Tightening the requirements for species diagnoses would help integrate DNA-based descriptions in taxonomic practice.

Modern advances in DNA sequencing hold the promise of facilitating descriptions of new organisms at ever finer precision but have come with challenges as the major Codes of bionomenclature contain poorly defined requirements for species and subspecies diagnoses (henceforth, species diagnoses), which is particularly problematic for DNA-based taxonomy. We, the commissioners of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, advocate a tightening of the definition of "species diagnosis" in future editions of Codes of bionomenclature, for example, through the introduction of requirements for specific information on the character states of differentiating traits in comparison with similar species. Such new provisions would enhance taxonomic standards and ensure that all diagnoses, including DNA-based ones, contain adequate taxonomic context. Our recommendations are intended to spur discussion among biologists, as broad community consensus is critical ahead of the implementation of new editions of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature and other Codes of bionomenclature.

Three new species of the genus Quedius (subgenus Microsaurus) from China (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylinini: Quediina).

Three new species of the subgenus Microsaurus Dejean, 1833 of the genus Quedius Stephens, 1829 are described based on specimens collected from China: Q. (Microsaurus) bilobus sp. nov. and Q. (Microsaurus) varius sp. nov. from Sichuan, and Q. (Microsaurus) cornutus sp. nov. from Yunnan. Line drawings and color illustrations of adults and genitalia of the new species are provided.

Taxonomy on Quedius euryalus group (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylinini: Quediina) from China with description of eight new species.

Eight new species of the subgenus Microsaurus Dejean, 1833 of the genus Quedius Stephens, 1829 are described based on specimens collected in China, namely Q. aculeatus sp. nov., Q. acutulus sp. nov., Q. altus sp. nov., Q. capillus sp. nov., Q. perlucidus sp. nov., Q. postangulus sp. nov., Q. subwrasei sp. nov. from Sichuan and Q. arcus sp. nov. from Ningxia. The female of Q. songpanoides Smetana, 2009 is described for the first time. These new species belong to the Quedius euryalus group and the fauna of this species group is thus increased to 53 species. In addition, this paper reviews the taxonomic history of the Quedius euryalus group and reports the sexual dimorphism in the hind wing length, i.e. male with longer hind wings in many species of the Quedius euryalus group. Line drawings and color illustrations of adults and genitalia of the new species and some other ones are provided, along with a key to all the known species of the euryalus group.

Taxonomy of the genus Erymus Bordoni (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae, Staphylininae, Xantholinini) in China with descriptions of two new species.

This paper studies the taxonomy of the genus Erymus Bordoni, 2002 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae, Staphylininae, Xantholinini) from China. Two new species are described: Erymus wufengensis sp. n. from Hubei, and E. gilvus sp. n. from Hainan, Guangxi, and Guangdong provinces of China. The previously known four species of this genus are redescribed, and the identification key to all six Chinese species of the genus is provided. The type specimens of the new species are deposited in the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IZ-CAS).

Three new species of the genus Paederus Fabricius (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae) from China.

Three new species of the genus Paederus Fabricius from China are described: Paederus bilobus sp. nov. from Hainan, P. lateralis sp. nov. from Yunnan, and P. brunneolus sp. nov. from Xinjiang. 

How old are the rove beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) and their lineages? Seeking an answer with DNA.

The phylogeny and related evolutionary history of rove beetles (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) remain unclear. This study provides phylogenetic analyses for the family based on three genes (mitochondrial COI, nuclear protein-coding wingless and a portion of the ribosomal 28S rDNA) including 2413 bp for 104 taxa representing most major staphylinid lineages. The subfamilies Oxyporinae, Paederinae, Steninae, and Proteininae are all well-supported clades, as evidenced by all three inference methods, namely maximum parsimony, Bayesian inference, and maximum likelihood. From fossils available for calibration, the divergence time of the main lineages in the family is estimated based on an uncorrelated lognormal relaxed molecular clock analysis method. The molecular clock analysis suggests that the family Staphylinidae dates from approximately the Early Triassic epoch and the most lineages of the family started to radiate from the Late Jurassic to the Early Paleogene.

Taxonomy of the subgenus Euleptarthrus Jakobson (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Osoriinae, Priochirus) of China with descriptions of three new species.

Three new species of subgenus Euleptarthrus Jakobson, 1908 of the genus Priochirus Sharp, 1887 are described from China: P. (E.) trifurcus Wu & Zhou sp. nov. from Xizang, P. (E.) deltodontus Wu & Zhou sp. nov. from Yunnan and P. (E.) curtidentatus Wu & Zhou sp. nov. from Xizang and Yunnan. Diagnoses are also given for two species previously described from China, P. (E.) chinensis Bernhauer, 1933 and P. (E.) subbrevicornis Bernhauer, 1934. An updated version of the key to all Chinese species of the subgenus Euleptarthrus is provided. Important morphological characters are illustrated.

Four new species of the genus Smaragdina Chevrolat, 1836 from China (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cryptocephalinae: Clytrini) .

Four new species are described for the genus Smaragdina, from Sichuan, Yunnan and Zhejiang provinces of China: Smaragdina tianmuensis sp. nov., S. yajiangensis sp. nov., S. yangae sp. nov., and S. zhangi sp. nov. The Chinese fauna of the genus is thus increased to 64 species. Color plates and line drawings of habitus, maxilla, labium, as well as those characters from the internal morphology like male genitalia, female spermatheca, and rectal sclerites are provided.

Two new species of Xanthophius Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae, Staphylininae, Xantholinini) from China with notes on X. filum (Kraatz).

This paper studies the taxonomy of the genus Xanthophius Motschulsky, 1860 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae, Staphylininae, Xantholinini). Two new species are described from China: Xanthophius unicidentatus sp. n. from Yunnan, Zhejiang, Guangxi and Hainan, and X. gutianshanensis sp. n. from Zhejiang. The number of species of Xanthophius therefore increased to eight. The elaborate structures of the everted endophallus of X. filum (Kraatz, 1859) is described for the first time and illustrated with a color plate. A key to eight species and their geographical distribution map are provided. The type specimens of the new species are deposited in the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IZ-CAS).

Taxonomy of the genus Megalinus Mulsant & Rey (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae, Xantholinini) and seven new species from China.

This paper studies the taxonomy of the genus Megalinus Mulsant & Rey, 1877 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae, Xantholinini)and offers a comprehensive revision of the Chinese fauna. Seven new species are described: Megalinus ailaoshanensis Zhou & Zhou sp. nov. from Yunnan, M. hailuogouensis Bordoni sp. nov. from Sichuan, M. liupanshanensis Zhou & Zhou sp. nov. from Ningxia, M. ningxiaensis Bordoni sp. nov. from Ningxia, M. nonvaricosus Zhou & Zhou sp. nov.from Ningxia, M. solidus Zhou & Zhou sp. nov. from Hainan and Yunnan, and M. tangi Bordoni sp. nov. from Xizang. The taxonomic status of M. leishanensis (Bordoni, 2007) is reinstated and treated as a valid species here. The following new synonym is proposed: M. suffusus (Sharp, 1874) = L. flavoelytratus (Bordoni, 2007) syn. nov. Three species originally described in Chinese are redescribed here: M. cinnamomeus (Zheng, 1994), M. coracinus (Zheng, 1994) andM. zhenyuanensis (Zheng, 1994). Therefore the Chinese fauna of the genus Megalinus is now represented by a total of 33 species. A key to all Chinese species is provided.

Four new species of the genus Lobrathium Mulsant & Rey (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae) from China.

Four new species of the genus Lobrathium Mulsant & Rey, 1878 from the mainland China are described: L. quadrum sp. n. from Sichuan, L. rutilum sp. n. from Hubei, L. tortuosum sp. n. from Zhejiang and L. zonalis sp. n. from Sichuan. In addition, the paper reviews the history of the research on the Chinese fauna of the genus. Some important morphological characters are illustrated for the new species.

A new species of the genus Naddia Fauvel, 1867 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae) from southern China.

This study describes a new rove beetle species, Naddia flavipes sp. nov. from southern China and provides additional morphological knowledge on Naddia hainanensis Yang & Zhou 2010. Line drawings and color illustrations of adult structures and genitalia are provided for both species.

Revision of the genus Adiscus Gistel, 1857 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae, Cryptocephalinae) from mainland China.

The mainland Chinese fauna of the leaf beetle genus Adiscus Gistel, 1857 is revised and three new species described: Adiscus daofuensis Duan Zhou, new species from Sichuan, Gansu and Henan, A. ningshanensis Duan Zhou, new species from Shaanxi, and A. tanae Duan Zhou, new species from Tibet. One species is newly recorded from China: A. pubiventris Medvedev, 2008. The mainland Chinese fauna of Adiscus is 35 species, almost all of which are redescribed. Color illustrations and line drawings are provided and a key to all 35 Chinese mainland species. Types of the new species are deposited in the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Two new species of the genus Smaragdina Chevrolat, 1836 (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Cryptocephalinae) from China.

Two new species of the genus Smaragdina Chevrolat from China are reported: S.hejingensis Duan, Wang & Zhou sp. nov. from Xinjiang, and S.magnipunctata Duan, Wang and Zhou sp. nov. from Yunnan. Six species, S.divisa (Jacoby), S.insulana Medvedev, S.kimotoi Lopatin, S.laboissierei (Pic), S.laosensis Kimoto & Gressitt, and S.oculata Medvedev are new country records for China. Color illustrations and line drawings of general habitus and morphological details are given. All types of two new species are deposited in the collection of Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IZ-CAS).

Three new species of Rabigus Mulsant amp; Rey (Coleoptera, Staphylininae, Philonthina) from China.

The paper reports three new species of the genus Rabigus Mulsant Rey from China, namely, Rabigus cuspus Fei Zhou, sp. nov. from Sichuan, Rabigus sagittus Fei Zhou, sp. nov. from Shanxi, Rabigus triquetrus Fei Zhou, sp. nov. from Beijing and Shanxi. For all species included we provide color plates of general morphology and detailed aedeagus structures.

Revision of emEccoptolonthus/em Bernhauer (Coleoptera: Staphylininae: Philonthina) with descriptions of four new species from China.

This study revises the taxonomy of the genus Eccoptolonthus Bernhauer, 1912 and reports 14 species in the Chinese fauna. A catalogue of the remaining 15 Eccoptolonthus species from the Oriental and Afrotropical regions is also provided. Four new species are described from China: Eccoptolonthus conaensis Fei Zhou, sp. nov. from Tibet, Eccoptolonthus fuyuensis Fei Zhou, sp. nov. from Zhejiang, Eccoptolonthus dafoensis Fei Zhou, sp. nov. from Guizhou, and Eccoptolonthus xiaolongmenensis Fei Zhou, sp. nov. from Beijing. Eccoptolonthus (Eumorimotous) laevigatus laevigatus (Fauvel, 1895) is reported for the first time from Yunnan in China and Vietnam. A preliminary key to the Chinese species of Eccoptolonthus is also included in the paper. Color images and line drawings are provided to show diagnostic characters.

Two new species of the genus Melixanthus Suffrian (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Cryptocephalinae) from China.

Two new species of the genus Melixanthus Suffrian, 1854 are described from China: M.menglaensis Duan, Wang & Zhou, sp. nov. from Yunnan (also in Vietnam, Tonkin) and M.similibimaculicollis Duan, Wang & Zhou, sp. nov. from Yunnan. Another species, M.rufiventris Pic, 1926, is reported for the first time in China. High-quality color images and line drawings of adult habitus, aedeagus, and other important structures are provided for all three species. The types of the new species are deposited in the collection of Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IZ-CAS).

Cyanocypus gen. nov., a new rove beetle genus of the "Staphylinus-complex" (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) with one new species from China.

This paper reports one new genus, Cyanocypus gen. nov. and one new species, Cyanocypus leukos sp. nov. from Yunnan, China. A comparison between the new genus and other related genera is provided and the diagnostic characters are illustrated.

Taxonomy of the leaf beetle genus Exomis Weise (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Clytrini) with description of six new species from China.

This publication revises the taxonomy of the leaf beetle genus Exomis Weise, 1889 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Clytrini) which is endemic to China. Six new species are described: E. deqinensis sp. nov., E. huangi sp. nov., E. pubescens sp. nov., E. pubipennis sp. nov., E. tanae sp. nov. and E. viridis sp. nov., in addition to two known species, namely E. degenevei Pic, 1932 and E. peplopteroides Weise, 1889. Exomis oblongum (Lopatin Konstantinov, 2009) from China (Yunnan) is transferred to this genus as new combination. The total Chinese fauna of Exomis is thus increased to nine species. A key to these species is provided and, for each of them, also a color photo of habitus and line drawings of the aedeagus, spermatheca and kotpresse, in order to ease identification in the future.

Validation of Stenus (Hypostenus) primivenatus and Stenus (Hypostenus) yiae (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Steninae).

Holotype depository was not indicated for the new species, Stenus (Hypostenus) primivenatus and Stenus (Hypostenus) yiae, described as new in the publication Zhao Zhou (2008). Missing this important message made these two species-group names unavailable according to the fourth edition of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (the Code, ICZN, 1999: Article 16.4). This problem was first denoted by Schülke, M. Smetana, A. (2015).