New Cretaceous Fossil Achilidae Taxa (Insecta, Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha) from Burmese Ambers with Description of Niryasaburniini Trib. Nov.

A new species Niryasaburnia nigrutomia sp. nov. of the planthopper family Achilidae from Burmese amber collected from Hukawng Valley (Tanai) of northern Myanmar, is described, notably based on forewing pattern coloration and metatibiotarsal teeth conformation. A new fossil genus with its type species Sinuovenaxius kachinensis gen. et sp. nov. is also described. The tribe Niryasaburniini trib. nov. is established to include Niryasaburnia Szwedo, 2004, and Sinuovenaxius gen. nov., based on a unique combination of characters, of which the following states are particularly notable: head with compound eyes around half the length of pronotum, late forking of ScP+R and CuA after the fusion of Pcu+A1 on the forewing, apical teeth of metatarsomeres I and II both with subapical platellar sensilla, and a unique hindwing pattern with simple RP and biforked MP, CuA with two terminals only, and with A2 simple, reaching the posterior wing margin. The hindwing venation of this new tribe with RP with only one terminal and both MP and CuA with two terminals is unique in Achilidae.

Taxonomic and nomenclatural notes on some Andes species (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Cixiidae) with two synonymies and one homonymy.

Two African Cixiidae species names, Andes goniodes and Andes synavei proposed by Emeljanov in 2001 to correct two homonymies published by Synave in 1953, are synonymized respectively with Andes muiri and Andes spinifer, which were already proposed as replacement names by Synave in 1970. Additionally, the name Andes synafenni is proposed as new for the Vietnamese species Andes truncatus Fennah, 1978 preoccupied by the African species Andes truncatus Synave, 1953.

Bioinspire-Explore: Taxonomy-Driven Exploration of Biodiversity Data for Bioinspired Innovation.

Successful bioinspired design depends on practitioners' access to biological data in a relevant form. Although multiple open-access biodiversity databases exist, their presentation is often adapted to life scientists, rather than bioinspired designers. In this paper, we present a new tool, "Bioinspire-Explore", for navigating biodiversity data in order to uncover biological systems of interest for a range of sectors. Bioinspire-Explore allows users to search for inspiring biological models via taxa (species, genera, etc.) as an entry point. It provides information on a taxon's position in the "tree of life", its distribution and climatic niche, as well as its appearance. Bioinspire-Explore also shows users connections in the bioinspiration literature between their taxon of interest and associated biological processes, habitats, and physical measurements by way of their semantic proximity. We believe Bioinspire-Explore has the potential to become an indispensable resource for both biologists and bioinspired designers in different fields.

Tightening the requirements for species diagnoses would help integrate DNA-based descriptions in taxonomic practice.

Modern advances in DNA sequencing hold the promise of facilitating descriptions of new organisms at ever finer precision but have come with challenges as the major Codes of bionomenclature contain poorly defined requirements for species and subspecies diagnoses (henceforth, species diagnoses), which is particularly problematic for DNA-based taxonomy. We, the commissioners of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, advocate a tightening of the definition of "species diagnosis" in future editions of Codes of bionomenclature, for example, through the introduction of requirements for specific information on the character states of differentiating traits in comparison with similar species. Such new provisions would enhance taxonomic standards and ensure that all diagnoses, including DNA-based ones, contain adequate taxonomic context. Our recommendations are intended to spur discussion among biologists, as broad community consensus is critical ahead of the implementation of new editions of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature and other Codes of bionomenclature.

Toward a new classification of planthoppers Hemiptera Fulgoromorpha: 2. Higher taxa, their names and their composition.

A synthesis of planthopper suprafamilial and familial classification is provided and discussed, solving some nomenclatural issues for the group, and adopting an enriched presentation with a clear distinction between the taxon name and its concept.

Phylogeny and diversification of planthoppers (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha) based on a comprehensive molecular dataset and large taxon sampling.

Our understanding of the evolution of Fulgoromorpha (Insects, Hemiptera) has relied on molecular studies that have only considered either a limited number of taxa where all the families were not represented simultaneously, or a reduced number of genes.The absence of a global analysis comparing all the available data has thus led to significant biases in the analyzes, as evidenced by the incongruence of the results reported for planthopper phylogeny. Here we provide a phylogenetic and dating analysis of the Fulgoromorpha with a large sampling of 531 ingroup taxa, representing about 80% of the currently described suprageneric taxonomic diversity in this group. This study is based on most of the molecular sequences available to date and duly verified, for a set of nuclear and mitochondrial genes from a taxonomic sampling as complete as possible. The most significant results of our study are: (1) the unexpected paraphyly of Delphacidae whose Protodelphacida seem more related to Cixiidae than to other Delphacidae;(2) the group Meenoplidae-Kinnaridae recovered sister to the remaining Fulgoroidea families; (3) the early branching node of Tettigometridae sister of all the other families;(4) the Achilidae-Derbidae clade with Achilidae Plectoderini including Achilixiidae recovered as monophyletic as well as theFulgoridae-Dictyopharidae clade; and (5) the Tropiduchidae placed sister to the other so called 'higher' families (sec. Shcherbakov, 2006).Our divergence times analysis, calibrated with a set of duly verified fossils, suggests that the first diversification of planthoppers occurred in the Early Triassic around 240 Mya and those of the superfamilies Delphacoidea and Fulgoroidea in the Middle-Late Triassic around 210 Mya and 230 Mya, respectively. By the end of the Jurassic, all major planthopper lineages were originated, and all families, around 125 Mya, might havebeen driven in their distribution and evolution (in their first subfamilial divisions) by the geographical constraints of the Gondwanan break-up.Rapid evolutionary radiations occurred particularly in Fulgoridae around 125-130 Mya. Our results stress the importance of the good quality of the sequences used in the molecular analyzes and the primordial importance of a large sampling when analyzing the phylogeny of the group.

Spotted beautyGedanochila museisucini gen. et sp. nov.a new Achilidae from Eocene Baltic amber (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha) and its relation to Achilini.

Gedanochila museisucini gen. et sp. nov. is described, based on inclusions in the Eocene Baltic amber. A morphological phylogenetic analysis supports the placement of Gedanochila gen. nov. into the tribe Achilini. Definition, content and subdivisions of the tribe as well as position of extinct taxa placed within are briefly discussed.

Distribution patterns of Chinese Cixiidae (Hemiptera, Fulgoroidea), highlight their high endemic diversity.

BACKGROUND: Cixiidae are small strictly phytophagous hemipteran insects worldwide distributed. Ecology and systematics of Chinese fauna remains poorly investigated. For instance, does their distribution follows the patterns of biogeogaphical distribution established for their host plants or other related-taxa because they are all obligatory phytophagous taxa? Do they follow the usual distributional Chinese realms and boundaries already recognized? Which zoogeographical Chinese regions and connections between them do they depict. To investigate these issues, we provide here a referenced and comprehensive checklist of the 250 cixiid species currently reported from China (77 new records), with their precise distribution at the regional level. In the 8 Chinese main zoogeographical regions usually recognized and 2 adjacent areas, we analyzed further their diversity at the tribal, generic, and specific levels using a non-metric multidimensional scaling and an unweighted pairwise group analysis using an arithmetic mean cluster analyses. The observed distribution patterns shown that an intercalary Sino-Japanese realm is recognisable between the Palaearctic and Oriental realms. At the regional level, the South China region clusters more closely with the Southwest, Central and North China regions. Taiwan, clearly separated from the South China region and mainland China, is more closely related to the Qinghai-Tibet region and Indochina countries. Although Central and South China regions remain close to each other, the Qinghai-Tibet region appears singularly different. NEW INFORMATION: An updated checklist of the 250 Cixiidae species, known to occur in China and counting for 10% of the Chinese planthopper fauna, is presented based on literature, recent collections, and museum records. More than 400 records distributed among the 28 provinces and 8 regions in China are extensively provided, including 77 new records. Of these, more than 80% of the species (205 species, 82%) have been only reported from China, and most of them are endemic species, which could reflects the great diversity degree of the Chinese regions and local biotypes highlights the uniqueness of this fauna. These species are found in 8 Chinese zoogeographical regions: The Taiwan region is the most diversified with 161 species and the highest rate of endemic species (69.57%), followed by South China (78 species, 17.95%), Central China (60 species, 33.33%), Southwest China (43 species, 39.53%), North China (29 species, 34.48%), Qinghai-Tibet region (10 species, 20%), Northeast China (8 species, 12.5%), and 5 species found in the Inner Mongolia-Xinjiang region that are not endemic ones. Endemism was analyzed for each region and repeated for species distribution patterns across them, 9 being bi-regionally and tri-regionally distributed. The South China-Taiwan pattern is the most richest one, followed by the Central-South China-Taiwan pattern. Semonini and Pentastirini tribes are widespread among all the zoological regions, representing respectively 21.20% and 17.20% of all the species, while Cixiini being is the most common tribe with 45.20%, remains absent from the North-Eastern China region. Andini with only 5.20% of the species is distributed in the Sino-Japanese - Oriental Region; Eucarpini (6.40%) and Borysthenini (2.00%) are mainly concentrated in the south of the Qingling Mountain-Huai River. The remaining four tribes, Bennini (0.40%), Briixini (0.80%), Oecleini (1.20%) and Stenophlepsiini (0.40%) are relatively rare and restricted to Taiwan. At the generic level, Kuvera (7.2%) is the most widely distributed genus in China while Cixius, Betacixius, Kuvera, Oecleopsis and Andes are the more diversified. One genus (Oliparisca) is distributed only in the Tibet region, while 10 genera are distributed only in the Taiwan region. In addition, nearly half of the genera (16 genera, 48.48%) are distributed south of the Palearctic/Oriental boundary. A non-metric multidimensional scaling and an unweighted pairwise group method analysis using arithmetic mean clustering based on the Jaccard similarity coefficient matrix support a Palaearctic/Sino-Japanese boundary and a South China region closer to the Southwest, Central and North China regions. The Taiwan region appears clearly separated from the South China region and to mainland China, and more closely related to the Qinghai-Tibet region and Indochina countries. The Central and South China regions appear close to each other, but the Qinghai-Tibet region is singularly isolated.

A New Cixiid Fossil Genus of the Tribe Acrotiarini from Mid-Cretaceous Burmese Amber (Insecta, Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha).

A new Burmese amber genus Maculixiusgen. nov. with its type species Maculixius jiewenaesp. nov. is described in the planthopper family Cixiidae. This new genus is unique in Burmese Cixiidae by its forewing venation, with Pcu and A1 merging in the middle of clavus, the late bifurcation of ScP+R slightly after this level, and the early CuA forking well before this level. Although the head capsule is missing, it belongs to the recently described tribe Acrotiarini, based on the pentacarinated mesonotum and the distinctly arched RA on forewing with cell C1 wider submedially than apically. Morphological characteristics of Acrotiarini are discussed, and a key to identification of Acrotiarini genera is provided. The new taxon broadens the knowledge of the tribe, and it underlines the already great diversity of the family in the Cretaceous.

Two new species of the genus Saigona Matsumura (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Dictyopharidae) from China.

Two new species of the genus Saigona Matsumura, 1910, S.baiseensis Zheng & Chen sp. nov. and S.maculata Zheng & Chen sp. nov., from China (Guanxi) are described and illustrated. A revised identification key to the 16 species of Saigona is provided. 15 species of the genus are known from China only.

Complete mitochondrial genome of the planthopper Orthopagus splendens (Germar, 1830) (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Dictyopharidae).

The first complete mitochondrial genome of a dictyopharid planthopper, Orthopagus splendens (Germar, 1830) (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea: Dictyopharidae) is sequenced. The 15,349 bp long complete mitogenome contains 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, and 1 A + T-rich region with an arrangement identical to that observed in most insect mitogenomes (GenBankNo. MW441850). All PCGs start with ATN, and end with TAN or single T (nad1, nad5, and atp6). A phylogenetic analysis places O. splendens as sister to Fulgoridae confirming a sister relationship between Dictyopharidae and Fulgoridae.

Four new species of the planthopper genus Metanigrus Tsaur, Yang & Wilson from China (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Meenoplidae).

Four new species of the genus Metanigrus Tsaur, Yang & Wilson, 1986, M. chromus Lv & Chen, sp. nov., M. guttatus Lv & Chen, sp. nov., M. gremius Lv & Chen, sp. nov., and M. spinatus Lv, Chen & Bourgoin, sp. nov. from China (Hubei, Guizhou and Yunnan), are described and illustrated, giving the genus six species in total. A key to all known species of Metanigrus is provided, as well as a map of their geographic distributions.

Parahiraciini (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Issidae): one new genus, two new species and three new subtribes.

A new genus Pusulissus gen. nov. with two new species P. phiaoacensis sp. nov. and P. coronomensis sp. nov. are described respectively from Vietnam and China in the tribe Parahiraciini of the family Issidae. A molecular phylogeny using combined genes (18S, 28S, COX1 and Cytb) confirms its placement in the tribe Parahiraciini. The tribe is divided into three subtribes: Scantiniinasubtribe nov. with the type genus Scantinius Stål, 1866, and Vindilisinasubtribe nov. with type genus Vindilis Stål, 1870 plus Nisoprincessa Gnezdilov, 2017, and the nominal subtribe Parahiraciina Cheng & Yang, 1991 subtribe nov. The characteristics of these subtribes are provided, with a key to identification. Genus Folifemurum Che, Zhang & Wang, 2013 is transferred to HemisphaeriiniMongolianina, and genus Gelastyrella Yang, 1994 is maintained as a valid name.

Notes on genera of Sarimini with description of two new species in the genera Microsarimodes and Tetrichina (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Issidae).

Two new species of the tribe Sarimini in the planthopper family Issidae: Microsarimodes flavomaculata sp. nov. and Tetrichina fuscovinclum sp. nov. are described from China. The genera Duplexissus Wang, Zhang Bourgoin, 2019 and Sarimissus Wang, Zhang Bourgoin, 2019 are reestablished as valid genera based on both morphological grounds and molecular analyses.

A new genus of the tribe Sarimini (Fulgoromorpha, Issidae) from the Guangxi Province of China.

A new genus with a new species Eusarimissus hezhouensis gen. nov. et sp. nov. from Guangxi Province of China are described in the tribe Sarimini of the family Issidae. Molecular sequences of 18S, 28S and COXI genes are provided for the new taxon. Phylogenetic analysis places this taxon sister to a previously sequenced but not yet described Sarimini genus 'Eusarima sp. 4'. Taxonomic notes are provided for the genus Eusarima Yang, 1994. The species Eusarima (Nepalius) iranica Gnezdilov & Mozaffarian, 2011 is transferred to the genus Sarima Melichar 1903.

The impact of a new genus on the molecular phylogeny of Hemisphaeriini (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Issidae).

A new genus, Retaldar gen. nov. of the family Issidae (Hemisphaeriinae, Hemisphaeriini) is described from Guangxi Province of China. A revised molecular analysis for the Hemisphaeriini based on partial sequences of 18S, 28S, COXI and Cytb, provides evidence for a new lineage within the subtribe Mongolianina. With two subgroups of genera now identified, the monophyly of Mongolianina is discussed from both a morphological and a molecular basis.

On the tribe Sarimini with two new genera from south of China (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Issidae).

Two new genera of the tribe Sarimini are described from south of China. They are Sarimissus gen. nov. with a new species S. maculifrons sp. nov. from Hainan province and Duplexissus gen. nov. with a new species D. punctatulus sp. nov. from Yunnan province. The photos of habitus and the male genitalia of the new species are provided. The biology, distribution and origin of the tribe Sarimini are discussed.

Morphological and molecular data reveal a new genus of the tribe Issini from Southern China (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Issidae).

A new genus Sinonissusgen. n. of the tribe Issini (Issidae, Issinae) with a new species Sinonissus brunetussp. n. from Chongqing municipality and Sichuan Province, China are described. Barcode of the species is provided. A molecular analysis combined with morphological characters confirms its placement into the Issini. Distribution of this new genus in the Oriental realm is briefly discussed in regard of other Issinae taxa in China.

Nomenclatural changes in the higher classification of the family Tettigometridae (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea) with description of a new tribe and new species and a review of the Iranian tettigometrid fauna.

The first part of this paper provides a historical review of the classification of the family Tettigometridae, including the description of a new tribe, Plesiometrini trib. nov. to accommodate three Afrotropical genera of the subfamily Tettigometrinae. The name Nototettigometra Muir 1924, is proposed to replace Hilda Kirkaldy 1900, homonym of Hilda Hörnes Auinger 1884, and corresponding new combinations are given, including Nototettigometrinae nom. subst. to replace Hildinae Fennah 1952. An identification key to suprageneric taxa of Tettigometridae including both male and female characters is provided. In the second part, 18 tettigometrid species are recorded from Iran. A new species, Tettigometra (Tettigometra) parihana sp. nov. is described. Tettigometra (Metroplaca) longicornis and Tettigometra (Tettigometra) impressifrons are reported as new records for the Iranian fauna. An identification key and distribution maps are provided for the Iran fauna.