Revision of the Griburius posticatus (Suffrian, 1866) species group (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cryptocephalinae).

Nine species of Griburius Haldeman, 1849 have been revised and critically discussed. One additional species, formerly included in Metallactus Suffrian, 1852, has been transferred to Griburius: Griburius tredecimpunctatus (Suffrian, 1866) comb. nov. The following synonymies are proposed: Griburius hyacinthinus (Erichson, 1848) (= Griburius fragrans (Suffrian, 1866) syn nov.), Griburius posticatus (Suffrian, 1866) (= Griburius distigma (Suffrian, 1866) syn nov.; = Griburius rufomarginatus (Suffrian, 1866) syn nov.), Griburius tredecimpunctatus (Suffrian, 1866) comb. nov. (= Griburius incomparabilis (Suffrian, 1866) syn. nov.). Type series of each species were tracked down and a lectotype was designated for each of them, respectively. Redescriptions, illustrations and current known distribution of all the treated species are given. Additionally, Griburius bicoloratus sp. nov. and Griburius consanguineus sp. nov., both from Brazil, are described as new to science.

Systematics of the weevil genus Mecinus Germar, 1821 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). II. Phylogenetic analysis based on adult morphological characters and host plant information.

A phylogenetic analysis of all species belonging to the weevil genus Mecinus Germar, 1821 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Curculioninae: Mecinini) was carried out. Mecinus are exclusively Palaearctic and feed on Plantaginaceae belonging to the tribes Plantagineae and Antirrhineae. Based on a cladistic analysis of six outgroup and 47 ingroup taxa, and 31 adult morphological and three ecological characters, the monophyly of Mecinus appears strongly supported. In this genus six species groups and one monobasic group were recognized. Many species are morphologically similar to one another and lack phylogenetically useable apomorphies; thus for practical convenience these species, which produce highly polytomic topologies, have been treated as the M. pascuorum and the M. elongatus complexes. However, a large assemblage of species, characterized by elongate body shape, appears well supported. This includes the M. collaris, M. circulatus, M. heydenii and M. janthinus groups together with the M. simus group where a reversal to the primitive oval body shape in some species is presumed. Other well supported groups are the M. paratychioides and M. marina groups that appear more related to species of the M. pascuorum complex than to the main clade of elongate species. Optimizing host plant preferences onto the morphological phylogeny indicates that feeding on Plantagineae was the plesiomorphic condition for the genus Mecinus. All species feeding on Antirrhineae, which represent a minority, are included in two well supported groups, tht M. heydenii and M. janthinus groups, which however do not share unequivocal morphological synapomorphies. In general there are no strict relationships between groups of weevils and their specific feeding habits, since larvae of closely related species adopt different strategies, such as seed predators, stem borers or gall inducers. Similarly no distinct biogeographic pattern of Mecinus has been observed in light of the phylogeny.

Pachybrachis holerorum (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cryptocephalinae), a new species from the Apennines, Italy, identified by integration of morphological and molecular data.

Pachybrachis holerorum n. sp. is described from the northern Apennines, Italy. The new species is related to P. karamani (Weise, 1893), from which it differs in the shape of the median lobe of the aedeagus and in small differences in chromatic pattern. The close relationship with P. karamani is confirmed by molecular analyses performed on a fragment of 829 nucleotides of the mitochondrial gene Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1). The general mixed Yule-coalescent model, developed for species delimitation using single-locus molecular data, was applied to a cox1 phylogeny in order to test the hypothesis of P. holerorum as a separate species. Information on the host plants, acquired during specimen collection, was confirmed from gut content, targeting a fragment of the plastid large subunit of the ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase gene and the trnL(UAA) intron. Besides, the lectotype of P. karamani is designated. 

Revision of the Griburius scutellaris (Fabricius, 1801) species group (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cryptocephalinae).

Ten species of Griburius Haldeman, 1849, morphologically similar to each other, and some of their synonyms are revised, figured and discussed. Among them is G. scutellaris (Fabricius, 1801), the type species of Griburius. Seven of the studied species are already described: Griburius albilabris (Suffrian, 1852), Griburius boucardi (Jacoby, 1880), Griburius errans (Suffrian, 1852), Griburius larvatus Newman, 1840, Griburius lecontii Crotch, 1873, Griburius montezuma (Suffrian, 1852) and Griburius scutellaris (Fabricius, 1801). In addition, Griburius biverrucatus (Suffrian, 1852) stat. restored and Griburius decoratus (Suffrian, 1852) stat. restored, formerly considered conspecific of G. albilabris and G. larvatus, respectively, are here resurrected to full species status. Griburius spadiceus (Suffrian, 1852) syn. nov. is transferred from the synonymy with G. larvatus to the synonymy with G. decoratus. In addition, the following new or restored synonymies are proposed: G. albilabris (= G. suturalis (Suffrian, 1852) syn. restored; = G. zonatus (Suffrian, 1852) syn. restored); G. montezuma (Suffrian, 1852) (= G. cazicus (Suffrian, 1852) syn. nov.; = G. suffriani (Jacoby, 1880) syn. restored). Lastly, Griburius rileyi sp. nov. is described as new to science. The lectotypes of all previously described valid species and the confirmed synonyms are designated. The new synonymies, the name-bearing type fixations and designations and the nomenclatural acts are critically discussed. An identification key for the species-group is also provided.

Revision of the Metallactus taeniatellus species group (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cryptocephalinae).

The taeniatellus species group of Neotropical Metallactus Suffrian, 1866 of the subtribe Pachybrachina is defined and 10 species are revised and assigned to the group. Four of them already belonged to Metallactus. They are: Metallactus taeniatellus, Suffrian, 1866, M. insitivus, Suffrian, 1866, M. latiusculus, Suffrian, 1866, M. planipennis, Suffrian, 1866. Four additional species, formerly included in Griburius Haldemann, 1849 (= Scolochrus, Suffrian, 1852), are transferred to Metallactus and assigned to the M. taeniatellus species group: Metallactus cultus (Suffrian, 1866) comb. nov., M. quadrinus (Suffrian, 1866) comb. nov., M. superbiens (Suffrian, 1866) comb. nov. and M. multicolor (Jacoby, 1899) comb. nov. Two additional species are described as new to science: Metallactus geiseri sp. nov. and M. uncinatus sp. nov. Lectotypes are designated for Metallactus cultus, M. insitivus, M. latiusculus, M. multicolor, M. planipennis, M. quadrinus, M. superbiens, and M. taeniatellus. Description, figures, and range maps are given for each species. An identification key for the species in the taeniatellus species group is also provided.

Revision of the Metallactus generosus species-group with a preliminary evaluation of the effectiveness of the endophallus morphology in distinguishing critical sibling species (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cryptocephalinae).

A taxonomic revision of the Metallactus generosus species-group is given in the present study. The complex is made up of three Neotropical species, two redescribed here and one new: Metallactus generosus Suffrian, 1866, M. argentinensis Jacoby, 1907 and M. nigroplagiatus new species. Lectotypes are designated for M. generosus and M. argentinensis. An identification key for the species group is provided. The usefulness of endophallic sclerite morphology for taxonomic and diagnostic purposes within the genus Metallactus is briefly discussed. A lapsus calami is corrected, M. chamorroi Sassi, 2019 to M. chamorroae Sassi, 2019,.

Revision of the Metallactus hamifer species-group (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cryptocephalinae).

The taxonomic revision of a group of Metallactus species, morphologically and chromatically close to M. hamifer Suffrian, 1866, is presented here. Before this revision, catalogues had been reporting 12 species attributable to this group. In the present work one species has been synonymized and six have been described as new to science. Therefore, the group now includes 17 species. The species described as new are: Metallactus abditus sp. nov., M. chamorroi sp. nov., M. dicaprioi sp. nov.; M. madefactus sp. nov., M. praetorius sp. nov., M. viator sp. nov. The following synonymy is proposed: Metallactus albopictus Suffrian, 1866 (= Griburius persimilis Burmeister, 1877 syn. nov.). One additional species, formerly included in Griburius Haldeman, 1849 is transferred to Metallactus: Metallactus octoguttatus (Burmeister, 1877) comb. nov. Lectotypes were designated where necessary for stability of nomenclature. The new synonymies, the name-bearing type fixations and designations and the nomenclatural acts are critically discussed. An identification key for the species group is also provided.

Revision of the Metallactus kollari species-group with a new diagnosis of the genus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cryptocephalinae).

The genus Metallactus has been controversial since its introduction due to the ambiguous nature of the original diagnosis. This has caused some confusion in the taxonomy of Neotropical Pachybrachina. In this work the morphology of endophallus, which is useful for the characterization of species groups in several groups of Coleoptera, including Cryptocephalinae, has been analyzed. This has proven to be a good resource also in the taxonomic treatment of the species belonging to the genus Metallactus. After a careful survey on most of the species described so far, the endophallus shape in Metallactus turned out to be remarkably distinctive and very promising in the delimitation of species groups. The present work includes: a) a new diagnosis of the genus Metallactus on the basis of the aedeagal anatomy; b) the designation of the type species of the nominal genus; c) the revision of a first species-group of the genus, including the type species, hereinafter called Metallactus kollari species-group. Before this revision, catalogues had been reporting 13 species attributable to this group, in the present work three species have been synonymized and seven have been described as new to science. Therefore, the group includes 17 species. The species described as new are: Metallactus rileyi n. sp., M. bellatrix n. sp., M. longicornis n. sp.; M. londonpridei n. sp., M. regalini n. sp., M. bezoar n. sp., M. guarani n. sp. The new synonymies are as follows: Metallactus albipes Suffrian, 1866 (= M. nigrofasciatus Suffrian, 1866 n. syn.), M. albifrons Suffrian, 1866 (= M. flavofrontalis Jacoby, 1907 n. syn.), M. dodecastictus Suffrian, 1866 (= Griburius nigritarsis Jacoby, 1907 n. syn.). The lectotypes of all previously described species have been designated. The new synonymies, the name-bearing type fixations and designations and the nomenclatural acts have been critically discussed. An identification key for the species-group is also provided.

A comprehensive guide to the Argentinian case-bearer beetle fauna (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Camptosomata).

Knowledge of Argentinian Camptosomata has largely remained static for the last 60 years since the last publication by Francisco de Asis Monrós in the 1950's. One hundred and ninety Camptosomata species (182 Cryptocephalinae and 8 Lamprosomatinae) in 31 genera are recorded herein from Argentina. Illustrated diagnostic keys to the subfamilies, tribes, subtribes and genera of Argentinian Camptosomata, plus species checklists and illustrations for all genera of camptosomatan beetles cited for each political region of Argentina are provided. General notes on the taxonomy and distribution, as well as basic statistics, are also included. This study provides basic information about the Camptosomata fauna in Argentina that will facilitate in the accurate generic-level identification of this group and aid subsequent taxonomic revisions, and phylogenetic, ecological, and biogeographic studies. This information will also facilitate faunistic comparisons between neighboring countries. Two nomenclatural acts are proposed: Temnodachrys (Temnodachrys) argentina (Guérin, 1952), comb. n., and Metallactus bivitticollis (Jacoby, 1907), comb. n. The following are new records for Argentina: Stegnocephala xanthopyga (Suffrian, 1863) and Lamprosoma azureum Germar, 1824. Currently, the most diverse camptosomate tribe in Argentina is Clytrini, with almost twice the number of species of Cryptocephalini. New records for Argentina are predicted.

Colasposoma dauricum Mannerheim, 1849 an Asian species adventive to Piedmont, Italy (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Eumolpinae).

Colasposoma dauricum Mannerheim, 1849, a species native to the Eastern Asia, is newly found in Piedmont-Italy. This discovery constitutes the first report of the species from Europe, as well as its first report from outside the original area. The general habitus of the species, the distribution in Italy based on the current knowledge, ecological notes and a reference cox1 gene sequences are reported in the present note.

Barcoding Chrysomelidae: a resource for taxonomy and biodiversity conservation in the Mediterranean Region.

The Mediterranean Region is one of the world's biodiversity hot-spots, which is also characterized by high level of endemism. Approximately 2100 species of leaf beetle (Coleoptera; Chrysomelidae) are known from this area, a number that increases year after year and represents 5/6% of the known species. These features, associated with the urgent need to develop a DNA-based species identification approach for a broad spectrum of leaf beetle species, prompted us to develop a database of nucleotide sequences, with a solid taxonomic background, for all the Chrysomelidae Latreille, 1802 sensu latu inhabiting the Mediterranean region. The Mediterranean Chrysomelidae Barcoding project, which has started in 2009, involves more than fifty entomologists and molecular biologists from different European countries. Numerous collecting campaigns have been organized during the first seven years of the project, which led to the collection of more than 5000 leaf beetle specimens. In addition, during these collecting campaigns two new allochthonous species for Europe, namely Ophraella communa LeSage, 1986 and Colasposoma dauricum Mannerheim, 1849, were intercepted and some species new to science were discovered (e.g., Pachybrachis sassii Montagna, 2011 and Pachybrachis holerorum Montagna et al., 2013). DNA was extracted from 1006 specimens (~13% of the species inhabiting the Mediterranean region) and a total of 910 cox1 gene sequences were obtained (PCR amplification efficiency of 93.8%). Here we report the list of the barcoded subfamilies, genera and the number of species for which cox1 gene sequences were obtained; the metadata associated with each specimen and a list of problematic species for which marker amplification failed. In addition, the nucleotide divergence within and between species and genera was estimated and values of intraspecific nucleotide divergence greater than the average have been discussed. Cryptocephalus quadripunctatus G. A. Olivier, 1808, Cryptocephalus rugicollis G. A. Olivier, 1791 and Exosoma lusitanicum Linnaeus, 1767) are representatives of these cases.

Immunocytochemical increased evidence of inducible nitric oxide synthase, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and adrenocorticotropic hormone in human peritumoral lymph nodes.

In the current study, mesenteric and peritumoral lymph nodes surgically removed from patients with colon-rectum cancer were studied. Morphologic and immunocytochemical investigations demonstrated that mesenteric (control) and peritumoral lymph nodes of a same patient showed the same morphologic structure, but a different immunocytochemical pattern. Indeed, an increased immunoreactivity to anti-inducible nitric oxide synthase, anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and anti-adrenocorticotropic hormone antibodies in the lymphatic tissue of peritumoral lymph nodes compared with mesenteric lymph nodes was observed. These findings suggest that in colon-rectum cancer, the pathologic event induces an increased expression of the molecules involved in the processes of inflammation and carcinogenesis that occurs earlier than the appearance of morphologic modifications.

Taxonomic remarks, phylogeny and evolutionary notes on the leaf beetle species belonging to the Cryptocephalus sericeus complex (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cryptocephalinae).

A cladistic analysis was carried out for a complex of 33 species of the genus Cryptocephalus that has been recognized for some time as monophyletic. 55 morphological adult characters have been used, with 119 character states. Analyses were performed using parsimony procedures as well as Bayesian inference. Further information about phylogenetic scenarios were obtained by combining the morphological dataset with a sequence of 507 bp of the central portion of the 18S ribosomal RNA. Illustrations are provided for most morphological characters used in the analyses. Besides, the following taxonomic changes are proposed here: subg. Cerodens has to be considered a new synonym of subg. Cryptocephalus; C. zambanellus is raised again to species level; C. sericeus intrusus has to be considered a new synonym of C. zambanellus; C. telueticus has to be considered a new synonym of C. azurescens; all the populations of C. violaceus ranging from Iberian Peninsula to central Alps are attributed to the subspecies scaffaiolus Burlini, formerly described from the Northern Apennines. Biogeographic remarks are given and some evolutionary hypotheses about the radiation of the monophylum are proposed on the basis of the acquired knowledge. An identification key for the species is also provided.