Rediscovery of Mantellias pubicornis Westwood, 1889, a rare praying mantis from the Amazon (Mantodea, Thespidae, Oligonicinae).

Many praying mantis species remain known from type specimens only. The majority of these taxa have vague taxonomic limits, as original descriptions are often very short, making strong emphasis on superficial characters (Rivera 2010). One clear example of this is the Amazonian Mantellias Westwood, 1889, a monotypical genus represented by Mantellias pubicornis Westwood, 1889.

Revision of Cerozodus Bigot, 1857 (Diptera, Asilidae, Asilinae) with description of a new species from Brazil.

The second species of the Neotropical genus Cerozodus Bigot, 1857, Cerozodus brachylobus sp. nov. is described from Mirador, Maranhao state, Brazil and Cerozodus nodicornis (Wiedemann, 1828) is redescribed. The habitus, wing and male terminalia structures are described and illustrated.

A new species of Dicranophora Macquart (Diptera, Stratiomyidae) from Bahia State, Brazil and a key to species of the genus.

A new species of the Neotropical Dicranophora Macquart is described and illustrated from six males collected in northeast Brazil, Bahia state (Encruzilhada district). Dicranophora femurspiculata sp. nov. is characterized by the specific pattern of spots on the frons, on the legs and on the abdomen, and by a distinct shape of the scutellar process and mid femur A key to the species of the genus and a distribution map are presented.

Taxonomic review of Ctenodontina Enderlein, 1914 with the revalidation of Catostola Hull, 1958 (Diptera: Asilidae: Asilinae) and description of a new species.

A taxonomic review of Ctenodontina Enderlein, 1914, was performed and only two species are included: Ctenodontina mochica Lamas, 1973 and Ctenodontina pectinatipes Enderlein, 1914. Catostola Hull, 1958 stat. rev., a genus that was previously allocated as junior synonym of Ctenodontina has its status revalidated and justifications for this nomenclatural act are presented. Consequently, seven species previously allocated in Ctenodontina were transferred to Catostola stat. rev.: Catostola baleta (Walker, 1849) comb. nov., Catostola carrerai Hull, 1958 comb. rev., Catostola complicata (James, 1953) comb. nov., Catostola martini (Fisher, 1992) comb. nov., Catostola maya (Carrera & d'Andretta, 1953) comb. rev., Catostola nairae (Vieira, 2012) comb. nov., and Catostola sagta (Vieira, Ayala-Landa & Rafael, 2017) comb. nov. All species were redescribed and illustrated, except Catostola carrerai Hull, 1958 comb. rev., and Ctenodontina mochica Lamas, 1973, for which only diagnosis were provided. A new species Catostola indecisa sp. nov., was described and illustrated. In addition, new distribution records were provided for Catostola baleta comb. nov., Catostola martini comb. nov., Catostola maya comb. rev., Catostola nairae comb. nov., and Catostola sagta comb. nov. An identification key to all species is provided including distribution maps with previous and new records.

Tropicohilara, a New Genus of Hilarini (Diptera: Empididae: Empidinae) from Brazil, with Descriptions of Six New Species.

The genus Tropicohilaragen. nov. (Diptera: Empididae: Empidinae: Hilarini) is described and includes the following six new species from Brazil: Tropicohilara amazonensissp. nov. (type species, Brazil: Amazonas, Manaus); T. bahiensissp. nov. (Brazil: Bahia, Camacan); T. bellasp. nov. (Brazil: Pernambuco, Jaqueira); T. mineirasp. nov. (Brazil: Minas Gerais, Itamonte); T. paranaensissp. nov. (Brazil: Paraná, Piraquara); and T. sinclairisp. nov. (Brazil: Paraná, Morretes). The genus is presently recorded from the Amazonian and Atlantic Forest biomes. It differs from other hilarine genera by the following combination of characteristics: predominantly yellowish specimens; occiput somewhat conical in dorsal view; postpedicel elongate, male first fore tarsomere unmodified; hind tibia slightly shorter than hind femur; wing vein R2+3 with setae on ventral surface; male tergite 7 with a sclerotized band at posterior margin, tergite 8 reduced and upwardly directed so that terminalia can be flexed forward. A key to the species is provided.

Taxonomic review of Cerozodus Bigot, 1857 (Diptera: Asilidae: Asilinae) with the description of two new species.

In this work, a taxonomic review of Cerozodus Bigot, 1857 is performed and its two included species namely, Cerozodus brachylobus Vieira, Rafael & Limeira-de-Oliveira, 2013 and Cerozodus nodicornis (Wiedemann, 1828) are redescribed and two new species from Brazil are described, Cerozodus ayalai sp. nov. and Cerozodus platylobus sp. nov. Illustrations of male and female, including their respective terminalia are presented. A key for all species is proposed and an updated map with the distribution records is presented.

Basileunculus Rafael, 1987 (Diptera: Pipunculidae) of Colombia, with Description of Three New Species and an Updated Key to Males of the Neotropical Species.

Basileunculus Rafael, 1987 is exclusive of the Neotropical region and is a poorly studied group, completely unknown in Colombia. Three new species of Basileunculus are described from Colombia, namely Basileunculus elieceri sp. nov. (type-locality: Cabaña Chaina, Santuario de Fauna y Flora Iguaque), B. elongatus sp. nov. (type-locality: Santuario de Fauna y Flora Iguaque), and B. tayronensis sp. nov. (type-locality: Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona). Basileunculus rex Curran, 1934 is recorded for the first time in Colombia, with an amended diagnosis. Descriptions, illustrations, diagnosis, distribution maps of new species, and a dichotomic key for all of the Neotropical species are presented.

Vertical stratification of insect abundance and species richness in an Amazonian tropical forest.

Tropical forests are among the most biodiverse biomes on the planet. Nevertheless, quantifying the abundance and species richness within megadiverse groups is a significant challenge. We designed a study to address this challenge by documenting the variability of the insect fauna across a vertical canopy gradient in a Central Amazonian tropical forest. Insects were sampled over two weeks using 6-m Gressitt-style Malaise traps set at five heights (0 m-32 m-8 m intervals) on a metal tower in a tropical forest north of Manaus, Brazil. The traps contained 37,778 specimens of 18 orders of insects. Using simulation approaches and nonparametric analyses, we interpreted the abundance and richness of insects along this gradient. Diptera, Hymenoptera, and Coleoptera had their greatest abundance at the ground level, whereas Lepidoptera and Hemiptera were more abundant in the upper levels of the canopy. We identified species of 38 of the 56 families of Diptera, finding that 527 out of 856 species (61.6%) were not sampled at the ground level. Mycetophilidae, Tipulidae, and Phoridae were significantly more diverse and/or abundant at the ground level, while Tachinidae, Dolichopodidae, and Lauxaniidae were more diverse or abundant at upper levels. Our study suggests the need for a careful discussion of strategies of tropical forest conservation based on a much more complete understanding of the three-dimensional distribution of its insect diversity.

Redescription of emRaggophyllum/em Nickle, 1967 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae) with description of a new species from Brazilian Amazon Rainforest and placement in Microcentrini Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878.

Raggophyllum Nickle, 1967 is a monotypic genus, including Raggophylluym spinosum, and recorded in Peru and Bolivia. In this work, Raggophyllum is redescribed and assigned to the Microcentrini, based on the type species Raggophylluym spinosum. Raggophyllum rubrofemoratum sp. nov. in described from Brazil, Acre and Amazonas, and it is the first record for the genus in Brazil. The male genitalia and the stridulatory file morphology are described for the first time. A distribution map, notes on the habitat, and commentaries on their distribution among Amazonian endemism areas are included.

Checklist and identification key to Brazilian species of Triplocania Roesler (Psocodea: 'Psocoptera': Psocomorpha: Ptiloneuridae), with four new cave-dwelling species.

Four species of Triplocania are described and illustrated (T. brancoi n. sp., T. ferratilis n. sp., T. pains n. sp., and T. zairae n. sp.), all based on male specimens collected in caves of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. An identification key is presented to the Brazilian species of Triplocania, based on males, together with information on both sexes and distributions.

Are publications on zoological taxonomy under attack?

Taxonomy is essential to biological sciences and the priority field in face of the biodiversity crisis. The industry of scientific publications has made extensive promotion and display of bibliometric indexes, resulting in side effects such as the Journal Impact Factor™ (JIF) mania. Inadequacies of the widely used indexes to assess taxonomic publications are among the impediments for the progress of this field. Based on an unusually high proportion of self-citations, the mega-journal Zootaxa, focused on zoological taxonomy, was suppressed from the Journal Citation Reports (JCR, Clarivate™). A prompt reaction from the scientific community against this decision took place exposing myths and misuses of bibliometrics. Our goal is to shed light on the impact of misuse of bibliometrics to the production in taxonomy. We explored JCR's metrics for 2010-2018 of 123 zoological journals publishing taxonomic studies. Zootaxa, with around 15 000 citations, received 311% more citations than the second most cited journal, and shows higher levels of self-citations than similar journals. We consider Zootaxa's scope and the fact that it is a mega-journal are insufficient to explain its high level of self-citation. Instead, this result is related to the 'Zootaxa phenomenon', a sociological bias that includes visibility and potentially harmful misconceptions that portray the journal as the only one that publishes taxonomic studies. Menaces to taxonomy come from many sources and the low bibliometric indexes, including JIF, are only one factor among a range of threats. Instead of being focused on statistically illiterate journal metrics endorsing the villainy of policies imposed by profit-motivated companies, taxonomists should be engaged with renewed strength in actions directly connected to the promotion and practice of this science without regard for citation analysis.

emTimnewia/em García Aldrete (Psocodea: 'Psocoptera': Ptiloneuridae): new species and variation in the wing venation of emT. jeaneae/em Silva-Neto, García Aldrete amp; Rafael.

A new species of Timnewia from the Brazilian state of Amazonas, is here described, illustrated and named as: Timnewia amazonense n. sp. This new species differs from T. greeni and T. jeaneae in details of the hypandrium and phallosome. New observations on variation in the forewing venation of T. jeaneae are also presented.

Redescription of Acropsis Grant, 1958 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae: Microcentrini) and description of new species from Brazilian and Colombian Amazon Rainforest.

Acropsis Grant, 1958 is a monotypic genus with records only for Peru (type locality). Acropsis is being redescribed, including the Acropsis tectiformis species and two new species: Acropsis solimoesensis sp. nov. and Acropsis julianae sp. nov. The male internal genitalia and the stridulatory file morphology for the genus is being described for the first time. Furthermore, the genus is registered for the first time for Colombia (Caquetá) and Brazil (Acre and Amazonas) and additionally notes on the habitat are made.

Dermaptera (Insecta): a guide for hind wing stretching and hind wing preservation.

The Dermaptera (earwigs) have the most complex folding system of the posterior wing among insects. We provide an illustrated guide describing how to stretch a dermapteran hind wing and mount it on slides in Hoyer's medium.

Five new genera of angle-wing katydids (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae: Microcentrini) from the Amazon Rainforest.

Microcentrini Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878 is within the subfamily Phaneropterinae and currently comprises 11 genera and 81 species with Neotropical distribution. In this paper, five new genera are described: Boroseiyla gen. nov. (type species Boroseiyla tupeba sp. nov.), Caauara gen. nov. (type species Caauara pinima sp. nov.), Capiguara gen. nov. (type species Capiguara trimaculata sp. nov.), Hyalipenna gen. nov. (type species Hyalipenna tetralineata sp. nov.) and Tuaia gen. nov. (type species Tuaia panacarica sp. nov.) covering a total of seventeen new species registered for the Amazon rainforest. Moreover, Microcentrum nigrolineatum is included in Boroseiyla gen. nov. (Boroseiyla nigrolineatus comb. nov.). Keys to the species of the described genera, maps and observations of natural history are provided.

A new genus of chevron cricket (Orthoptera: Anostostomatidae: Lutosinae) from the Colombian and Venezuelan Amazon Rainforest.

Tintiyakus gen. nov., is described based on specimens from the Amazon region, including three species: Tintiyakus piaroa n. comb. (transferred from Hydrolutus Issa Jaffe), Tintiyakus sexangulus sp. nov. (type-species pres. desig.) and Tintiyakus trewicki sp. nov. After Hydrolutos, this is the second anostostomatid genus described to be known from its semiaquatic behaviors, inhabiting the lowlands of the Amazon rainforest. An identification key for species based on males is provided.

Five new species of Macrostomus Wiedemann and a checklist of Empididae (s. str.) (Diptera) from Bolivia.

Ten Bolivian species of Macrostomus Wiedemann were studied. Five species are redescribed based on type specimens           described by Bezzi. The species are included in the following species-groups: four in the M. ferrugineus species-group: M.       arcucinctus (Bezzi), M. argyrotarsis (Bezzi), M. dolichopterus (Bezzi) and M. grallatrix (Bezzi); three in the M. limbipennis species-group: M. macerrimus (Bezzi), M. montanus sp. nov. and M. rodriguezi sp. nov.; one species in the M. amazonensis species-group: M. falcatus sp. nov.; and two unplaced to species-group: M. trifidus sp. nov. and M. trilineatus sp. nov. A key to the 12 species of Macrostomus found in Bolivia, including M. limbipennis (Bezzi) and M. pictipennis (Bezzi), is presented. Macrostomus argyrotarsis (Bezzi) is also recorded for the first time from Peru. A checklist of 31 described species of Bolivian Empididae s. str. is included. Three empidid species originally described from Mexico that had previously been recorded from Bolivia, are excluded from the Bolivian fauna.

Revision of Leinendera Carrera, 1945 (Diptera: Asilidae: Asilinae) with description of two new species.

Two new species of the Neotropical genus Leinendera Carrera, 1945, Leinendera carrerai sp. n. and Leinendera mnrj sp. n., and the female of Leinendera achaeta Camargo, Vieira, Köhler Rafael, 2016 are described from Brazil. The habitus, wing, male terminalia and female terminalia for the latter species are described and illustrated. The female terminalia of Leinendera rubra Carrera, 1945 is also illustrated. An identification key for the five Leinendera species and a distribution map with new records are provided.

Milenascopia gen. nov. (Orthoptera: Proscopiidae) from the Brazilian Amazon Basin and a pictorial key to Proscopiini genera.

A new genus of Proscopiidae, Milenascopia gen. nov., is described from Brazil, with two included species, namely Milenascopia bilineata gen. nov., sp. nov. (type-species) and Milenascopia tenuis gen. nov., sp. nov. A pictorial key of Proscopiini, based on the male genitalia is provided.

Mecomera Audinet-Serville, 1839 (Dermaptera: Spongiphoridae): proposal of new diagnosis, descriptions and illustrations of all three-known species.

Mecomera Audinet-Serville, 1839 (Spongiphoridae: Sparattinae) is a neotropical genus with three species: M. brunnea Audinet-Serville, M. chacoensis (Borelli) and M. reichardti Brindle. By comparing specimens of the three Mecomera species (types and ordinary material) to their respective original descriptions and drawings, it was determined that the descriptions are over-simplified and the drawings are not fully accurate. To prevent future identification problems, new diagnosis, descriptions and images of the external body and male genitalia of the three Mecomera species are provided.