Preliminary review of the genus Stenotarsus Perty (Coleoptera: Endomychidae) from México, Guatemala and Belize, with descriptions of twelve new species.

A preliminary review of the species of Stenotarsus Perty from México, Guatemala and Belize is presented. Twenty-seven species are recorded from the region including 12 new species described here: Stenotarsus cortesi sp. nov. (Jalisco), S. incisus sp. nov. (Quetzaltenango, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Veracruz), S. kafkai sp. nov. (Veracruz), S. mesoamericanus sp. nov. (Chiapas, Puebla), S. mexicanus sp. nov. (Veracruz), S. molgorae sp. nov. (Jalisco), S. monterrosoi sp. nov. (Izabal), S. parallelicornis sp. nov. (Veracruz), S. raramuri sp. nov. (Durango, Jalisco), S. rulfoi sp. nov. (Jalisco), S. shockleyi sp. nov. (Veracruz), S. spiropenis sp. nov. (Jalisco). Stenotarsus circumdatus Gerstaecker, S. discipennis Gorham and S. tarsalis Gorham are synonymized with S. globosus Guérin-Méneville. Stenotarsus distinguendus Arrow is synonymized with S. sallaei Gorham. Stenotarsus pilatei Gorham is synonymized with S. militaris Gerstaecker. Lectotypes are designated for: Stenotarsus circumdatus Gerstaecker, Stenotarsus distinguendus Arrow, Stenotarsus exiguus Gorham, Stenotarsus globosus Guérin-Méneville, Stenotarsus guatemalae Arrow, Stenotarsus discipennis Gorham, Stenotarsus lemniscatus Gorham, Stenotarsus militaris Gerstaecker, Stenotarsus rubrocinctus Gerstaecker, Stenotarsus sallaei Gorham, Stenotarsus tarsalis Gorham, Stenotarsus thoracicus Gorham. A key to the species in this region is provided. Species are described in detail and illustrated, and habits and habitats are given when available.

Insects associated with the genus Agave spp. (Asparagaceae) in Mexico.

We present a synthesis of the insects reported associated with plants of the genus Agave L. (Asparagaceae) in Mexico, through a detailed review of published records. This work includes two checklists: the first include the species of insects collected in Agave, name of their hosts, their geographical distribution, notes on their biology and, references. Natural enemies of the insects associated with agaves are included in the second checklist with their geographical distribution, insect species host and, references. We found 273 species of insects collected in different Agave species. These species belong to 63 families and 7 orders. The orders of insects with the highest number of species are Coleoptera with 118 species and, Hemiptera with 65. The natural enemies of insects collected in agaves were 98 species from 18 families and 6 orders. The genera Aphytis and Encarsia (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) grouped the largest number of natural enemies of insects that were recorded in Agave with 15 and 10 species, respectively. Insects were collected from 42 species of Agave, of which 25 are endemic to Mexico. This study provides biological information on Mexican insects captured in Agave and, their natural enemies. The need for the conservation of these plants and associated insects is highlighted.

Rove beetles collected with carrion traps (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) in Quercus forest of Cerro de García, Jalisco and Quercus, Quercus-pine, and pine forests in other jurisdictions of Mexico.

We present the species diversity of rove beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) collected with carrion baited traps in Quercus forests of Cerro de García, Jalisco, and provide a compilation of published species records in Quercus, Quercus-pine and pine forests in other jurisdictions of Mexico. This work includes taxonomic notes, information on species phenology, distribution, and their occurrence in Cerro de García (if applicable), and other jurisdictions of Mexico. In Cerro de García, 75 species were collected in total, of which 16 are shared with other Quercus forests in different locations, and 9 species are provided with new habitat data. The remaining individuals were only determined to morphospecies. In Mexico, there are 77 known species of rove beetles collected with carrion traps (determined to species or near species) and recorded from Quercus, Quercus-pine and pine forests. These species belong to 30 genera, 11 tribes and 10 subfamilies. This study provides biological information on Mexican rove beetles captured with carrion traps and highlights the importance of rove beetles as indicator species of habitat change for conservation analysis, forestry, agronomy and forensic sciences studies.

A new Mexican species of Belonuchus Nordmann (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae).

A new species of Belonuchus Nordmann, 1837 is described based on 118 specimens from Cerro de Garcia, Jalisco, Mexico. Belonuchus cifuentesi Rodríguez & Navarrete-Heredia sp. nov. was primarily collected associated with Agave inaequidens, and is similar to B. arizonicus Casey, 1915 but differs mainly in the structure of the aedeagus and color pattern.

Description of the male of Oxyporus bautistae Márquez & Asiain (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae, Oxyporinae).

The male of Oxyporus bautistae Márquez and Asiain, 2006 is described based on one specimen from San José del Pacífico, southern Oaxaca, Mexico. Oxyporus bautistae shares with O. mexicanus Fauvel, 1865 the bicolored color pattern in legs (black and orange). The male of O. bautistae has six black spots on tergites and the female has only two black spots; but we cannot explain whether the number of black spots represents a sexual character or individual variation. 

Phylogenomics resolves the timing and pattern of insect evolution.

Insects are the most speciose group of animals, but the phylogenetic relationships of many major lineages remain unresolved. We inferred the phylogeny of insects from 1478 protein-coding genes. Phylogenomic analyses of nucleotide and amino acid sequences, with site-specific nucleotide or domain-specific amino acid substitution models, produced statistically robust and congruent results resolving previously controversial phylogenetic relations hips. We dated the origin of insects to the Early Ordovician [~479 million years ago (Ma)], of insect flight to the Early Devonian (~406 Ma), of major extant lineages to the Mississippian (~345 Ma), and the major diversification of holometabolous insects to the Early Cretaceous. Our phylogenomic study provides a comprehensive reliable scaffold for future comparative analyses of evolutionary innovations among insects.

Hongos macroscópicos de la Sierra de Quila, Jalisco, México: diversidad y similitud fungística / Macroscopic fungi from Sierra de Quila, Jalisco, Mexico: diversity and fungal similarity

Se analizó a diversidad y similitud de los hongos macroscópicos de la Sierra de Quila, Jalisco, México en tres tipos de vegetación. En general la diversidad fúngica en la zona fue elevada. Los bosques de pino-encino y mesófilo de montaña resultaron ser significativamente más diversos en cuanto a su estructura de comunidad en relación conl bosque de encino. La similitud fungística entre los tres tipos de vegetación fue baja y son pocas las especies compartidas entre sí, resultando más afines el bosque de pino-encino y el mesófilo de montaña. Este patrón de similitud es una condición general para otras regiones que presentan características similares a las de la zona estudiada.