Sex-Biased Dispersal Obscures Species Boundaries in Integrative Species Delimitation Approaches.

Accurate delimitation of species is crucial for a stable taxonomy, which provides the foundation for the study of evolutionary biology, ecology, and essentially all biological disciplines. Several approaches toward impartial and repeatable taxonomic practices are available but all existing methods have potentially unacceptable shortcomings. In particular, problems can arise when the underlying model assumptions are violated, for instance, in the presence of reduced gene flow. This is observed in the context of sex-biased dispersal, which is a common but underappreciated feature in many groups of organisms. Previously, simulations have indicated that sex-biased dispersal may lead to erroneous estimations of the true species numbers. However, this phenomenon has never been examined using empirical data. We evaluate the bias introduced by extreme female philopatry on a range of de novo [GMYC, PTP, ABGD, statistical parsimony, trinomial distribution of triplets model (tr2)] and validation (STACEY, iBPP) approaches to species delimitation in the scarab beetle genus Pachypus. Since female philopatry exhibited in this genus in particular can affect mitochondrial gene flow, we compared the results from analyses of single loci, mitochondrial loci, nuclear loci and combined data, as well as the performance of morphometric data as a secondary data source in a fully integrative Bayesian framework. Large overestimation of species numbers was observed across all analyses of combined and mitochondrial DNA data sets, suggesting specimens from nearly every sampling location as separate species. The use of nuclear data resulted in more reasonable estimations of species boundaries, which were largely supported by morphometrics of linear measurements, while geometric morphometrics of body outlines resulted in stronger splitting. Simulations of population divergence with migration, corresponding to the biology of Pachypus, showed that female philopatry strongly increases reciprocal monophyly of mitochondrial markers and may substantially contribute to over-splitting in species delimitation. Robust results recovered using nuclear DNA and morphological data nevertheless enabled us to reach novel conclusions about species boundaries in Pachypus. Our findings suggest that mitochondrial DNA will be less suited to species delimitation in many cases, in particular in the presence of sex-biased dispersal.

A new Haplidia Hope, 1837 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) from the coast of south-western Turkey.

A new species of Haplidia is described from the coastal area of Antalya, south western Turkey. Based on the peculiar morphology of paramera Haplidia fausta, new species, belongs to Barauds group 3, and is well distinct from all other species belonging to the same group for several traits of both external morphology and paramera. The only locality of observation is an area with sandy soil, covered by loose grassy vegetation and sparse bushes and pines stands at a few hundred meters from the shoreline.

Eulasia (Rudeulasia) daccordii, a new species from southern Levant, with notes on E. pietschmanni Breit and E. baumanni Mitter (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Glaphyridae).

Eulasia daccordii new species is described from Jordan, West Bank, and Israel, where it is known from the Jordan Valley and the Negev. It was previously confused with E. pietschmanni Breit, to which it is very similar and from which it can be recognized mainly for the structure and distribution of the pronotal setae and the shape of the protibia of males. Remarks on distribution and colour range of E. pietschmanni Breit are provided, and its year of description is corrected from 1919 to 1920. In addition, taxonomic and diagnostic remarks on the poorly known sympatric species E. baumanni Mitter are presented: it is clarified that this poorly known taxon is related to E. papaveris (Sturm), whose Levantine populations require a taxonomic reassessment.

Eulasia (Eulasia) ozdikmeni and Pygopleurus ozguri, two new species of Glaphyridae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) from south western Turkey.

Two new species of Glaphyridae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) are described from south western Turkey. Eulasia (Eulasia) ozdikmeni Uliana, Bollino & Sabatinelli, new species is distributed from the Isparta vilayet in the west, to the Mersin vilayet in the east, and was previously confused with Eulasia (Eulasia) montana (Reitter, 1890), a poorly known species from Diyarbakir area for which a lectotype is designated. Pygopleurus ozguri Uliana, Bollino & Sabatinelli, new species is an early-flying species only known from the surroundings of Karaman city (Karaman vilayet), and is peculiar for the shape of the male clypeus and paramera.

An unexpected new species of Anomala Samouelle, 1819 from southern Italy (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae), including description of its larva and ecological notes.

Anomala phantasma Uliana, Tomasi & Gallerati, new species is described from the Salento peninsula, southern Italy, including its third-instar larva. The new species is close to Anomala devota (P. Rossi, 1790), from which it differs for characters of the external anatomy, of the paramera and the endophallus. The most striking diagnostic difference is found in the setation of pronotum, limited to a narrow stripe on the midline in A. phantasma, new species, whereas it is present on the whole surface in A. devota. The new species is also compared with A. matzenaueri Reitter, 1918, a poorly known species endemic of the opposite side of the Adriatic coast. Anomala phantasma, new species is a day-active species, possibly limited to maquis and shrublands lining sandy beaches.

A new species of Amphimallon Latreille, 1825 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) from continental Greece.

Amphimallon alexandri Uliana Montreuil, new species, is described from continental Greece, near Volos. The species has diurnal activity and is close to A. arianae (Fairmaire, 1879), A. krali Montreuil, 2002, and A. spartanum (Brenske, 1884), but is well characterized and easily distinguished from all of them by several morphological characters. Detailed comparative illustrations of the main diagnostic traits of the new species and the most similar one (A. krali) are provided. After reviewing the available information, Amphimallon atrum is removed from the Greek fauna.

Discovery of a second species in the genus Microlontha Petrovitz, 1967 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae).

A new species belonging to the poorly known genus Microlontha Petrovitz, 1967 is described from south-eastern Iran. Microlontha iranica Uliana Keith, new species is different from the only other species of the genus chiefly for the strongly dentate margin of the clypeus and the color pattern.

The Giordani Soika collection of Eumeninae at the Natural History Museum of Venice Giancarlo Ligabue: catalogue of species and type specimens (Insecta, Hymenoptera, Vespidae).

An account of the Antonio Giordani Soika Eumeninae collection housed at the Natural History Museum of Venice Giancarlo Ligabue is presented, following its recent reorganization. A list of identified species, with the count of specimens, is provided, as well as details on type specimens. With over 21,000 identified specimens and 2,756 type specimens from all zoogeographical regions, the collection covers over 60% of the worlds Eumeninae species. Several incongruities emerged during the verification of type specimens. A brief history of the collection is presented, with comments on Giordani Soikas activity.

Possible Epigenetic Origin of a Recurrent Gynandromorph Pattern in Megachile Wild Bees.

Gynandromorphs, i.e., individuals with a mix of male and female traits, are common in the wild bees of the genus Megachile (Hymenoptera, Apoidea). We described new transverse gynandromorphs in Megachile pilidens Alfkeen, 1924 and analyze the spatial distribution of body parts with male vs. female phenotype hitherto recorded in the transverse gynandromorphs of the genus Megachile. We identified 10 different arrangements, nine of which are minor variants of a very general pattern, with a combination of male and female traits largely shared by the gynandromorphs recorded in 20 out of 21 Megachile species in our dataset. Based on the recurrence of the same gynandromorph pattern, the current knowledge on sex determination and sex differentiation in the honey bee, and the results of recent gene-knockdown experiments in these insects, we suggest that these composite phenotypes are possibly epigenetic, rather than genetic, mosaics, with individual body parts of either male or female phenotype according to the locally expressed product of the alternative splicing of sex-determining gene transcripts.

The genus Haplidia Hope in Lebanon (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Rhizotrogini).

New data are given for some species of the genus Haplidia Hope, 1837 belonging to Lebanese fauna or recorded from Lebanon. Haplidia petrovitzi Baraud, 1988, and H. chaifensis Kraatz, 1882, are recorded for the first time from Lebanon. Haplidia endroedii Baraud, 1988 and H. baudii Kraatz, 1892, are removed from the Lebanese fauna. After type examination, Haplidia fissa Burmeister, 1855, is recognized as belonging to the genus Medeotrogus Keith, 2001, and the species recorded under this name from Lebanon is described and named Haplidia karlaeschneiderae Sehnal, Montreuil Uliana, new species. Haplidia villosicollis Kraatz, 1882, is recorded for the first time from Jordan, and H. joannis Baraud, 1988, from Israel. Correctness of the name Haplidia versus Aplidia is also established.

Review of the genus Chilotrogus Reitter (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Rhizotrogini) in Iran with description of two new species.

The scarcely known species of Chilotrogus Reitter, 1905 from Iran are revised based on abundant and mostly unpublished material, Chilotrogus matejiceki Miessen, Uliana Keith, new species and Ch. schoolmeestersi Miessen, Uliana Keith, new species are described. The type of Chilotrogus panotrogoides Reitter, 1905 is studied and correctly labelled. An identification key is given, as well as an extensive iconography and a distribution map of Iranian species.

The Pygopleurus Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Glaphyridae) of mainland Greece: taxonomy, faunistics and ecological notes.

The present contribution revises the taxonomy of the Pygopleurus Motschulsky, 1860 species from the mainland Greece, introducing substantial changes to the last taxonomic work by Baraud (1989). Pygopleurus humeralis (Brullé, 1832) is recognized as a junior synonym of P. apicalis (Brullé, 1832). Specimens up to date identified as P. humeralis actually belong to five different taxa, of which two are new: P. brullei brullei Bollino, Uliana Sabatinelli, new species and P. brullei taygetanus Bollino, Uliana Sabatinelli, new subspecies, two are resurrected from synonymy: P. viridisuturatus (Reitter, 1903) from Greece, and P. isikdagensis (Petrovitz, 1963) from Turkey, and one species, P. bulgaricus (Nedelkov, 1905) is resurrected. Pygopleurus pseudopsilotrichius (Petrovitz, 1958) is resurrected from unwarranted synonymy with P. anemoninus (Brullé, 1832). Pygopleurus chrysonotus (Brullé, 1832) is removed from the synonymy with P. anemoninus and treated as senior synonym of Pygopleurus diffusus (Petrovitz, 1958). Pygopleurus anemoninus, P. chrysonotus and P. hirsutus (Brullé, 1832) are endemic to Greece, and absent from the fauna of Turkey. Previous records of these species from Turkey result from misidentifications. Neotypes of Pygopleurus chrysonotus and P. bulgaricus are designated. Neotype of Amphicoma apicalis designated by Baraud (1989) and lectotype of A. humeralis selected by Baraud (1989) in 1988 are considered invalid and set aside. For all species, ecological notes are presented and geographical distributions are mapped.

Protaetia (Potosia) jelineki (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae: Cetoniini): preimaginal stages, biology, intrapopulation variability and taxonomy.

Protaetia (Potosia) jelineki (Petrovitz, 1981) is a little-known flower beetle from north-eastern Turkey whose taxonomy and nomenclature have been recently treated by different authors, coming to opposite conclusions. Following the opportunity to observe and sample a dense population from the outskirts of Erzurum, we add different contributions to the knowledge of this taxon. Larva and pupa are described and illustrated. An account on the intrapopulation variation of adults is provided, thus adding relevant information to the problematic diagnosis from close taxa: presence or absence of white dorsal pattern and of pygidial impressions are not to be considered diagnostic towards P. hajastanica Ghrejyan Kalashian, 2017; and the usually peculiar elytral sculpture may show considerable variation. We discuss the uncertain identity of the only known syntype of Cetonia floricola fausti Kraatz, 1891, which is involved in the taxonomic and nomenclatorial debate, and we consider it conspecific with P. splendidula (Faldermann, 1835), following also the introduction of a new morphometric character allowing to diagnose P. jelineki from P. splendidula based on the shape of anterior tibiae. We provide information about the natural history of P. jelineki based on observation in nature and captivity. Adults are often associated to flowering plants of Crambe orientalis and can be active during at least two seasons.

A new species of the enigmatic genus Osphyoplesius from Sicily (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea: Pythidae).

Osphyoplesius is an obscure Palearctic genus tentatively placed in Pythidae, comprising one species from Crimea and one from Greece, each of them collected only once. A third species is here described from Sicily, based on recently collected specimens. Despite the poor sample, statistic analysis of morphometrical data allowed to confirm the differentiation between the new species and its closest relative, and revealed the existence of sexual dimorphism in the genus.

Synopsis of the genus Pharaonus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae), with descriptions of new taxa.

An overview of the genus Pharaonus Blanchard, 1851 is presented. Pharaonus farsensis new species and P. adelphus new species are described from Iran, P. lederi turcmenius Ohaus, 1941 is recognized as new synonym of P. lederi (Reitter, 1888), and the subgenus Tamerlanius new subgenus is proposed for the two central-Asian species. New distribution records and systematic notes are presented: P. caucasicus (Reitter, 1888) is removed from the fauna of Iran and P. varicoloreus (Burmeister, 1844) from that of Israel; P. fasciculatus (Burmeister, 1844) is reported for the first time from Israel, P. semenowi (Reitter, 1888) from Tajikistan. All known species are illustrated and a key to species is presented.