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Insect pests represent a threat to the integrity of historic buildings and homes, causing serious losses and irreversible damage. These pests can cause extensive damage to organic materials, including wood, textiles, and paper. Beetles, termites, booklice, moths, and cockroaches are just some of the main insect pests that are frequently found in historic buildings and homes. Beetle species such as the furniture beetle and the powderpost beetle are well recognised for their capacity to infest and feed on wood. Termite infestations can remain undetected and cause considerable damage that may even lead to the complete destruction of a building's structural integrity. Cloth moth larvae are known to damage textiles, including carpets, furniture, clothes, and tapestries. Some wood-destroying species of cockroaches have the potential to harm historic buildings. Booklice have the ability to eat cellulose fibres found in archived articles and artefacts stored in heritage buildings, causing deterioration and damage to documents over time. This article reviews the literature and presents an overview of the major insect pests belonging to five known orders Coleoptera, Blattodea, Lepidoptera, Zygentoma (long-tailed silverfish) and Psocoptera, which pose a threat to households, museums, depositories, libraries, and cultural heritage buildings. We also discuss their biology, their impact on human health, and the various potential approaches to identifying them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insect pests represent a threat to the integrity of historic buildings and homes, causing serious losses and irreversible damage. These pests can cause extensive damage to organic materials, including wood, textiles, and paper. Beetles, termites, booklice, moths, and cockroaches are just some of the main insect pests that are frequently found in historic buildings and homes. Beetle species such as the furniture beetle and the powderpost beetle are well recognised for their capacity to infest and feed on wood. Termite infestations can remain undetected and cause considerable damage that may even lead to the complete destruction of a building’s structural integrity. Cloth moth larvae are known to damage textiles, including carpets, furniture, clothes, and tapestries. Some wood-destroying species of cockroaches have the potential to harm historic buildings. Booklice have the ability to eat cellulose fibres found in archived articles and artefacts stored in heritage buildings, causing deterioration and damage to documents over time. This article reviews the literature and presents an overview of the major insect pests belonging to five known orders Coleoptera, Blattodea, Lepidoptera, Zygentoma (long-tailed silverfish) and Psocoptera, which pose a threat to households, museums, depositories, libraries, and cultural heritage buildings. We also discuss their biology, their impact on human health, and the various potential approaches to identifying them.

Psocodea has been globally reported in different Mesozoic and Cenozoic amber deposits, one of which is Early Cretaceous Lebanese amber. The latter is one of the oldest ambers, with rich biological inclusions, bringing about the discovery of multiple new taxa of arthropods, some representing the earliest known records of their lineages. A total of fourteen psocodean species (of which one is an unidentified immature species) have been described to date from this material, which we review and discuss in this paper. A key for the identification of psocodean species discovered in Lebanese amber is also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study presents a new collection of Psocodea (Insecta) from Unguja Island (Zanzibar, Tanzania), conducted during March 3rd to 9th, 2024. Despite recent efforts to explore Psocodea fauna in equatorial and tropical Africa, comprehensive studies in East Africa, particularly along the east coast and inland areas, remain limited. This research contributes to filling these gaps by documenting 16 species, including nine new records for the Zanzibar autonomic region and seven new records for Tanzania. Notably, one species (Nanopsocus sp.) may potentially be new to science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The second psocid species of the genus Hemineura Tetens, 1891, namely H. wittmeri Badonnel, 1981, is recorded from the Caucasus region for the first time based on several female and male specimens collected in the Shida Kartli region of Georgia. Collecting data are given along with diagnostic illustrations of the preserved specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We previously reported that blue light is lethal to various insect species. However, it was also revealed that effective blue light wavelength is species and growth-stage specific. We, therefore, investigated the lethal effects of blue light on booklice, Liposcelis bostrychophila Badonnel (Psocoptera: Liposcelididae), which frequently occur in food processing and storage facilities, where insecticides cannot often be used because of the risk of their contamination on the food products. Liposcelis bostrychophila eggs were killed by irradiation with 408–462-nm blue light and 378-nm UVA at 5 × 1018 photons·m−2·s−1, with 100% mortality. In particular, 420-nm blue light had a strong lethal effect, showing 96.5% mortality at 1.5 × 1018 photons·m−2·s−1. The adults were killed by irradiation with 378–494-nm light at 5 × 1018 photons·m−2·s−1. Irradiation with 378–440-nm and 462-nm light showed 96%–100% mortality at this photon flux density. In particular, 378 and 408-nm light notably exhibited strong lethal effects, showing 100% and 87% mortality, respectively, at 3 × 1018 photons·m−2·s−1. These results show that blue light irradiation is useful for controlling booklice occurrence in food facilities. Additionally, this study revealed for the first time that blue-light irradiation is lethal to hemimetabolous insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Thylacella was collected from Unguja Island (Zanzibar, Tanzania) and described in this paper. A simple identification key is also proposed for all the species known from Africa and Madagascar. Now from this genus a total of 19 recent and two fossil species are known.

Four Psocoptera species are reported as new records for Bulgaria: Valenzuela corsicus (Kolbe, 1882) (Ihtimanska Sredna Gora Mts), Reuterella helvimacula (Enderlein, 1901) (Rila Mts), Mesopsocus helveticus Lienhard, 1977 and Hyalopsocus contrarius (Reuter, 1893) (both from Sakar Mts). After this article there are a total of 71 psocid species known from the country.

A total of 28 species of 13 families were registered. All species recorded were new records to the Zanzibar autonomous region, ten to Tanzania, eight to East Africa and two (Lepidopsocus pretiosus (Banks, 1942) and Belaphopsocus murphyi Lienhard, 1991) were new to the entire African continent. Original photos of 22 of the found species were provided, some of these species had never been photographed before.

After this study a total of 33 species of psocids are known to occur in Strandzha Mts and its adjacent Black Sea coastal area. The paper reports of 25 species as already published for the area with eight new species records. All psocids were found in or at the edge of forests or scrubs with scattered trees, dominated mainly by Quercus or Pinus species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesophthirus engeli (Mesophthiridae incerti ordinis), described as a feather-feeding parasite of dinosaurs, has recently been reinterpreted as an early instar nymph (crawler) of a primitive scale insect. Mesophthirus has no specific similarities to bird lice, although life on feathers should modify parasites in a similar way. Based on re-examination of photographs of the type specimens of M. engeli, the subfamily Mesophthirinae stat. nov. is assigned to the archaic extant family Xylococcidae s.l. (recorded since the Hauterivian), next to the extant subfamilies Xylococcinae and Stigmacoccinae. Xylococcid honeydew is an important food resource for birds and other arboreal vertebrates. Like their modern relatives, Mesophthirinae lived under the bark of trees and produced copious honeydew. Early birds and their precursors, small feathered dinosaurs, may well have fed on honeydew and the mesophthirines themselves. Scale insect crawlers are adapted to wind transport and phoresy on insects and vertebrates, so finding Mesophthirus on feathers is expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a zoo hothouse in the Netherlands, the psocid Cyptophania hirsuta Banks, 1931 was sampled in 2019 and in 2021, indicating a population. These finds are remarkable, since the species was hitherto only known from Mexico and a few islands in Oceania. The introduction pathway is undoubtedly a consignment of tropical plants from central America that was used to furnish the hothouse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientists and society are increasingly becoming aware of loss of insect biodiversity and biomass. The level of biodiversity determines the efficiency of ecological communities to capture essential resources, produce biomass, decompose and recycle nutrients. Relationships between plant and insect diversity can be modified by changes in insect abundance. This study determined the associations between microclimate and diversity of forest plants on overall insect abundance and abundances of different insect orders in the canopy of temperate deciduous forests dominated by Fagus sylvatica L. (European beech; Fagaceae) in Central Germany. Following model selection, a linear mixed model was used to analyse the associations between abiotic factors (air temperature and relative humidity) as well as biotic factors (species richness and cover for the ground, shrub and tree layer) and insect abundance and abundances of insect orders. Within similar strength of evidence, best models were chosen as those with a single explanatory parameter. Significant associations were recorded between abundances of Lepidoptera and Neuroptera and relative air humidity, insect abundance and species richness in the shrub layer, and between abundances of Diptera and Psocoptera and percentage cover of shrubs. Trends in associations were detected between the abundance of Hemiptera and species richness recorded in the shrub layer, and between the abundance of Thysanoptera and the species richness in the ground layer. No significant associations with single explanatory parameters were recorded for the abundances of Coleoptera and Hymenoptera. Phytodiversity, especially that in the shrub layer, were more often associated with the abundances of insect orders than microclimatic factors. The potential importance of the association between shrub layer parameters and the abundance of insects might be based on the shrub layer combining the associations with the ground layer (bottom-up processes) and canopy layer (environmental conditions). In addition, associations between phytodiversity and abundance of insects seem to vary most for Coleoptera and Hymenoptera in which there are markedly different functional groups.

Two species of psocids discovered from the Mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber, Latempheria kachinensis Li, Yoshizawa, and Yao, gen. et sp. nov. and Burmempheria curvatavena Li, Yoshizawa, and Yao, sp. nov., are described and assigned to the Empheriidae (Trogiomorpha: Atropetae) family. A phylogenetic analysis of the infraorder Atropetae is conducted based on 38 morphological characters of three outgroups and fifteen ingroups, which supported the monophyly of Atropetae including fossil and extant taxa. In the phylogenetic result, all the genera of fossil families Empheriidae and Archaeatropidae form a monophyletic group, sister to the extant members of Atropetae. The two fossil families also share a lot of similarities in morphology, locality, and geological period. Recently discovered fossil species exhibited combined morphological characters of both families. Based on these observations and the results of the phylogenetic analysis, Archaeatropidae is treated here as a new junior synonym of Empheriidae.

A new species of Mymaromma, M. menehune sp. nov., is described from the Hawaiian Islands. It was found emerging as a solitary endoparasitoid from eggs of a Lepidopsocus sp. (Psocodea: Lepidopsocidae) on branches of Ficus microcarpa (Moraceae) on the island of O'ahu. This the first host record for the superfamily Mymarommatoidea, coming almost exactly 100 years after the first extant species of Mymarommatidae was described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Thylacella was collected from Unguja Island (Zanzibar, Tanzania) and described in this paper. A simple identification key is also proposed for all the species known from Africa and Madagascar. Now from this genus a total of 19 recent and two fossil species are known. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ophiocordyceps dominicanus Poinar & Vega sp. nov. in Dominican amber and Polycephalomyces baltica Poinar & Vega sp. nov. (Hypocreales: Ophiocordycipitaceae) in Baltic amber are described as entomopathogenic fungi of bark lice (Psocoptera). The specimens possess several features unknown in extant synnematous entomopathogenic fungi such as a tubular dark synnema with a straight, pointed tip bearing spores over the entire surface in O. dominicanus, and a globular yellowish synnema developing on the tip of the host’s antenna in P. baltica. These are the only known fossil entomopathogenic fungi of bark lice, making them unique not only for their characters but also in respect to their selection of developmental sites on their bark lice hosts.

We established a new genus with a new species Brachyantennum spinosum Liang et Liu, gen. et sp. nov. from mid-Cretaceous Burmese Kachin amber. It is tentatively placed into the suborder Trogiomorpha, based on the strong external valve, the reduced dorsal and ventral valve, and the short subgenital plate covering the basal part of the external valve. This new genus is apparently close to the family Cormopsocidae, based on the well-developed and very long hindwing Sc vein. However, its familial placement is ambiguous and it can be excluded from the established families of Trogiomorpha by the presence of the tarsal ctenidiobothria on the mid- and hindleg.

A short celebration of the work of Charles Lienhard on the occasion of his 70th birthday

Upon examination of recently collected epipsocid barklice from natural areas of Colombia, five new species of Neurostigma Enderlein, 1900 were found: N. lienhardi sp. nov., N. mockfordi sp. nov., N. newi sp. nov., N. thorntoni sp. nov., and N. valderramae sp. nov. They are here described and illustrated. A cladistic analysis of 32 morphological characters indicates that Neurostigma is monophyletic. An updated key for the identification of males of the described species of the genus is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five new species of the corniculum species group of the psocid genus Trichadenotecnum Enderlein, T. alfonsoi, T. lingens, T. palmula, T. afinifelix and T. separatum were described from Thailand. These species share a couple of male genital apomorphies with the other Oriental species of this species group recorded from China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. The Japanese species of the corniculum group are considered to form a different clade placed as the sister to the rest of Oriental species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diversity and seasonal abundance of soil inhabiting arthropod fauna and their interrelationships with the edaphic factors like temperature, moisture and pH in flower garden, vegetable garden and uncultivated area dominated by weeds in Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Campus, Narendrapur, South - 24 Parganas, West Bengal are studied. The soil arthropods are collected with the help of Berlese-Tullgren funnels. Altogether 591 arthropods belonging to 7 different groups viz., Acarina, Arachnida, Collembola, Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera and Psocoptera are extracted from each of the three plots every month during entire survey period (August 2018 - July 2019). Microarthropod abundance is more in uncultivated area (266 individuals) as compared to that of the flower and vegetable gardens where different agronomic practices are adopted and traditional means of garden nurturing viz. tilling, raking, weeding, etc. are followed. Of the total population in all three plots mites are the most dominant group (37.06%) followed by ants (25.21%) & springtail (19.29%) populations. Soil arthropods are more in monsoon (227 individuals) followed by premonsoon (188 individuals) & postmonsoon (176 individuals). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four Psocoptera species are reported as new records for Bulgaria: Valenzuela corsicus (Kolbe, 1882) (Ihtimanska Sredna Gora Mts), Reuterella helvimacula (Enderlein, 1901) (Rila Mts), Mesopsocus helveticus Lienhard, 1977 and Hyalopsocus contrarius (Reuter, 1893) (both from Sakar Mts). After this article there are a total of 71 psocid species known from the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substantial variation in gene organization and arrangement has been reported for sequenced mitochondrial (mt) genomes from the suborders of the insect order Psocoptera. In this study we sequenced the complete mt genome of Stenopsocus immaculatus, the first representative of the family Stenopsocidae from the suborder Psocomorpha. Relative to the ancestral pattern, rearrangements of a protein-coding gene (nad3) and five tRNA genes (trnQ, trnC, trnN, trnS1, trnE) were found. This pattern was similar to that of two barklice from the family Psocidae, with the exception of the translocation of trnS1, trnE and trnI. Based on comparisons of pairwise breakpoint distances of gene rearrangements, gene number and chromosome number, it was concluded that mt genomes of Stenopsocidae and Psocidae share a relatively conserved pattern of gene rearrangements; mt genomes within the Psocomorpha have been generally stable over long evolutionary history; and mt gene rearrangement has been substantially faster in the booklice (suborder Troctomorpha) than in the barklice (suborders Trogiomorpha and Psocomorpha). It is speculated that the change of life history and persistence of unusual reproductive systems with maternal inheritance contributed to the contrasting rates in mt genome evolution between the barklice and booklice.

Ophiocordyceps dominicanus Poinar & Vega sp. nov. in Dominican amber and Polycephalomyces baltica Poinar & Vega sp. nov. (Hypocreales: Ophiocordycipitaceae) in Baltic amber are described as entomopathogenic fungi of bark lice (Psocoptera). The specimens possess several features unknown in extant synnematous entomopathogenic fungi such as a tubular dark synnema with a straight, pointed tip bearing spores over the entire surface in O. dominicanus, and a globular yellowish synnema developing on the tip of the host's antenna in P. baltica. These are the only known fossil entomopathogenic fungi of bark lice, making them unique not only for their characters but also in respect to their selection of developmental sites on their bark lice hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of six species of Psocoptera were collected from Egypt (Cairo city - 5 species, Hurghada city - 1 species). Three of them were new records for Egypt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We characterise, describe and illustrate a new fossil genus and species, Paralellopsocus elongatus gen. et sp. nov., a small barklouse belonging to the extinct family Empheriidae (Trogiomorpha: Atropetae), based on specimens preserved in Burmese amber. These findings shed more light on Empheriidae and its possible senior synonymy with Archaeatropidae, as we discuss their classification and the value of their diagnostic characters. This new discovery further increases the number of described taxa in Empheriidae as the family was probably diversified and widely distributed during the Cretaceous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first records of three Psocoptera species (barkflies) from the genera Lepinotus and Liposcelis from Belarus are provided. They were found in bird's, wasp's, ant's and marten's nests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peritroctes bengalensis Thornton and Wong, originally described from West Bengal, India, is first recorded from the Western Hemisphere from three counties in south-central Texas. The description of the apterous female is augmented and the male, macropterous female, micropterous female, and egg are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, 108 species of Psocoptera are known from Canada, an increase of 50% from the known fauna reported in 1979. Of these, 56 have been barcoded, representing 162 Barcode Identification Numbers (BINs). An additional 67 species are expected to occur in Canada but remain undiscovered or undescribed, meaning that only 62% of the fauna is currently documented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A catalogue of type specimens of Psocoptera (Insecta: Psocodea) deposited in the collection of the Museu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil, is presented and updated to February, 2019. 45 holotypes and 47 paratypes of 52 species were found, included in the suborders Psocomorpha and Trogiomorpha, and listed in the families Amphipsocidae, Asiopsocidae, Caeciliusidae (infraorder Caeciliusetae); Lachesillidae and Pseudocaeciliidae (infraorder Homilopsocidea); Philotarsidae (infraorder Philotarsetaea) Hemipsocidae, Myopsocidae and Psocidae (infraorder Psocetae); Ptiloneuridae (infraorder Epipsocetae), and Lepidopsocidae (infraorder Atropetae). The taxa are presented alphabetically by suborders, infraorders, families, subfamilies, tribes and genera, followed by species (updated to the valid name), bibliographic citation, type category, description of the type condition with collection number and method of preservation. When necessary, comments are added. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Booklice is a small but serious stored grain pest, and understanding the circadian rhythm of booklice help to control. In this study, circadian activity of booklice were monitored with sticky traps in the grain bulk surfaces of two warehouses stored paddy rice in two different provinces in China. The results showed that the species of booklice were different and were Liposcelis entomophila, and Liposcelisp paeta for Nanning's and Zhanjiang's warehouses respectively. In term of L.entomophila, its activity intensity gradually decreased from 0 am to 12 pm and reached the lowest level of daily activity at 12pm. After this, there was a steady and straight upward trend, and the peak of its activity intensity is reached at 8 pm. Its circadian activity trend can be represented as: y = - 0.971x3 + 21.88x2 - 139.5x + 353.4(x: time; y: quantity of booklice). Over the same period, the activity intensity of L.paeta varied greatly. It gradually increased, reached a peak at 8 am, dropped dramatically at 12 pm and then climbed the second peak at 6 pm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Upon examination of ptiloneurid specimens recently collected in forests of natural areas and Natural National Parks in Colombia, ten males and seven females were found that represent five species of an undescribed ptiloneurid genus. It differs from the other genera in the family by characters of the wings, hypandrium, phallosome, epiproct, female gonapophyses, and sternum IX. An identification key to the males of the genera of Ptiloneuridae, and a key to the species of the new genus are presented. A test on the validity and monophyly of the new genus, and its position within the family was also conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically, Psocoptera research has been lacking in agricultural field studies. This study is the first in California (U.S.A.) to survey almond and pistachio orchards for Psocoptera. The seven species we observed in orchards are the first host association records of psocids (Lachesilla pacifica Chapman, 1930, Lachesilla pedicularia (Linnaeus, 1758), Lachesilla rena Sommerman, 1946, Ectopsocus vachoni Badonnel, 1945, Ectopsocus californicus (Banks, 1903), Liposcelis bostrychophila Badonnel, 1931, and Liposcelis silvarum (Kolbe, 1888)) in two suborders (Psocomorpha and Troctomorpha) from California almond and pistachio orchards. The results of these observations also revealed a new California state record of L. silvarum. Implications of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a list of 720 species of 'Psocoptera' recorded in Colombia, based on the examination of specimens deposited in the collections of the Alexander von Humboldt Institute and in the Entomological Museum of the Universidad del Valle. We include records of specimens recently collected in several National Natural Parks and other natural areas in Colombia. Species previously recorded in the literature are also listed here. The number of psocids recorded in Colombia until 2002 (79 species) corresponded to only 11.0% of what is currently known based on our study. We highlight that about 60% of the species recorded since 2010 were undescribed, 135 of which have been recently described by our research group. An identification key to the 28 psocid families known in Colombia is included. Even though psocids have been largely ignored from the taxonomic research in Colombia, we show that the group diversity is still to be uncovered in the country. Further studies must be conducted to understand the distribution of psocids among and within localities, and emphasize that additional extensive fieldwork is highly required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gain of foldable wings is regarded as one of the key innovations enabling the present-day diversity of neopteran insects. Wing folding allows compact housing of the wings and shields the insect body from damage. Wing-fixing systems have evolved in some insects, probably to increase the durability of the shielding function by the wings. Bark lice (Psocodea) are known to possess a unique wing-to-wing repose coupling system, but a detailed morphological and evolutionary study of this system is lacking. In this study, we examined this repose coupling structure by SEM in 32 species including representatives of all three suborders of bark lice (Trogiomorpha, Troctomorpha and Psocomorpha). We concluded that the repose wing-coupling apparatus independently evolved twice within Psocodea. In Trogiomorpha, the apparatus is located on the subcostal vein of the forewing and is composed of elongated rib-like structures. In Troctomorpha and Psocomorpha, in contrast, the repose coupling structure is located on the radius vein of the forewing and is formed by a swollen vein. These morphological and developmental differences in the repose coupling structures also provide phylogenetic information at different systematic levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The booklouse, Liposcelis bostrychophila is an important storage pest worldwide. The mitochondrial (mt) genome of an asexual strain (Beibei, China) of the L. bostrychophila comprises two chromosomes; each chromosome contains approximate half of the 37 genes typically found in bilateral animals. The mt genomes of two sexual strains of L. bostrychophila, however, comprise five and seven chromosomes, respectively; each chromosome contains one to six genes. To understand mt genome evolution in L. bostrychophila, and whether L. bostrychophila is a cryptic species, we sequenced the mt genomes of six strains of asexual L. bostrychophila collected from different locations in China, Croatia, and the United States. The mt genomes of all six asexual strains of L. bostrychophila have two chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis of mt genome sequences divided nine strains of L. bostrychophila into four groups. Each group has a distinct mt genome organization and substantial sequence divergence (48.7-87.4%) from other groups. Furthermore, the seven asexual strains of L. bostrychophila, including the published Beibei strain, are more closely related to two other species of booklice, L. paeta and L. sculptilimacula, than to the sexual strains of L. bostrychophila. Our results revealed highly divergent mt genomes in the booklouse, L. bostrychophila, and indicate that L. bostrychophila is a cryptic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mitochondrial genome arrangement in the insect order Psocodea (booklice, barklice, and parasitic lice) is extremely variable. Genome organization ranges from the rearrangement of a few tRNAs and protein coding genes, through extensive tRNA and protein coding gene rearrangements, to subdivision into multiple mini-chromosomes. Evolution of the extremely modified mitochondrial genome in parasitic lice (Phthiraptera) has been the subject of several studies, but limited information is available regarding the mitochondrial genome organization of the more plesiomorphic, free-living Psocodea (formerly known as the “Psocoptera”). In particular, the ancestral state of the psocodean mitochondrial genome arrangement and the evolutionary pathway to the rearranged conditions are still unknown. In this study, we addressed mitochondrial evolutionary questions within the Psocodea by using mitochondrial genome sequences obtained from a wide range of Psocoptera, covering all three suborders. We identified seven types of mitochondrial genome arrangements in Psocoptera, including the first example in Psocodea of retention of the ancestral pancrustacean condition in Prionoglaris (Prionoglarididae). Two methods (condition-based parsimony reconstruction and common-interval genome distances) were applied to estimate the ancestral mitochondrial arrangement in Psocodea, and both provided concordant results. Specifically, the common ancestor of Psocodea retained the ancestral pancrustacean condition, and most of the gene arrangement types have originated independently from this ancestral condition. We also utilized the genomic data for phylogenetic estimation. The tree estimated from the mitochondrial genomic data was well resolved, strongly supported, and in agreement with previously estimated phylogenies. It also provided the first robust support for the family Prionoglarididae, as its monophyly was uncertain in previous morphological and molecular studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triplocania umbrataoides sp. nov., from the Río Tambopata Reserved Zone, in Madre de Dios, Peru, is here described and illustrated. Triplocania magnifica Roesler and the male of Triplocania spinosa Mockford are redescribed and illustrated. The female Triplocania spinosa is here described and illustrated. The original combination of Belicania cervantesi (García Aldrete) is revalidated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loneuroides is registered for the first time in Brazil. A new species from the Brazilian state of Bahia, is here described and illustrated. It differs from all the other species in the genus in details of the female ninth sternum and by number of primary branches in vein M of fore- and hind- wings. A map with the distribution of the species of Loneuroides is included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psocids are small insects that feed primarily on fungi, algae, lichens and organic detritus. Although they are relatively common in forest ecosystems, the general patterns in their abundance and diversity in boreal forests are still poorly known. We report records of 20 species of psocids quantitatively collected from four species of woody plants (Pinus sylvestris, Picea abies, Betula pubescens and B. pendula) at 50 sites in northern Europe, located between 59° and 70°N and between 10° and 60°E. Seven species were found only on conifers, seven other species only on birches and six species inhabited both birches and conifers. The overall density of psocids was 18.9 ± 2.9 exx/kg (d.w. of plant material). Densities varied among the studied species of trees, being highest on P. abies and lowest on B. pendula. The species diversity was highest on B. pendula and lowest on B. pubescens. Both diversity and abundance of arboreal psocids in northern Europe decreased with latitude. However, due to the relatively low number of specimens collected, the conclusions about the diversity of psocids should be seen as tentative.