East Asian Cryphalus Erichson (Curculionidae, Scolytinae): new species, new synonymy and redescriptions of species.

Cryphalus Erichson, 1836 is a taxonomically challenging genus. It is particularly speciose in Asia. Many species are minor pests of fruit tree crops and forest products. We review collections from East Asia, using external morphology, internal morphology and genetic markers with a focus on sub-tropical species from fruit trees. Four new species are described; Cryphalus gnetivorus Johnson, sp. nov., C. itinerans Johnson, sp. nov., C. morivorus Johnson, sp. nov., and C. paramangiferae Johnson, sp. nov. Ten species are redescribed to enable accurate identification: C. artocarpus (Schedl, 1939), C. dilutus Eichhoff, 1878, C. dorsalis (Motschulsky, 1866), C. exiguus Blandford, 1894, C. kyotoensis Nobuchi, 1966, C. lipingensis Tsai & Li, 1963 (= C. kesiyae Browne, 1975, syn. nov.), C. mangiferae Stebbing, 1914 (= C. artestriatus Browne, 1970, syn. nov.), C. meridionalis (Nobuchi, 1975), C. scopiger Berger, 1917, and C. viburni Stark, 1936. Additional records from new localities and new hosts are also presented.

New records of Iranian bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae) and their host plants.

Bark and ambrosia beetles from the subfamily Scolytinae are among the most important pests in forests of Northern Iran. During investigations conducted in 2013-2016 in different parts of northern forests, the species Crypturgus cribrellus Reitter, Liparthrum bartschti Mühl, Scolytus varshalovitchi Michalski, Scolytus sulcifrons Rey, Scolytus triarmatus (Eggers) and Trypophloeus granulatus (Ratzeburg) were recorded for the first time in Iran; Trypophloeus and Liparthrum were new genera for Iran. As new host plants we found Zelkova sp. for Scolytus varshalovitchi, Michalski, Populus sp. for Liparthrum bartschti, Mühl, Alnus sp. and Pterocarya fraxinifolia for Taphrorychus lenkoranus Reitter, Pterocarya fraxinifolia for Ernoporicus caucasicus (Lindemann), Carpinus sp. for Pteleobius vittatus (Fabricius), Parrotia persica for Scolytus intricatus (Ratzeburg), Alnus sp. and Pterocarya fraxinifolia for Hypothenemus eruditus (Westwood).

Familial hypercholesterolemia mutations in Petrozavodsk: no similarity to St. Petersburg mutation spectrum.

BACKGROUND: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a human monogenic disease induced by a variety of mutations with striking genetic diversity. Despite this variability recurrent mutations occur in each population studied, which allows both elucidating prevalent mutations and developing DNA diagnostic tools for the disease. Recent research of FH in St. Petersburg, Moscow and Novosibirsk (major cities in Russia) demonstrates that each megapolis has its own FH mutation spectrum sharing only small part of mutations with other populations in Russia and Europe. In order to optimize molecular-genetic diagnostic protocols for FH in Russia we studied mutation spectrum in other regions including Petrozavodsk, a smaller town in relatively close proximity to St. Petersburg. METHODS: The principal method was automated detection of single-strand conformation polymorphism followed by direct PCR amplified DNA sequencing. RESULTS: Twelve different mutations of the low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor gene were detected in the Petrozavodsk sample (80 patients). Out of these twelve mutations, seven have never been described before (c.192_201delinsGGACTTCA, c. 195_196insT, c. 618 T > G, c. 1340C > G, c. 1686_1693delinsT, c. 1936C > A, c. 2191delG). Other five mutations (c. 58G > A, c. 925_931del, c. 1194C > T, c. 1532 T > C, c. 1920C > T) were previously characterized elsewhere. All new mutations are considered to be a probable cause of the FH in their carriers. Direct evidence of the neutral character of c.58G > A or p. (Gly20Arg) is provided for the first time. Each pathogenic mutation was a trait of its own unique pedigree and so far has not been found in other patients. CONCLUSIONS: Strikingly, out of twelve mutations characterized in the Petrozavodsk sample only one mutation, c. 925_931del, has previously been found in patients from St. Petersburg and Finland (most closely located studied populations), suggesting some common roots in origin of these populations in the past or limited gene exchange between them nowadays. No recurrent mutations were detected.

Scolytus stepheni sp. n. - a new species of bark-beetle (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Scolytinae) from Northern India with a key to Indian Scolytus Geoffroy, 1762 species.

A new species of bark-beetle from Kashmir, Scolytus stephenisp. n., dedicated to the late Professor Emeritus Stephen Lane Wood, is described and figured. Key to Indian Scolytus Geoffroy, 1762 species is provided.

Description of new Dryocoetes (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Scolytinae) speciesfrom Afghanistan and Northern India and redescription of Scolytoplatypus kunala Strohm.

A new bark beetle species, Dryocoetes brownei from Northern India and Afghanistan, is described as a new to science and redescription of Scolytoplatypus kunala Strohmeyer, 1908, previously known only from the female holotype, is provided.