Revisiting the Phylogenetic Relationship and Evolution of Gargarini with Mitochondrial Genome (Hemiptera: Membracidae: Centrotinae).

In this study, we newly sequenced and analyzed the complete mitochondrial genomes of five genera and six species in Gargarini: Antialcidas floripennae, Centrotoscelus davidi, Kotogargara minuta, Machaerotypus stigmosus, Tricentrus fulgidus, and Tricentrus gammamaculatus. The mitochondrial genomes contain 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, and a control region. The lengths of the mitochondrial genomes are 15,253 bp to 15,812 bp, and the AT contents of the obtained mitogenomes indicate a strong AT bias, ranging from 75.8% to 78.5%. The start codons of all PCGs show that most start with a typical ATN (ATA/T/G/C) codon and less start with T/GTG; the stop codon TAA is frequently used, and TAG and a single T are less used. In Gargarini mitogenomes, all tRNA genes can be folded into the canonical cloverleaf secondary structure, except for trnaS1, which lacks a stable dihydrouridine (DHU) stem and is replaced by a simple loop. At the same time, the phylogenetic analysis of the tribe Gargarini based on sequence data of 13 PCGs from 18 treehopper species and four outgroups revealed that the 10 Gargarini species form a steady group with strong support and form a sister group with Leptocentrini, Hypsauchenini, Centrotini, and Leptobelini. Diversification within Gargarini is distinguished by a Later Cretaceous divergence that led to the rapid diversification of the species. Moreover, the ancestral state reconstructions analysis showed the absence of the suprahumeral horn, which was confirmed as the ancestor characteristic of the treehopper, which has evolved from simple to complex. Our results shed new light specifically on the molecular and phylogenetic evolution of the pronotum in Gargarini.

Colony performance of three native bumblebee species from South China and association with their gut microbiome.

Bumblebees play an important ecological economic role as pollinators in nature and agriculture. For reasons of biosecurity, many countries promote the cultivation of native bumblebee species for crop pollination instead of importing "alien" species. In South China, a few bumblebee species are considered useful in this way, particularly, Bombus atripes, Bombus bicoloratus and Bombus breviceps. However, whether they are suitable for artificial rearing and forming healthy colonies for pollination, remains unknown. In this project, queens from the 3 native species of Guizhou Province were collected and colonies were started under standardized conditions. The colonies were scored based on 19 parameters, including the stage of colony development, number and weight of offspring, and diet consumed. The data revealed that B. breviceps had the best performance, produced more workers and consumed the smallest diet. Next, we performed 16S rDNA sequencing of the bacterial communities found in the guts of offspring workers, and then a correlation analysis between colony performance and gut bacteria was conducted. Here, B. breviceps showed the highest diversity in gut bacterial composition, dominated by the bacteria Gilliamella, Snodgrassella, Enterobacter, and Lactobacillus Firm5. The higher the abundance of Snodgrassella, the better the performance of the colony in the foundation stage, and later Lactobacillus Firm5, Apibacter and Bifidobacterium were beneficial during the stages of rapid growth and colony decline. Although we do not understand all of the interactions yet, these correlations explain why B. breviceps demonstrated better colony performance. Our data provide valuable information for breeding local Bombus species and will contribute to developing strong colonies for crop pollination.

Three new species of the genus Kosalya Distant, 1906 (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Achilidae) from China.

Three new species of the planthopper genus Kosalya Distant, 1906 (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Achilidae: Plectoderini) are described and illustrated from China: K. unimaculata sp. nov., K. circumscripta sp. nov. and K. curvusanusa sp. nov. The genus is redescribed, and includes male genitalia characters. A key to all species of the genus is given.

Two new species of the planthopper genus Usana Distant, 1906 (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Achilidae) from China.

Two new species of the achilid planthopper genus Usana Distant, 1906 (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Achilidae, Myconinae, Plectoderini), U.tongmaiensis Long & Huang, sp. nov. and U.rotalarius Long & Huang, sp. nov., are described and illustrated from Xizang and Chongqing. A key to all known species and a map of geographic distributions for Chinese taxa is provided.

Higher Essential Amino Acid and Crude Protein Contents in Pollen Accelerate the Oviposition and Colony Foundation of Bombus breviceps (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

Pollen is an important source of nutrition for bumblebees to survive, reproduce, and raise their offspring. To explore the nutritional requirements for the egg laying and hatching of queenright Bombus breviceps colonies, camellia pollen, oilseed rape pollen, apricot pollen, and mixtures of two or three types of pollen in equal proportions were used to feed the queens in this study. The results showed that the camellia pollen with a higher essential amino acid content was superior to the pollen with a lower essential amino acid content in the initial egg-laying time (p < 0.05), egg number (p < 0.05), larval ejection (p < 0.01), time of first worker emergence (p < 0.05), and the average weight of workers in the first batch (p < 0.01). It took less time for colonies under the camellia pollen and camellia-oilseed rape-apricot pollen mix treatments, both with a higher crude protein content, to reach ten workers in the colony (p < 0.01). On the contrary, the queens fed apricot pollen never laid an egg, and larvae fed oilseed rape pollen were all ejected-both pollens with a lower essential amino acid content. The results emphasize that the diet should be rationally allocated to meet the nutritional needs of local bumblebees at various stages when guiding them to lay eggs, hatch, and develop a colony.

Review of the genus Hauptenia Szwedo (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Derbidae), with descriptions of two new species from China.

The derbid planthopper genus Hauptenia Szwedo, 2006 is reviewed. Two new species from China, H.beibengensis Sui & Chen, sp. nov. and H.daliensis Sui & Chen, sp. nov., are described and illustrated. A third species, H.tripartitaRahman et al., 2012, is recorded from China for the first time. An updated checklist and identification key to all ten known species of the genus Hauptenia are provided.

Two new species of the bamboo-feeding subgenus Myittana (Benglebra) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) from China.

Two new species of the bamboo-feeding genus Myittana (Benglebra) Mahmood & Ahmad, 1969, M. (B.) weiningensis Zhao, Luo & Chen sp. nov. and M. (B.) dongae Zhao, Luo & Chen sp. nov. from China (Guizhou and Guangxi) are described and illustrated. A key to all known species of the subgenus Myittana (Benglebra) is also given.

Comparison of Morphological Characteristics of Antennae and Antennal Sensilla among Four Species of Bumblebees (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

Bumblebees, as pollinators, play an important role in maintaining natural and agricultural ecosystems. Antennae with sensilla of bumblebees as social insects have essential effects in foraging, nest searching, courting, and mating, and are different in species and sexes. Previous studies on the morphology of antennae and sensilla in bumblebees have been limited to a few species and a single caste. To better understand how bumblebees detect and receive the chemical signal from nectariferous plants and foraging behavior, the morphology of antennae with sensilla, including the antennal length, and type, distribution, and number of antennal sensilla in four species, Bombus atripes, Bombus breviceps, Bombus flavescens, and Bombus terrestris was compared by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) herein. The total antennal length of queens are the longest and workers are the shortest in three castes, and in four species the longest of the total antennal length among three castes all are in B. flavescens, which is significantly longer than other species (p < 0.05) and the length of the scape in queens and workers are both longer than males, significantly different in queens (p < 0.05), and not significantly different in workers (p > 0.05), and the length of flagellums in females are not always shorter than males, of which the length of flagellms in queens of B. flavescens are significantly longer than males (p < 0.05), and the length of pedicel and all flagellomeres varies among species and castes. A total of 13 major types of sensilla in total were observed, including trichodea sensilla (TS A-E), placodea sensilla (PS A-B), basiconica sensilla (BaS), coeloconica sensilla (COS A-B), chaetic sensilla (CS A-B), and Böhm sensilla (BS), of which chaetic sensilla B (CS B), only observed in females of B. atripes, was firstly reported in Apidae. Moreover, the number of all sensilla was the most in males, the least was in workers, the number of sensilla varies within castes and species. Furthermore, the morphological characteristics of antennae and the potential functions of sensilla are discussed.

Description of the mature larva and pupa of Synchroa chinensis Nikitsky, 1999 (Coleoptera, Synchroidae).

During our field work, a series of larvae of the family Synchroidae was collected under the bark of dead trees. Subsequently, most larvae were reare to adults in a lab and were identified as Synchroa chinensis Nikitsky, 1999. In the present paper, we describe the mature larva and pupa of S. chinensis for the first time.

First Description of Adult Males of Four Species of the Treehopper genus Tricentrus Stål from China (Hemiptera, Membracidae, Centrotinae, Tricentrini).

Adult males are described and illustrated for the first time for four Chinese species of the treehopper genus Tricentrus previously known only from females: T. albipennis Kato, 1930, T. floripinnae Yuan Cui, 1987, T. foliocornatus, Yuan Fan, 2002 and T. oedothorectoidis Yuan Fan, 2002.

Testing Seven Hypotheses to Determine What Explains the Current Planthopper (Fulgoridae) Geographical and Species Richness Patterns in China.

Although many hypotheses have been proposed to understand the mechanisms underlying large-scale richness patterns, the environmental determinants are still poorly understood, particularly in insects. Here, we tested the relative contributions of seven hypotheses previously proposed to explain planthopper richness patterns in China. The richness patterns were visualized at a 1° × 1° grid size, using 14,722 distribution records for 1335 planthoppers. We used ordinary least squares and spatial error simultaneous autoregressive models to examine the relationships between richness and single environmental variables and employed model averaging to assess the environmental variable relative roles. Species richness was unevenly distributed, with high species numbers occurring in the central and southern mountainous areas. The mean annual temperature change since the Last Glacial Maximum was the most important factor for richness patterns, followed by mean annual temperature and net primary productivity. Therefore, historical climate stability, ambient energy, and productivity hypotheses were supported strongly, but orogenic processes and geological isolation may also play a vital role.

Comparative analysis of the complete mitochondrial genomes of five Achilidae species (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea) and other Fulgoroidea reveals conserved mitochondrial genome organization.

In the present study, the complete mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) of five Achilidae (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea), Betatropis formosana, two new species (Magadhaideus luodiana sp. nov and Peltatavertexalis horizontalis sp. nov), Plectoderini sp. and Paracatonidia sp., were sequenced for the first time through next-generation sequencing. The five mitogenomes ranged from 15,214 to 16,216 bp in length, with the typical gene content and arrangement usually observed in Hexapods. The motif "ATGATAA" between atp8 and atp6 was found in all the analyzed species. An overlap "AAGCTTA" between trnW and trnC was observed in the mitogenomes of most Fulgoroidea. The structural and compositional analyses of 26 Fulgoroidea mitogenomes, including the gene rearrangement of five tRNAs (trnW, trnC and trnY; trnT and trnP), the A + T content and AT-skew of the whole mitogenomes, and the nuclear acid and amino acid compositions of the protein-coding genes (PCGs), revealed family-level differences between Delphacidae and other families (Achilidae, Flatidae, Fulgoridae, Issidae and Ricaniidae). Phylogenetic analyses of 13 protein-coding genes from 26 Fulgoroidea species by maximum likelihood and Bayesian Inference were consistent and well supported the basal position of Delphacidae, a close affinity among the families Flatidae, Issidae and Ricaniidae, and a close relationship between Achilidae and Fulgoridae.

A review of the genus Sinocentrus Yuan (Hemiptera, Membracidae, Centrotinae) with description of a new species from China.

A new species of the treehopper genus Sinocentrus Yuan, S. brevicornis Li & Chen, sp. nov. from China, is described and illustrated. A checklist and key to species of the Sinocentrus are provided.

Three new species of the planthopper genus Sinonissus Wang, Shi & Bourgoin, 2018 from southwest China (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Issidae).

The diagnostic characters of the Chinese planthopper genus Sinonissus Wang, Shi & Bourgoin, 2018 are redefined. Three new species of this genus, S. daozhenensis Chang & Chen, sp. nov. (Guizhou), S. hamulatus Chang & Chen, sp. nov. (Guizhou) and S. longicaudus Chang & Chen, sp. nov. (Sichuan) are described and illustrated, and their female genitalia compared. A checklist and key to the Chinese species of Sinonissus are given.

Two new species of genus Magadhaideus Long & Chen, 2017 from China (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Achilidae).

Two new species of the planthopper genus Magadhaideus Long & Chen, 2017 from China, Magadhaideusluchunensis sp. n. and Magadhaideuspingbianensis sp. n., are described and illustrated. Photographs of the new species are provided and a key to species of Magadhaideus is also given.

Three new species of the Chinese planthopper genus Tetricodes Fennah (Hemiptera, Fulgoroidea, Issidae, Parahiraciini).

The diagnostic characters of the Chinese planthopper genus Tetricodes Fennah, 1956 are redefined. Three new species of this genus, T. ansatus Chang & Chen, sp. n. (China: Guangxi), T. parvispinus Chang & Chen, sp. n. (China: Guizhou) and T. similis Chang & Chen, sp. n. (China: Guizhou) are described and illustrated. The female genitalia of the genus is described and illustrated for the first time. A checklist and key to the species of Tetricodes are given. The synonymy of Tetricodes songae Zhang & Chen, 2009 with Tetricodes polyphemus Fennah, 1956, syn. n., is proposed.

Magadhaideus, a new genus of the tribe Plectoderini with the description of a new species from China (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Achilidae).

A new planthopper genus and species from China, Magadhaideus xiphos Long & Chen, gen. et sp. n. (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Achilidae: Plectoderini), is described and illustrated. A new combination, Magadhaideus cervina (Fennah, 1956), comb. n. transferred from Magadha Distant and a key to species of the new genus are also given.

A review of Chinese tribe Achilini (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Achilidae), with descriptions of Paracatonidia webbeda gen. & sp. nov.

Planthoppers of the tribe Achilini (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Achilidae) from China, are reviewed. A key to the three genera of Chinese Achilini is given. A new genus and species of the tribe from southwestern China: Paracatonidia webbeda gen. & sp. nov., is described. A new genus and species record for China, Cixidia kasparyani Anufriev, is also given.

Six new species of the planthopper genus Usana Distant, 1906 (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Achilidae) from China.

Six new species of the planthopper genus Usana, U. aspergilliformis sp. nov., U. concava sp. nov., U. congjiangensis sp. nov., U. fissura sp. nov., U. oblongincisa sp. nov. and U. unispina sp. nov. are described and illustrated from China. A checklist, a key to all species of the genus and illustrations of U. lineolalis Distant, 1906 are also given.

A review of the genus Magadha Distant, 1906 (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Achilidae).

Three new species of the planthopper genus Magadha, M. basimaculata sp. nov., M. densimaculosa sp. nov. and M. intumescentia sp. nov., are described and illustrated from China. The male of M. taibaishanensis Wang, 1989 is described for the first time. Illustrations of M. pinnata Chen, Yang & Wilson, 1989 and M. redunca Chen, Yang & Wilson, 1989 and a key to all species of the genus are given.