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The Old World genus ThysanarthriaOrchymont, 1926 is reviewed taxonomically and compared to the related genus ChaetarthriaStephens, 1835. Chaetarthriais considered to consist of three groups differing in the morphology of male genitalia and surrounding sclerites: (1) large Old World Chaetarthriawhich seems to stand apart of the remaining groups, and (2) European Chaetarthriaplus (3) American Chaetarthriawhich both share the male sternite 8 with a long median projection with Thysanarthria. The reduced mesal part of male sternite 9 is shared by European Chaetarthriaand Thysanarthria, supporting their close relationship proposed by previous molecular analyses. Sixteen species are recognized within Thysanarthriawhich differ in the details of the morphology of the aedeagus illustrated for all species. Seven species are described as new: T. bifidasp. nov. (Thailand), T. cardamonasp. nov. (India: Kerala), T. chuisp. nov. (Taiwan), T. persicasp. nov. (southern Iran), T. saurahanasp. nov. (Nepal), T. trifida(Laos), and T. wadicolasp. nov. (Oman). New records are provided for T. ceylonensisHebauer, 2001 (new to India: Madhya Pradesh), T. championi(Knisch, 1924) (new to Afghanistan, India: Arunachal Pradesh, China: Yunnan, and Myanmar), T. madurensisHebauer, 2001 (new to Nepal and India: Kerala), and T. siamensisHebauer, 2001 (new to India: Uttarkhand, Nepal and Laos). Chaetarthriomorphus sulcatusChiesa, 1967 is revealed as a junior synonym of Chaetarthria championiKnisch, 1924, and lectotypes are designated for both these taxa. An undescribed species of the American group of Chaetarthriais recorded from Saudi Arabia either as an accidental introduction or due to mislabeling; the species is illustrated but not described.

Entomological collections are the target of various insect pests, e.g. carpet beetles (Dermestidae) and booklice (Psocoptera) which can damage and completely destroy dry specimens in a relatively short time. Collections in the National Museum, Czech Republic (NMP) including the entomological ones are protected by fumigation using commercially available smoke shells ‘Cytrol Super SG’; fumigation is performed twice a year. The active insecticidal substance of these smoke shells is cypermethrin (6.25%). We tested whether the repeated cypermethrin fumigation of the NMP entomological collections negatively affects the quality of mitochondrial DNA in dry specimens and prevents the subsequent use of these samples for molecular analyses required for identification, taxonomy, systematics, and phylogenetic studies. We used 32 freshly fixed specimens of the flower chafer Oxythyrea funesta(Poda von Neuhaus, 1761) and 32 freshly fixed specimens of the brown-tailed cockroach Supella longipalpa(Fabricius, 1798). One half of specimens of both species was stored outside NMP and not fumigated (negative control), and the other half was deposited in collection hall with the NMP insect collection and directly exposed to the fumigation. Subsequently, all specimens were processed in a molecular laboratory under a standardized protocol using one leg as the source tissue after each fumigation, and the 658 bp long barcoding region of the cytochrome oxidase I (cox1) as the testing gene fragment. Results of the PCR product electrophoresis and the sequences acquired confirmed that the repeated fumigation had no negative effect on tested samples.

The morphology and head chaetotaxy of the second and third instar larvae of Laccobius (Yateberosus) sp. are described based on specimens collected in New Caledonia. The larvae agree with those of other subgenera of Laccobius Erichson, 1837 in most morphological characters including the morphology of head and mouthparts and the head chaetotaxy, which undoubtedly supports its assignment to Laccobius (Yateberosus). It differs from other Laccobius in the closed spiracular system, reduced spiracular atrium and long abdominal tracheal gills, in which they resemble the larvae of Berosus Leach, 1817. We demonstrate that the ‘Berosus-likeʼ larval morphology evolved at least four times independently in Hydrophiloidea, and briefly discuss the possible reasons for it.

Asian species of the Cercyon unipunctatus species group are reviewed. Nine species are recognized in Asia, three of which are described as new: C. flavimarginatus sp. nov. and C. kubani sp. nov. from Yunnan province of China, and C. undulipennis sp. nov. from Sichuan and Yunnan provinces in China. Besides these, the species group contains the following Asian species: C. divisus Hebauer, 2002 (newly recorded from northern India and China), C. quisquilius (Linnaeus, 1761) (newly recorded from Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Syria and Iran), C. unipunctatus (Linnaeus, 1758), C. unipustulatus Nakane, 1982 and C. verus Shatrovskiy, 1989. All species are (re)described, illustrated and a summary of the known distribution is provided. An identification key to the Asian species of C. unipunctatus group is provided, and the species are also briefly diagnosed from similar Palaearctic and Oriental Cercyon species.

Anaballetusgen. nov., Anaballetus chilensissp. nov. (tribe Sogdini) and Neohydnobius irregularissp. nov. (tribe Pseudoliodini), both from Chile, are described and distinguished from related and similar taxa. A key for the identification of the described world genera of the tribe Sogdini is presented, and the placement of the new genus is discussed; it is considered most closely related to still-undescribed genera known from Australia and New Zealand. A key is also provided to all described species of Leiodinae known from Chile and Argentina. With the exception of DiettaSharp, 1876, all of these genera and species of Leiodinae are endemic (precinctive) to Chile and southern Argentina.

Immature stages of Laccobius(Laccobius) kunashiricusShatrovskiy, 1984are described based on specimens reared from adults collected in the field. The egg-case, all larval instars and pupa are described in detail, including primary and secondary chaetotaxy of the larval head. The biology of the species was observed and is briefly discussed. We also summarize the knowledge of immature stages of LaccobiusErichson, 1837 and provide a key to identify larvae of the known Laccobiini genera.

AbstractNew Cenozoic aquatic beetles of the families Dytiscidae (Cybistercf. rotundatusŘíha 1974 and Cybistersp.) and Hydrophilidae (Hydrophiluscf. pistaceusLaporte de Castelnau 1840 and Hydrobiomorpha enspelenseWedmann 2000) are described and compared with recent relatives based on external morphological structures. All specimens are preserved in Oligocene and Miocene fluvio-lacustrine deposits of the Krus˘né hory piedmont basins (Bílina Mine, Czech Republic) and the Hrádek Basin (Seifhennersdorf, Germany). Generic classification of Cybister nicoletiHeer 1862 (Miocene) is discussed. Based on the confirmation of generic identification of Hydrobiomorpha enspelense, the occurrence of the circumtropical recent genus HydrobiomorphaBlackburn 1888 in European Miocene deposits is confirmed. Habitat preferences of recent relatives of all reported taxa support the local palaeonvironmental conditions of both localities previously inferred from fossil flora.

Pachysternum loxodonta sp. n. from the Republic of the Congo and Pachysternum sulawesicum sp.n. from Sulawesi Island, Indonesia are described. The generic status of Pachysternum sculpticolle (Régimbart, 1907) is revised, the species is transferred to the genus Cyrtonion and its differences from C. ghanense Hansen, 1989 are discussed. Taxonomy of Pachysternum is discussed, dividing the genus prelusively into three species groups, one comprising all known Oriental and Eastern Palearctic species, and two comprising the Afrotropical species. Species with unclear positions within the genus Pachysternum or with questionable generic status are left as “Species incertae sedis”.