Synopsis of the Neotropical Sclerodermus Latreille (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae) with description of a new species attacking human beings.

We provide a Neotropical synopsis of the genus Sclerodermus Latreille. The genus is recognized by having the antenna with 11 flagellomeres, the head globoid or nearly so, the eyes present and flat, and the clypeal median lobe strongly angled and deeply separated from the lateral lobes. The strong polymorphism of having wings is an intra- and intergeneric feature and the macropterous specimens are diagnosed by having forewings with the pterostigma slender and only the R cell closed. In this synopsis we recognized seven previously known species: S. formicarius Kieffer, S. galapagensis Brues, S. iridomyrmicicola Bruch, S. macrogaster (Ashmead), S. soror Westwood, S. spilonotum Evans, and S. wilsoni Evans. The type-species, S. domesticus Latreille is also included, but their occurrence in the Neotropical Region is in doubt. Additionally, we discovered one more species, S. chicomendesi n. sp., which is described and illustrated, based on both sexes with molecular support. This species was found attacking a woman in her office in Porto Alegre, Brazil, where there was wood furniture with holes bored by beetles of the Ptinidae genus TricorynusWaterhouse. We also provide a key to the Neotropical species of this genus and a discussion about species attacking human beings.

Revision of Pristonesia (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae, Pristocerinae), an endemic Afrotropical genus.

The Afrotropical pristocerine genus Pristonesia is revised. Seven species are recognized, one previously described species, P. nyamuragira (Benoit), and six species are described and illustrated as new: P. oracil sp. nov., P. parcetil sp. nov., P. querfil sp. nov., P. sicril sp. nov., P. tainatril sp. nov., and P. uvenil sp. nov. A key to the Afrotropical species is presented. Additionally, the main morphological diagnostic characters and the morphological relationships of Pristonesia with other pristocerine genera are discussed. The diagnostic characters are revised, and the genus can be identified by the presence of apical projections on the harpe; a setose apical aedeagal lobe; a predominantly flattened cuspis; and the absence of a cupula on the ventral side of the genitalia.

Glutodon gen. nov. (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae), a flap-metasomed Pristocerinae from Madagascar.

Here we describe the flat wasp genus Glutodon gen. nov., and its single species G. mikeaensis sp. nov. from Madagascar. The males of this genus are easily recognized among the other genera of Pristocerinae by having the metasoma with a conical flap expansion on the sternum VIII and the hypopygium with the anterolateral apodeme very thick along its length with a very gibbous tip, both conditions unique in Bethylidae. Glutodon gen. nov. is the sixth genus of flat wasps endemic of Madagascar, and the 30th of Pristocerinae.

Rediscovery of Kurians types of Hymenoptera at Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, India with notes on Indian bethylid fauna.

The types specimens of many taxa described by Chandy Kurian were considered lost for many years, which prevented the recognition of the species delimited by him. Fifty holotypes have been rediscovered in the National Forest Insect Collection of Forest Research Institute, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India. Forty-five types belong to Bethylidae (Cephalonomia tritici, Chlorepyris biharina, C. mackenziei, C. pusana, C. sanctipauli, Epyris agraensis, E. agrensis, E. bombayensis, E. delhiensis, E. duni, E. duttai, E. indicae, E. manii, E. patnae, E. pusae, E. shishami, Goniozus ahmeadi, G. chatterjii, G. chowdhari, G. hybleae, G. lygropiae, G. madrassippattanami, G. marasmi, G. mori, G. morindae, G. nephoterycis, G. nilamburensis, G. pulveriae, G. salvadorae, G. sanctijohannis, G. thalasodi, Laelius agraensis, Odontepyris argyriae, O. batrae, O. cirphi, O. hypsipylae, O. indicus, Pristepyris agraensis, Pristocera govindrami, Sclerodermus delhiensis, Sc. hardwickiae, Sc. mori, Sc. raonis, Sulcomesitius bahaduri and Su. duni), one to Chrysididae (Lustrina assamensis), three to Dryinidae (Lestodryinus guptai, Neodryinus karnalensis and N. pusae) and one to Formicidae (Neoclystopsenella luffae). Six new combinations are proposed: Epyris mackenziei comb. nov. from Chlorepyris; Formosiepyris agraensis comb. nov. from Epyris; Holepyris raonis comb. nov. from Sclerodermus; Holepyris patnae comb. nov. from Epyris; Pristocera agraensis comb. nov. from Pristepyris; and Trachepyris sanctipauli comb. nov. from Chlorepyris. We also provide updated diagnoses, as well as detailed remarks and photographs for all types rediscovered. In addition, we provide researchers worldwide with valuable taxonomic information for the Bethylidae, Chrysididae, Dryinidae and Formicidae described by Kurian. A review of Bethylidae from India and a tribute to Chandy Kurian has also been provided.

Description of two females of Leptagrion Selys (Odonata: Coenagrionidae).

In this paper, we provide taxonomic updates on the genus Leptagrion Selys: the females of L. acutum Santos and L. porrectum Selys are illustrated and diagnosed for the first time. We also add to the original description of L. acutum based on a male collected in the Atlantic Forest. A key for females is also provided for the currently known species of Southeast of Brazil.

Synopsis of world Discleroderma Kieffer (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae).

We provide a synopsis of the genus Discleroderma, which is known only from females. The genus is easily recognized by having tubercles on metasomal tergites III-V. In this synopsis we recognized D. gundari Terayama, D. indiensis Lanes Azevedo, D. tuberculatum Magretti, and D. yemenensis Lanes Azevedo as valid species. Additionally we discovered four more species D. concursum sp. nov., D. dolium sp. nov., D. plymouthoides sp. nov., and D. guamensis sp. nov., which are described and illustrated. We also provide an emended diagnosis and a key to the world species of this genus.

Pairs in copulation of the highly dimorphic genus Pristocera Klug (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae) from Madagascar solve taxonomic problems of male-female associations.

The main goal of this paper is to update the taxonomic information of the pairs of Pristocera Klug collected in Madagascar by A. Seyrig. Within this material twelve species are recognized, ten are new to science, all based on pairs collected in copulation, which are described and illustrated: P. melmani sp. nov., P. alexi sp. nov., P. martyi sp. nov., P. gloriae sp. nov., P. julieni sp. nov., P. morti sp. nov., P. mauricei sp. nov., P. makungai sp. nov., P. teetsii sp. nov. and P. zubai sp. nov.. Pristocera levicollis (Kieffer) had its female discovered, and P. cambouei Saussure stat. rev. had its lectotype designated. Sclerodermus hova Saussure is transferred back to Pristocera and considered as a junior synonym of P. cambouei. Keys for males and females to the species of Pristocera from Madagascar are provided. The Malagasy fauna of Pristocera is now represented by twelve species, all endemic to this island.

Global guide of the flat wasps (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae).

The flat wasp family Bethylidae Haliday lacks global scale literature on their alpha taxonomy. The only world revision for the family was by Kieffer in 1914 and is fully out of date and somewhat useless; the only catalog for the family was made by Gordh Móczár in 1990 and does not include hundreds of changes made since then; and the most recent world genera keys were proposed by Terayama in 2003, but do not reflect the current knowledge we have for the family. Given this scenario, we present a global guide of Bethylidae with diagnoses, taxonomic evaluation, keys, and a checklist of all their extant genera and subfamilies. We visited the main collections around the world, analyzed about 2,000 holotypes, and examined at least 400,000 specimens. To eliminate homonymies, we add the prefix "neo" to the original specific epithet when possible. The family is now composed by 2,920 species allocated in 96 genera distributed in eight subfamilies: Bethylinae, Pristocerinae, Epyrinae, Mesitiinae, Scleroderminae, Lancepyrinae, Holopsenellinae and Protopristocerinae. The latter three are extinct. One new family-group synonym is proposed: Fushunochrysidae Hong syn. nov. of Bethylidae. Two incertae sedis genera are allocated into Bethylinae: Cretobethylellus Rasnytsyn and Omaloderus Walker. One new genus-group synonym is revalidated: Pristepyris Kieffer stat. rev. from Acrepyris Kieffer. Sixteen new genus-group synonyms are proposed: Fushunochrysites Hong syn. nov. and Sinibethylus Hong syn. nov. of Eupsenella Westwood; Messoria Meunier syn. nov. of Goniozus Förster; Acrepyris Kieffer syn. nov. of Pristepyris Kieffer; Apristocera Kieffer syn. nov. and Parapristocera Brues syn. nov. of Pristocera Klug; Usakosia Kieffer syn. nov. of Prosapenesia Kieffer; Isobrachium Förster syn. nov., Leptepyris Kieffer syn. nov., Neodisepyris Kurian syn. nov., Rhabdepyris Kieffer syn. nov. of Epyris Westwood; Codorcas Nagy syn. nov., Hamusmus Argaman syn. nov. and Ukayakos Argaman syn. nov. of Heterocoelia Dahlbom; Domonkos Argaman syn. nov. of Incertosulcus Móczár; Ateleopterus Förster syn. nov. of Sclerodermus Latreille. One new genus-group synonym is revalidated: Topcobius Nagy syn. rev. of Sulcomesitius Móczár. One new genus-group revalidation is proposed: Incertosulcus Móczár stat. rev. from Anaylax Móczár. The following species-group nomenclatural acts are established: 153 new or revalidated combinations, 16 new names to avoid secondary homonyms, 11 species with revalidated status, and one synonym. Keys to the subfamilies and genera are provided. The text is supported by 599 illustrations organized onto 92 plates.

New species and records of Dissomphalus Ashmead (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae) from Cerrado, Caatinga and relicts of the Atlantic Forest from northeastern Brazil.

The main goal of this paper is to study the Dissomphalus material deposited at the Coleção Zoológica do Maranhão (Maranhão, Brazil). The material was collected in six parks: Parque Nacional Chapada das Mesas, Parque Estadual do Mirador and Reserva Ecológica do Inhamum in the state of Maranhão; Parque Nacional Serra das Confusões and Parque Nacional de Sete Cidades in the state of Piauí, and Parque Nacional de Ubajara in the state of Ceará. Forty species are recognized from these six parks. Twenty-two of them are previously described species, namely: D. bifurcatus Azevedo, D. cervoides Azevedo, D. conicus Azevedo, D. curvilongus Azevedo, D. geniculatus Azevedo, D. gilvipes Evans, D. infissus Evans, D. krombeini Azevedo, D. laminaris Redighieri Azevedo, D. latimerus Azevedo, D. linearis Azevedo, D. lobisserratus Azevedo, D. magnus Redighieri Azevedo, D. megomphalus Evans, D. microstictus Evans, D. napo Evans, D. plaumanni Evans, D. scamatus Azevedo, D. subpilosus Azevedo, D. tubulatus Redighieri Azevedo, D. ubracus Brito Azevedo and D. verrucosus Redighieri Azevedo. Eighteen species are newly described and illustrated: Dissomphalus acutipupu Colombo Azevedo sp. nov., D. boibumba Colombo Azevedo sp. nov., D. boitata Colombo Azevedo sp. nov., D. boiuna Colombo Azevedo sp. nov., D. boto Colombo Azevedo sp. nov., D. caipora Colombo Azevedo sp. nov., D. capelobo Colombo Azevedo sp. nov., D. cuca Colombo Azevedo sp. nov., D. curupira Colombo Azevedo sp. nov., D. iara Colombo Azevedo sp. nov., D. iracema Colombo Azevedo sp. nov., D. irupe Colombo Azevedo sp. nov., D. joaquinae Colombo Azevedo sp. nov., D. jurupari Colombo Azevedo sp. nov., D. mapinguari Colombo Azevedo sp. nov., D. matintaperera Colombo Azevedo sp. nov., D. saci Colombo Azevedo sp. nov. and D. torem Colombo Azevedo sp. nov.. A key for these species is provided. The genus is newly recorded from the state of Piauí, Brazil.

Review of Dissomphalus Ashmead, 1893 (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae) from Espírito Santo, Brazil, with description of twenty-one new species.

Forty-two species of Dissomphalus Ashmead, 1893 are reviewed, 21 of them are described and illustrated: Dissomphalus botocudus sp. nov., D. fredi sp. nov., D. tupinikim sp. nov., D. guarani sp. nov., D. congo sp. nov., D. rosangelae sp. nov., D. w-aedeagus sp. nov., D. amana sp. nov., D. potyra sp. nov., D. pyata sp. nov., D. clovisi sp. nov., D. kuara sp. nov., D. miriamae sp. nov., D. cacirus sp. nov., D. mirim sp. nov., D. secretus sp. nov., D. caparao sp. nov., D. capixaba sp. nov., D. ibirapitanga sp. nov., D. purius sp. nov. and D. taiabocu sp. nov. Six species are registered for the first time from Espírito Santo: D. brasiliensis Kieffer, D. bahiensis Redighieri & Azevedo, D. dumosus Evans, D. incomptus Evans, D. refertus Alencar & Azevedo and D. umbilicus Azevedo. Three species were reidentified: D. napo Evans, D. truncatus Azevedo and D. vallensis Azevedo. Among fifteen species-groups which recognized in the genus, amana species-group; amplus species-group and secretus species-group are newly proposed.