Journal of Insect Biodiversity and Systematics
Volume:10 Issue: 2, Jun 2024

The dynamics and complexity of plant communities influence the diversity and distribution of animals in various environments. Coleoptera are the most diverse group of insects and are valued as monitoring and environmental assessment tools. However, their diversity and dynamics in these high-altitude environments are poorly known. Using pitfall traps and suction sampling, we collected beetles to study their community responses to changes in different vegetation heterogeneities (low, intermediate, and high). The heterogeneity gradient was determined by considering the dominant plant species in each habitat, the percentage of vegetation coverage, and the percentage of vertical strata. Guild's responses to vegetation heterogeneity were analysed in conjunction with the patterns of alpha and beta diversity in beetles. Representatives of 41 species/morphospecies of beetles, 16 families, and four guilds were reported. Significant variations were observed in guild composition and alpha and beta diversity, especially between high and low vegetation heterogeneity habitats. The significant species turnover between sites is the main factor responsible for the high beta diversity, supporting considerable habitat heterogeneity within these environments. Phytophagous, detritivorous, necrophagous, and predatory beetles exhibited distinct responses to the vegetation's heterogeneity. This suggests that every habitat under investigation possesses a distinct structure of beetle communities. Predators were important in habitats with more diverse vegetation, while phytophagous were important in the most homogeneous ones. Beetle communities in the Puna and Altos Andes of Salta province respond positively to vegetation heterogeneity, which plays a crucial role in determining the composition of small-scale beetle communities in arid high-altitude environments.

A new species, Stenomalina kasaragodensis sp. nov., from the Western Ghats has been discovered resulting in the first report of the genus Stenomalina Ghesquiѐre, (1946) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae: Pteromalinae) from India. A thorough overview and key to the Oriental species of Stenomalina are given, together with descriptions, illustrations, and comparisons with congeneric materials for the new species. A new species of the genus Stictomischus Thomson, 1876 (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae: Miscogastrinae) i.e., Stictomischus sahyadriensis sp. nov., was also found in the Western Ghats. The new species is described, illustrated and compared with congeneric and a comprehensive review and key to the Indian species of Stictomischus are also provided.

The New World insect species Frankliniella minuta (Moulton, 1907) is reported from Asia for the first time. This is a member of the Order Thysanoptera and is placed in the subfamily Thripinae of the Thripidae. A total of 45 female and 14 male adults were found on Tridax procumbens (Asteraceae) at the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) in Selangor, Peninsular Malaysia. Both sexes were taken from the capitula of T. procumbens. The potential threat of this species to the horticultural industry is inconclusive, but the discovery will alert horticulturalists and quarantine entomologists to possible invasion pathways. Diagnostic characters, relevant figures and a key to Frankliniella species in Malaysia are provided.

Six Collembola species from five families and two orders are for the first time recorded from India. All the described new records are mainly from two states, West Bengal and Arunachal Pradesh and collected from the surveys conducted in the Eastern Himalayan Region. Sphyrotheca multifasciata (Reuter, 1881) (Sminthuridae), Sminthurinus bimaculatus Axelson, 1902 (Katiannidae), Dicranocentrus nepalensis Mari Mutt & Bhattacharjee, 1980 (Orchesellidae), Isotomurus plumosus Bagnall, 1940 (Isotomidae), Isotomurus pseudopalustris Carapelli, Frati, Fanciulli & Dallai, 2001, (Isotomidae), Willowsia jacobsoni (Börner, 1913) (Entomobryidae), are the Collembola species whose occurrence is first time observed in India. As a result of the present work Collembola fauna of India reached up to 348 species. Material examined, a brief description and microscopic images of the new records are provided in the present study.

Planococcus Ferris (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha, Pseudococcidae) is a genus of mealybug containing 49 species worldwide. Many species of Planococcus are important pests of agricultural crops. Surveys have been set up in Bengkulu Province, Sumatra-Indonesia, on coffee plantations, in 2023. Planococcus bengkuluensis Zarkani & Kaydan sp. nov. was found in association with Coffea robusta Lindl. ex De Will. (Rubiaceae), described and illustrated. The new species has multilocular disc pores and oral collar tubular ducts on the posterior dorsum in limited numbers. It is another species of Planococcus possessing dorsal multilocular disc pores. An identification key to the known Planococcus species of southern Asia is also provided

The first checklist of halictid bees (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) in Tunisia is established based on available data in the literature. This list contains 114 species belonging to four subfamilies (Halictinae Thomson; Nomiinae Robertson; Nomioidinae Börner; Rophitinae Schenck) and nine genera. The genus Lasioglossum Curtis within the subfamily Halictinae is the most diverse with 51 species and subspecies. The highest number of species is reported in the Tunisian south region with 51 species and subspecies. For each species, the global and provincial distribution in Tunisia is given based on the relevant literature. 40 taxa are without specific locality in Tunisia and confirmation of their presence in the country is needed. All reported species from Tunisia are Palaearctic and more than 20% of them have an exclusive north African distribution and among them, five species are endemic to Tunisia. This study is an initiative for further research on local wild bee faunas aiming to suggest their conservation strategies.

Acromantis lobofemorata sp. nov., a new praying mantis species of the subfamily Acromantinae (Mantodea: Hymenopodidae), is described from the Southern states of India. The specimens of the present species were misidentified and referred as Acromantis insularis on several occasions by earlier workers in India. The new species can be easily identified from other species of the genus by the presence of a mid-lobe on the upper margin of the fore femora, a small medial mesofemoral lobe and well-developed denticles on pronotum laterally. A preliminary key for the identification of the Indian Acromantis species is also provided.

New faunistic and taxonomic data are provided for 18 families of Iranian spiders. Four species, Cryptodrassus liyanicus Zamani & Marusik, sp. n. (♀, Bushehr Province; Gnaphosidae), Mesiotelus khorasanicus Zamani & Marusik, sp. n. (♂♀, Razavi Khorasan Province; Liocranidae), Nurscia minuscula Zamani & Marusik, sp. n. (♀, West Azerbaijan Province; Titanoecidae) and Talanites farsensis Zamani & Marusik, sp. n. (♀, Fars Province; Gnaphosidae), are described as new to science. Clubiona liachviana Mcheidze, 1997 stat. reval. (Clubionidae) is removed from the synonymy with C. alpicola Kulczyński, 1882 and is reported from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkmenistan for the first time; additionally, its previously unknown male is described. The genus Kishidaia Yaginuma, 1960 (Gnaphosidae) and a total of 10 species are recorded in Iran for the first time, and new provincial records are provided for 20 species. Two specimens from Iraq are also reported. Considering the results of this paper, the number of species of spiders known from Iran is increased to 980 species in 329 genera.

Baetiella muchei (Braasch, 1978) is recorded for the first time from the Neeru stream of Jammu and Kashmir, India. The variability in larval characters such as size, the shape of the labrum, and the number of the sub-marginal arc of setae in the labrum differs from 12 to 22, degree of fusion of the mandibular incisors, spines on the distal margin of the tergites, distal margin of the paraproct, and the length of cerci are observed from the Indian population when compared to the type specimens. The species number of Baetiella Uéno, 1931 has now increased to six in India. A distributional map of this species is also provided.

A new species of tiphiid wasp, namely, Tiphia (Tiphia) andhraensis Hanima & Girish Kumar sp. nov. is described from Andhra Pradesh in the southern coastal region of India based on the female holotype. The new species is described, illustrated and compared with congeneric species. The diagnostic character of the new species is the presence of a strong, median longitudinal carina on posterior side of propodeum. The new species described here was collected from the Mudasarlova reservoir area of the Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh. The previous key to the species of Tiphia from the Indian subcontinent is modified to accommodate the new species. This new species is the first tiphiid wasp described from Andhra Pradesh.

Minthodes oramanatae Gilasian & Ziegler sp. nov. is described as new to science from western province of Kermanshah, Iran. This species is separated from other Minthodes species by its shiny black abdomen, narrow frons, long postpedicel, presence of basal scutellar marginal setae, short petiole of wing cell r4+5 and absence of marginal setae on abdominal tergite 2. Photographs of the male habitus and terminalia are given. The comparison of the morphological characters of M. oramanatae Gilasian & Ziegler sp. nov. with its closely related species M. atra (Kugler, 1971) and M. rossica (Mesnil, 1963) is provided. Photographs of the habitus and male terminalia of M. atra are presented for the first time. The identification key to the Iranian Minthodes species is provided.

The thrips fauna of Jammu and Kashmir is known for 21 species of suborder Terebrantia, while there are no known species of suborder Tubulifera till now. Two Phaleothripid genera, Bolothrips Priesner of the subfamily Idolothripinae and Cephalothrips Uzel of the subfamily Phaleothripinae are reported for the first time from India as well as for the Oriental region. These include Bolothrips dentipes (Reuter) and Cephalothrips monilicornis Uzel, and were collected in the year 1984 from Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on grasses. Detailed diagnostic notes, material examined, distribution, and illustrations for these new records are also provided. Furthermore, the thrips fauna of Jammu and Kashmir has not been thoroughly studied, necessitating additional surveys to identify thrips species in this unexplored region.

The spiders of the genus Trichopelma Simon, 1888 present in Cuba, are revised. Currently, the genus Trichopelma comprises 22 known species distributed in the Caribbean, and Central and the upper region of South America. Cuba currently hosts five valid species and, in this study, the descriptions of seven new species distributed throughout the island are presented: T. baracoense sp. nov. (♂♀, Guantanamo prov.), T. cheguevarai sp. nov. (♂, Ciego de Ávila prov.), T. citma sp. nov. (♀, Granma prov.), T. fidelcastroi sp. nov. (♂♀, Holguín prov.), T. granmense sp. nov. (♂♀, Granma prov.), T. rudloffi sp. nov. (♂♀, Holguín prov.) and T. soroense sp. nov. (♂♀, Artemisa prov.). Based on morphological characters, a cladistic analysis was performed, revealing the phylogenetic position of the new species compared to the species previously described. Based on this phylogeny, morphological characters and close proximity in distribution, T. banksia Özdikmen & Demir, 2012 syn. n., is proposed as a junior synonym of T. cubanum (Simon, 1903). The genus Thalerommata Ausserer, 1871 is reported from Cuba for the first time, with the description of T. anae sp. nov. (♂, Sancti Spíritus prov.).

The order Hymenoptera comprises an important group of insects, with ecological and economic importance, and serving as ecological indicators. Investigating the diversity and distribution of fauna is considered a prerequisite for biodiversity conservation. In this research, the hymenopteran fauna in mangrove forests on the southern coast of Iran were studied during 2021–2022. The collection was made by sweeping net and light trap. The survey revealed the presence of ten species and nine genera belonging to six families. Of which, two species, Ampulex assimilis Kohl, 1893 (Hym.: Ampulicidae) and Paridris leda Kozlov & Kononova, 1985 (Hym.: Scelionidae) are recorded for the first time for the Iranian fauna. Diagnostic characters of the new records and geographical distribution of all species are provided.

The Pakistan Museum of Natural History (PMNH) holds a large number and historically valuable specimens of insects that were collected from various parts of the country before and after the independence of the Indo-Pak subcontinent (1917–2024). In this study, we examined 605 specimens of dung beetles of subfamily Scarabaeinae Latreille, 1802, and identified 26 species belonging to 12 genera and seven tribes. The tribes consist of Coprini Kolbe, 1805 (nine species), Onthophagini Lacordaire, 1856 (six species), Onitini Laporte, 1840 (six species), Gymnopleurini Lacordaire, 1856 (two species), Oniticellini d´Orbigny, 1916 (one species), Scarabaeini Latreille, 1802 (one species), and Sisyphini Mulsant, 1842 (one species). This study adds one species to the scarabid fauna of Pakistan, Onthophagus (Palaeonthophagus) conspersus Reitter, 1893.