau Audinet-Serville and its junior homonym Lepithrix Neitner, 1857, current junior synonym of Loxoncus Schmidt-Göbel, 1846 (Carabidae: Harpalinae: Harpalini: Stenolophina).

Two new Brazilian species of the genus Neapion Alonso-Zarazaga, 1990 subgenus Neotropion Alonso-Zarazaga, 1990 (Brentidae: Apioninae) are described and illustrated: Neapion (Neotropion) marquesae sp. n. (Type locality: Brazil, Mato Grosso) and Neapion (Neotropion) diringsi sp. n. (Type locality: Brazil, Amazonas).  Neapion (Neotropion) marquesae sp. n.  has dense, thin vestiture and raised areas on the elytra (recorded for the first time to the South American Apioninae); Neapion (Neotropion) diringsi sp. n. differs by the sparse vestiture and absence of raised areas. In addition to these characters, the vestiture color pattern and male genitalia characters such as the form of penis, length of the 'tuning-fork' shaped sclerite in the internal sac (the largest found in Apioninae) and the form of the tegminal plate are fundamental for the diagnosis of species of this subgenus. We also provide a key to the species of South American Neapion (Neotropion).

A taxonomic catalog of the Amblycerus species distributed in Brazil is presented with information on deposition of types, synonymies, distributions, host plants, parasites and complete literature for each species. This catalog includes 61 species, five of them recorded for the first time for Brazil, and other seven species also recorded for other countries besides Brazil. A total of 23 species have new Brazilian states records. Two species of Spermophagus are transferred to Amblycerus: A. nigronotatus (Pic, 1952) comb.n. and Amblycerus germaini comb.n. The lectotypes of Spermophagus cistelinus Gyllenhal, 1833 and Spermophagus unimaculatus Pic, 1955 are here designated. Amblycerus species consume seeds of at least 13 host plant families. In this catalog we record new host records for seven Amblycerus species belonging to six plant families.

The rove beetle genus Hypotelus Erichson, 1839 is one of seven extant genera of a subfamily with a historically misinterpreted concept, status and phylogenetic position. The genus comprises minute species that have been found under the bark of trees or in leaf litter mainly in Neotropical forests. The major aim of this study was to test the monophyly of this genus based on adult morphology and to review its species. Cladistic analyses were performed and Hypotelus is a monophyletic genus supported by 8 synapomorphies and includes five new species: H. brevitarsus sp. nov., H. castaneus sp. nov., H. corniculatus sp. nov., H. melanodelta sp. nov. and H. scheerpeltzi sp. nov. Additionally, all species are described/redescribed and illustrated, most of them for the first time. An identification key, geographical records and natural history data for each species are also provided.

Xenopygus Bernhauer is one of the most colorful staphylinid beetles and widespread in the Neotropical region. The aim of this study was to test the monophyly of Xenopygus based on adult morphology and to review the current species. Cladistic analysis was performed with six ingroup species, including two new species. Xenopygus is a monophyletic group supported by: antennomere V as wide as long to slightly wider, antennomere VII two times wider than long and superior line of pronotal hypomere developed, continuous on the anterior angle of pronotum. Xenopygus is composed of six species, four previously described and two new species, with the following topology: ((X. analis+(X. bicolor+X. confusus))+(X. cordovensis+(X. sancticamillus, sp. nov.+ X. petilicolis, sp. nov.))). Xenopygus is the sister group to a clade formed by species of Dysanellus and Xanthopygus, corroborating previous phylogenetic studies. The genus, and all its species were redescribed, an identification key was produced and illustration diagnostic plates and distribution maps were also provided.

The seed beetle Gibbobruchus tridentatus Manfio, Jorge & Ribeiro-Costa sp. nov. is described from the Amazon basin in Brazil (Acre) and Ecuador (Napo), and is included in an updated key to the species of Gibbobruchus Pic. This new species and the recently described G. bergamini Manfio & Ribeiro-Costa are incorporated into a phylogenetic reanalysis of the genus and into a comparative analysis of host plant use and biogeography. Species groups previously proposed were supported and the evolutionary history in host plant-use shows Gibbobruchus conserved at tribe level, Cercideae (Caesalpinioideae), with coordination between biogeographic expansion and host genus shifts. Both species, Gibbobruchus tridentatus Manfio, Jorge & Ribeiro-Costa sp. nov. and G. bergamini, were placed within the group scurra (G. tridentatus (G. scurra (G. cavillator+G. bolivianus+G. bergamini))) and supported by one synapomorphy. Additionally, we update geographic distributions and host plant records. Two hosts, Bauhinia argentinensis Burkart and B. tarapotensis Benth. are recorded for the first time as hosts for the genus and for the subfamily.

Merobruchus Bridwell is placed in the group Merobruchus of Acanthoscelidina (Bruchini) being distinguished from all bruchines mainly by the apical projections in the last abdominal ventrite of females and some males. All 25 species of Merobruchus are distributed in the New World, mainly in the Neotropical Region, feeding on seeds of Mimosoideae (Acacieae, Ingeae and Mimoseae). As well as some other bruchine genera, Merobruchus shows considerable morphological variation both in external and in internal (male genitalia) characters. Moreover, some species are very similar to each other in their colour and distribution pattern of pubescence on the dorsal surface, sometimes making species recognition difficult. Thus, the main objective of this paper is to provide a key including coloured illustrations for Merobruchus species to facilitate the process of identification and to avoid misunderstandings. Images of dorsal habitus, male and female pygidium and male genitalia are provided for all species. In addition, M. machadoi sp. nov. (Holotype male deposited in DZUP: Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul State) is described; M. bicoloripes (Pic) and M. pickeli (Pic) are redescribed; and a new synonymy is proposed: Pseudopachymerus pickeli Pic, 1927 = Pseudopachymerus pickeli var. subnotatus Pic, 1927 syn. nov. Two new host plants are recorded for Bruchinae: Parapiptadenia rigida (Benth.) Brenan (Mimosoideae) and Pterogyne nitens Tul. (Caesalpinioideae).

A taxonomic study was performed on the Brazilian genus Miritius Bechyné & Bechyné of Monoplatina, Alticini. Here Miritius and two of its species are redescribed and descriptions for another two new species were provided: Miritius abdominalis Morais & Linzmeier sp. nov. (Mato Grosso, Brazil) and Miritius claudius Morais & Linzmeier sp. nov. (Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil). For the first time characters of the male and female genitalia, illustrations and a key to the Miritius species are presented.

Seed beetles are a group of specialized chrysomelid beetles, which are mostly associated with plants of the legume family (Fabaceae). In the legume-feeding species, a marked trend of phylogenetic conservatism of host use has been highlighted by several molecular phylogenetics studies. Yet, little is known about the evolutionary patterns of association of species feeding outside the legume family. Here, we investigate the evolution of host use in Spermophagus, a species-rich seed beetle genus that is specialized on two non-legume host-plant groups: morning glories (Convolvulaceae) and mallows (Malvaceae: Malvoideae). Spermophagus species are widespread in the Old World, especially in the Afrotropical, Indomalaya and Palearctic regions. In this study we rely on eight gene regions to provide the first phylogenetic framework for the genus, along with reconstructions of host use evolution, estimates of divergence times and historical biogeography analyses. Like the legume-feeding species, a marked trend toward conservatism of host use is revealed, with one clade specializing on Convolvulaceae and the other on Malvoideae. Comparisons of plants' and insects' estimates of divergence times yield a contrasted pattern: on one hand a quite congruent temporal framework was recovered for morning-glories and their seed-predators; on the other hand the diversification of Spermophagus species associated with mallows apparently lagged far behind the diversification of their hosts. We hypothesize that this delayed colonization of Malvoideae can be accounted for by the respective biogeographic histories of the two groups., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Antoine Joseph Jean Solier, a French naturalist, described 53 species of Staphylinidae of the Chilean fauna, among them three species in a new genus Mecorhopalus (M. ater, M. bipustulatus and M. elongatus). Today these species are regarded as Aleochara atra, A. solieri and A. mutare , respectively. The objective of this study is to provide an updated description and nomenclatural status of these species. Mecorhopalus remains as junior synonym of Aleochara with one species in the subgenus Aleochara and another in Coprochara. Through study of the type material, A. mutare is synonymized with A. solieri as junior subjective synonym.

The aim of this contribution was to review the species of Ctenocolum which are mainly distributed in the Neotropical region. The larvae of this genus have a high degree of specificity with the tribe Millettieae feeding mainly on seeds of Lonchocarpus Kunth (Fabaceae, Papilionoideae) and until now we do not know other bruchine consuming seeds of this genus. Here 13 valid species were studied, five new, divided in two groups, as previosly proposed in literature, group podagricus with Ctenocolum aquilus Albuquerque & Ribeiro-Costa sp. nov., C. biolleyi Kingsolver & Whitehead, C. colburni Kingsolver & Whitehead, C. martiale Kingsolver & Whitehead, C. milelo Albuquerque & Ribeiro-Costa sp. nov., C. podagricus (Fabricius), C. punctinotatus Albuquerque & Ribeiro-Costa sp. nov., C. pygospilotos Albuquerque & Ribeiro-Costa sp. nov. and C. triangulatus Albuquerque & Ribeiro-Costa sp. nov.; group tuberculatum with C. acapulcensis Kingsolver & Whitehead, C. janzeni Kingsolver & Whitehead, C. salvini (Sharp) and C. tuberculatum (Motschulsky). A lectotype is designated for Bruchus salvini and Bruchus pictifemur. Moreover, descriptions, redescriptions, diagnoses, key, geographic distribution and host plant records are also included.

Representatives of the Subfamily Bruchinae (coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) are usually small and inconspicuous, with only a few species drawing the attention. Here we deal with several unusually colored species of Amblycerus Thunberg, 1815, one of the two most diverse bruchine genera in the Western hemisphere. We define the virens group that consists of five species whose bodies are covered with a green vestiture, including one new for science, Amblycerus medialis Ribeiro-Costa, Vieira & Manfio, sp. n. (Type locality: Brazil: Pará, Rondônia). This study also provides redescriptions, diagnoses, comparative notes, illustrations, geographic distribution records and a key to the species in this group.

Sennius Bridwell is a New World genus of Bruchinae. Most species are placed in eight groups. In this study the species of the S. abbreviatus group are reviewed based on characters of the external morphology and the male genitalia. The group includes 14 species, two of which are new: Sennius abbreviatus (Say, 1824), S. bondari (Pic, 1929), S. durangensis Johnson & Kingsolver, 1973, S. lawrencei Johnson, 1977, S. lebasi (Fåhraeus, 1839), S. leucostauros Johnson & Kingsolver, 1973, S. lojaensis (Pic, 1933), S. medialis (Sharp, 1885), S. nappi Ribeiro-Costa & Reynaud, 1998, S. rufomaculatus (Motschulsky, 1874), S. transversesignatus (Fåhraeus, 1839), S. trinotaticollis (Pic, 1930), S. vivi sp. nov. and S. flinte sp. nov. The S. abbreviatus group differs from other groups by the pattern of sclerites and the shape of the internal sac of the male genitalia, and has three subgroups, defined here. The lectotype of S. lebasi is designated. New host plant records are presented for S. lojaensis and S. transversesignatus, and new distribution records for S. lawrencei, S. lojaensis and S. trinotaticollis.

Body size is correlated with many species traits such as morphology, physiology, life history and abundance as well; it is one of the most discussed topics in macroecological studies. The aim of this paper was to analyze the body size distribution of Chrysomelidae, caught with Malaise traps during two years in four areas with different levels of conservation in the Araucaria Forest, Paraná, Brazil, determining if body size is a good predictor of abundance, and if body size could be used to indicate environmental quality. Body size was considered the total length of the specimen from the anterior region of head to the apex of abdomen/elytron. Measurements were taken for up to ten specimens of each species for each area and for all specimens of those species represented by fewer than ten individuals. The highest abundance and richness of Chrysomelidae were obtained in the lowest body size classes. This herbivorous group showed a trend toward a decrease in body size with increasing abundance, but body size was not a good predictor of its abundance. There was a trend toward a decrease in body size from the less to the most conserved areas; however, the definition of a pattern in successional areas not seems to be entirely clear.

This note has the purpose to rectify the identification of Stethorus minutalus Gordon & Chapin as a predator of Bemisia tabaci Gennadius (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), for its correct name, Nephaspis cocois Gordon in a recent published paper. Similarities and differences between these two species are presented to avoid future misidentifications.