Replacement names for three preoccupied genus-group names of Cetoniinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae).

The names of three genus-level taxa of Cetoniinae from Southeast Asia are reviewed. Aurelia Thomson, 1880, currently a subgenus of Ixorida Thomson, 1880, is preoccupied by Aurelia Lamarck, 1816, and Emas Allsopp, Jákl & Rey, new replacement name, is proposed. This results in Ixorida (Emas) decorata Antoine, 1986, Ixorida (Emas) gloriosa Jákl, 2014, Ixorida (Emas) kaorui Jákl, 2019, Ixorida (Emas) philippei Sakai & Nagai, 1998, and Ixorida (Emas) thoracica (Wallace, 1867). Legrandia Jákl, 2019, currently a subgenus of Ruteraetia Krikken, 1980, is preoccupied by Legrandia Beddome, 1883, and Legrandetia Allsopp, Jákl & Rey, new replacement name is proposed, resulting in Ruteraetia (Legrandetia) pahangensis Jákl, 2019. Sternoplus Wallace, 1867 is preoccupied by Sternoplus Mulsant & Rey, 1864, and Walsternoplus Allsopp, Jákl & Rey, new replacement name is proposed, resulting in Walsternoplus schaumii (White, 1856), new combination, and Walsternoplus chicheryi (Antoine, 1999), new combination.

Philcarneum new genus and Constricticollis new genus, two distinctive rhinoceros beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Pentodontini) from opposite sides of Australia with a revised key to the Australian dynastine genera.

Females of two unusual dynastines (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Pentodontini) from Australia are described and compared with other known Australian genera and species. Philcarneum aenigma Allsopp & Hutchinson new genus, new species from coastal southeastern New South Wales was recognised as novel in the 1980s, but has lacked a formal name, making it invisible in the literature. It is placed in the Cheiroplatina. Constricticollis clunis Hutchinson & Allsopp new genus, new species recently captured near Kununurra, northern Western Australia is placed in the Pentodontina. Within the Dynastinae many important generic-level characters relate to mouthpart morphology, which are not sexually dimorphic, thus allowing to determine females to genera in absence of males, whose secondary sexual characters (obvious horns, claw modifications, antennal club length, etc.) are often used in keys. The key to Australian Dynastinae in Weir et al. (2019) is modified to accommodate these two genera and Erbmahcedius Hutchinson & Allsopp, 2021. Distributional maps and data on habitats are provided.

Replacement names for Beckius Dechambre, 1992 and Syrictes Prell, 1936, and validation of Neoryctes Arrow, 1908 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae).

The names of three genera of Dynastinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) are reviewed. The New Guinea genus Beckius Dechambre, 1992 (Dynastini) is preoccupied, and Debeckius Allsopp, new replacement name, is proposed. This results in Debeckius beccarii beccarii (Gestro, 1876), new combination, Debeckius beccarii koletta (Voirin, 1978), new combination, and Debeckius beccarii ryusuii (Nagai, 2006), new combination. The African genus Syrictes Prell, 1936 (Phileurini) is preoccupied, and Kirprellius Allsopp, new combination, is proposed. This results in Kirprellius curvicornus (Endrdi, 1977), new combination, Kirprellius dentatus (Prell, 1912), new combination, Kirprellius marceaui (Bouyer, 2020), new combination, Kirprellius rugulosus (Dupuis, 2013), new combination, and Kirprellius syrichtus (Fabricius, 1775), new combination. Neoryctes Sclater, 1891 (Mammalia) is shown to be an invalid name and Neoryctes Arrow, 1908 (Pentodontini) remains the valid name for a dynastine genus from the Galpagos Islands, and Notoryctes Stirling, 1891 remains valid for the Australian marsupial moles.

Liomenochilus ongi (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Systellopini), a new genus and new species from northern Western Australia.

Liomenochilus ongi new genus and new species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Systellopini) is described from the Kimberley Region of northern Western Australia, Australia. It differs from the other six genera of systellopines by its general shape and colour; by its antennae with eight antennomeres, including a 3-lamellate club; and by the labro-clypeal suture being effaced medially and present only at the lateral declivity. A revised diagnosis for the tribe and a revised key to the seven genera of Systellopini are given.

Two new species of Castiarina Gory and Laporte, 1838 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Stigmoderini) from Australia.

Two new species of Castiarina Gory Laporte, 1838 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae: Stigmoderini) are described from Australia. Castiarina testudocaput sp. n. is recorded from Turtle Head Island off the tip of Cape York Peninsula, northern Queensland, whilst Castiarina notocrux sp. n. is recorded from southern Western Australia. Characters distinguishing them from other species of Castiarina are discussed.

Australian Melolonthini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae): a third species of Allothnonius Britton, 1978, and notes on the other known species.

The genus Allothnonius Britton, 1978 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Melolonthini) is revised based on material of the two previously described Queensland species, A. barretti Britton, 1978 and A. brooksi Britton, 1978; and A. mouldsi Allsopp Smith, new species, from the northwest of the Northern Territory. The diagnostic characters of the genus are revised, distinguishing it from other Australian Melolonthini. The female of A. brooksi is described for the first time. An identification key, distribution map and notes on the natural history of the three species are included.

Australian Melolonthini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae): reclassification of eight species to Antitrogus Burmeister, 1855 and Barryfilius new genus.

The status and generic placement of nine species of Australian Melolonthini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) are reassessed. The monotypic genus Othnonius Olliff, 1890, is synonymised with Antitrogus Burmeister, 1855 (new synonym), resulting in Antitrogus batesii (Olliff, 1890) new combination. Lepidiota ciliata Britton, 1978 is transferred to Antitrogus as Antitrogus ciliatus (Britton) new combination. A group of six species attributed to Lepidiota Kirby, 1828 that do not have the scales characteristic of that genus are transferred to Barryfilius new genus as Barryfilius laevis (Arrow, 1932) new combination (type species), Barryfilius centralis (Britton, 1978) new combination, Barryfilius contiguus (Britton, 1978) new combination, Barryfilius lewisae (Britton, 1978) new combination, Barryfilius quinarius (Britton, 1978) new combination, and Barryfilius vernus (Britton, 1978) new combination. Lepidiota oblonga Brenske, 1900, is shown to be a junior synonym of Lepidiota rothei Blackburn, 1888 (new synonym). Revised keys to the genera of Australian Melolonthini, and to the species of Antitrogus and Australian Lepidiota are provided. The higher classification of the group is reviewed, and a checklist of Australian genera and species is given.

The Australian endemic genera Mesystoechus Waterhouse, 1878, Amblochilus Blanchard, 1851, and Bilobatus Machatschke, 1970 revisited (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Anoplognathini).

The endemic Australian ruteline genus Mesystoechus Waterhouse, 1878 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Anoplognathini: Schizognathina) is revised and compared with Amblochilus Blanchard, 1851 and Bilobatus Machatschke, 1970. Mesystoechus lithgowae new species is described from inland southeastern Queensland. Diagnostic characters and information on the distribution, natural history, and ecology of the two previously described species (M. ciliatus Waterhouse, 1878 and M. costatus Carne, 1958) and a description of the female of M. costatus are given. A key to males of the genus is proposed. Lectotypes are designated for Amblochilus bicolor Blanchard, 1851, Mesystoechus ciliatus Waterhouse, 1878, Homotropus luridipennis Waterhouse, 1878 (now Bilobatus luridipennis), and Homotropus testaceipennis Ohaus, 1901 (now Bilobatus testaceipennis), and their distributions are clarified.

Revision of Anomalomorpha Arrow, 1908 and Enracius Dechambre, 1999, with Erbmahcedius new genus from southeastern Australia (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Pentodontini: Cheiroplatina).

The Australian genera Anomalomorpha Arrow, 1908 and Enracius Dechambre, 1999 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Pentodontini: Cheiroplatina) are revised and compared with Adoryphorus Blackburn, 1889. Anomalomorpha giveni Carne, 1957, is transferred to Erbmahcedius Hutchinson Allsopp new genus, becoming Erbmahcedius giveni new combination. Anomalomorpha pilbara Hutchinson Allsopp new species and Enracius richardsi new species are described from Western Australia. Keys are given to identify the three species of Anomalomorpha and the two species of Enracius and to separate all four genera from other Cheiroplatina. New distributional records are presented, and habitats of the two new species are discussed.

Australian Melolonthini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae): a sixth species of Pseudholophylla Blackburn, 1911, and notes on the other known species.

The genus Pseudholophylla Blackburn, 1911 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Melolonthini) is reviewed and males of a sixth species, P. hurai new species, are described and differentiated from males of the remaining species. The only known female, of P. lepidoptera Blackburn, 1912, is described and illustrated. The genus occurs across northern Australia in areas of savanna, hot semi-arid or hot desert and specimens are collected rarely.

Clarification of the status of the types of Australian Melolonthini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) described before 1950.

The status of the primary and sometimes secondary types of each of the species-level names within the Australian Melolonthini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae) described by Ernst Germar, Hermann Burmeister, Charles Blanchard, William Macleay, Charles Waterhouse, Thomas Blackburn, Ernst Brenske, Anton Nonfried, Julius von Moser, Arthur Olliff, Arthur Lea, Gilbert Arrow, and Alexandre Girault are clarified. Lectotypes are designated for Antitrogus nigricornis Blackburn, 1911 (= Antitrogus tasmanicus (Burmeister, 1855)), Holophylla australis Blackburn, 1888 (Rhopaea australis), Holophylla furfuracea Burmeister, 1855 (Pseudholophylla furfuracea), Lepidioderma glaber Brenske, 1895 (= Dermolepida lixi (Nonfried, 1894)), Lepidioderma lansbergei Brenske, 1895 (= Dermolepida albohirtum (Waterhouse, 1875)), Lepidioderma waterhousei Brenske, 1895 (= Dermolepida albohirtum (Waterhouse, 1875)), Lepidiota bovilli Blackburn, 1912 (= Lepidiota rothei Blackburn, 1888), Lepidiota caudata Blackburn, 1890, Lepidiota darwini Blackburn, 1888 (= Lepidiota squamulata Waterhouse, 1875), Lepidiota deceptrix Blackburn, 1912 (= Lepidiota negatoria Blackburn, 1912), Lepidiota degener Blackburn, 1888, Lepidiota delicatula Blackburn, 1888, Lepidiota frenchi Blackburn, 1912, Lepidiota gilesi Blackburn, 1912, Lepidiota grata Blackburn, 1890, Lepidiota koebelei Blackburn, 1912 (= Lepidiota rothei Blackburn, 1888), Lepidiota laevis Arrow, 1932, Lepidiota leai Blackburn, 1912 (= Lepidiota squamulata Waterhouse, 1875), Lepidiota negatoria Blackburn, 1912, Lepidiota oblonga Brenske, 1900, Lepidiota perkinsi Blackburn, 1912, Lepidiota platyura Lea, 1924 (= Lepidiota podicalis Moser, 1913), Lepidiota rubrior Blackburn, 1912, Lepidiota rufa Blackburn, 1888, Lepidiota rugosipennis Lea, 1924 (= Lepidiota squamulata Waterhouse, 1875), Lepidiota sororia Moser, 1913, Lepidiota suavior Blackburn, 1912 (= Lepidiota delicatula Blackburn, 1888), Lepidioderma albohirtum Waterhouse, 1875 (Dermolepida albohirtum), Microrhopaea flavipennis Lea, 1920, Rhopaea assimilis Blackburn, 1911, Rhopaea callabonnensis Blackburn, 1894 (Pararhopaea callabonnensis), Rhopaea consanguinea Blackburn, 1911 (Antitrogus consanguineus), Rhopaea dubitans Blackburn, 1911 (= Antitrogus mussoni (Blackburn, 1892)), Rhopaea hirtuosa Blackburn, 1898, Rhopaea incognita Blackburn, 1911 (= Antitrogus morbillosus (Blackburn, 1898)), Rhopaea laticollis Blackburn, 1911, Rhopaea morbillosa Blackburn, 1898 (Antitrogus morbillosus), Rhopaea mussoni Blackburn, 1892 (Antitrogus mussoni), Rhopaea soror Blackburn, 1892 (= Rhopaea heterodactyla (Germar, 1848)), and Zietzia geologa Blackburn, 1894. The presumed type of Lepidiota consobrina Girault, 1918 is shown not to be from the type locality, and syntypes of Othnonius batesii Olliff, 1890, Rhizotrogus tasmanicus Burmeister, 1855 (Antitrogus tasmanicus), and Rhopaea verreauxii Blanchard, 1851 and the lectotype of Melolontha heterodactyla Germar, 1848 (Rhopaea heterodactyla) could not be located. The remaining species-level taxa either have had lectotypes designated previously or have valid holotypes. Paratypes or paralectotypes are also indicated for some species.

Niuailan, a new genus to accommodate Carneoryctes peterseni (Endrodi, 1967) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Pentodontini) from New Ireland, Papua New Guinea.

Niuailan new genus is established for Cryptoryctes peterseni Endrodi, 1967 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Pentodontini) from New Ireland, Papua New Guinea. Characters distinguishing it from the Australian Carneoryctes Özdikmen, 2009 species are discussed. The combination of dilated metatibiae, shape of the clypeus and pygidium, simply curved mandibles, absence of a frontal horn, tubercle or carina, and three pronotal horns in Niuailan allow clear separation from other New Guinea Pentodontini.

Revision of Epironastes Carne, 1957 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Pentodontini: Pseudoryctina) with description of the female, behaviours, and habitats.

The genus Epironastes Carne, 1957 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Pentodontini: Pseudoryctina) from southern Western Australia, Australia is revised. Teinogenys demarzi Endrodi, 1971 is transferred to Epironastes, becoming E. demarzi new combination and is redescribed. The female of E. abruptus Carne, 1957 is described. A female attributed to Epironastes nigrisetosus Carne, 1957 by Carne is re-assessed and is considered to be a female of Cavonus sculpturatus Blackburn, 1888. All four species, including E. limbatus Carne, 1957 and E. abruptus Carne, 1957, are redescribed. A key is given to identify males of all four species. New distributional records are presented, and behaviours and habits discussed.

Cavonus Sharp, 1875 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Pentodontini: Pseudoryctina) in Western Australia with description of a new species and the female of Cavonus sculpturatus Blackburn, 1888.

The species of Cavonus Sharp, 1875 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Pentodontini: Pseudoryctina) from Western Australia, Australia are revised and Cavonus fovealacus new species is described from southwestern Western Australia. The female attributed to Epironastes nigrisetosus Carne, 1957 is redescribed as the female of Cavonus sculpturatus Blackburn, 1888, as is the male of C. sculpturatus. Cavonus latecavatus Dupuis, 2017, from near Menzies in southwestern Western Australia, is transferred to Carneoryctes Özdikmen, 2009 as Carneoryctes latecavatus (Dupuis), new combination. Habitat descriptions, a distributional map, and revised keys to accommodate the new species are presented.

Australian Melolonthini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae): a second species of Hypolepida Britton, 1978.

The genus Hypolepida Britton, 1978 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Melolonthini), is reviewed and a second species, H. braes new species, is described and differentiated from H. wilsoni Britton, 1978. Both species occur in northeastern Queensland, with the former in dry-tropical open forest and the latter in wetter areas closer to the coast.

Novapus bifidus Carne, 1957, a primary homonym and synonym of Novapus bifidus Lea, 1910 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae).

In his landmark revision of the Australian Dynastinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Phil Carne (1957) described Novapus bifidus Carne, 1957 from males and females collected at Cape York and Thursday Island. The type series is in the Australian National Insect Collection, Canberra, Australia (ANIC); the Natural History Museum, London, United Kingdom; the South Australian Museum, Adelaide, Australia (SAM); and the Museum of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia. He noted "In the collections of the South Australian Museum there are specimens designated as types of bifidus Lea. No description of this species has been published, and it is now described under the same specific name". One of his paratypes is a female in SAM identified as "Lea's unpublished ♀ type" and two other paratypes are males in SAM. Cassis Weir (1992) noted that one of the SAM specimens has the registration number I4268, although they knew of only two paratypes (one male, one female) in that collection. The name has been attributed to Carne by most subsequent authors (Endrodi 1974, 1985; Carne Allsopp 1987; Cassis Weir 1992; Dechambre 2005; Atlas of Living Australia 2018.). Krajcik (2005, 2012) listed it in his scarab checklists but as "bifidus? Carne 1957".

Trade-Offs between Silicon and Phenolic Defenses may Explain Enhanced Performance of Root Herbivores on Phenolic-Rich Plants.

Phenolic compounds play a role in plant defense against herbivores. For some herbivorous insects, particularly root herbivores, host plants with high phenolic concentrations promote insect performance and tissue consumption. This positive relationship between some insects and phenolics, however, could reflect a negative correlation with other plant defenses acting against insects. Silicon is an important element for plant growth and defense, particularly in grasses, as many grass species take up large amounts of silicon. Negative impact of a high silicon diet on insect herbivore performance has been reported aboveground, but is unreported for belowground herbivores. It has been hypothesized that some silicon accumulating plants exhibit a trade-off between carbon-based defense compounds, such as phenolics, and silicon-based defenses. Here, we investigated the impact of silicon concentrations and total phenolic concentrations in sugarcane roots on the performance of the root-feeding greyback canegrub (Dermolepida albohirtum). Canegrub performance was positively correlated with root phenolics, but negatively correlated with root silicon. We found a negative relationship in the roots between total phenolics and silicon concentrations. This suggests the positive impact of phenolic compounds on some insects may be the effect of lower concentrations of silicon compounds in plant tissue. This is the first demonstration of plant silicon negatively affecting a belowground herbivore.

Identification of yeast associated with the planthopper, Perkinsiella saccharicida: potential applications for Fiji leaf gall control.

Yeasts associate with numerous insects, and they can assist the metabolic processes within their hosts. Two distinct yeasts were identified by PCR within the planthopper Perkinsiella saccharicida, the vector of Fiji disease virus to sugarcane. The utility of both microbes for potential paratransgenic approaches to control Fiji leaf gall (FLG) was assessed. Phylogenetic analysis showed one of the microbes is related to yeast-like symbionts from the planthoppers: Laodelphax striatellus, Nilaparvata lugens, and Sogetella furcifera. The second yeast was a member of the Candida genus, a group that has been identified in beetles and recently described in planthoppers. Microscopy revealed the presence of yeast in the fat body of P. saccharicida. The Candida yeast was cultured, and transformation was accomplished by electroporation of Candida albicans codon optimized plasmids, designed to integrate into the genome via homologous recombination. Transgenic lines conferred resistance to the antibiotic nourseothricin and expression of green fluorescent protein was observed in a proportion of the yeast cells. Stably transformed yeast lines could not be isolated as the integrative plasmids presumably replicated within the yeast without integration into the genome. If stable transformation can be achieved, then this yeast may be useful as an agent for a paratransgenic control of FLG.

Integrated management of sugarcane whitegrubs in Australia: an evolving success.

Canegrubs, larvae of a complex of endemic melolonthine scarabs, are the key pests in Australian sugarcane. In the early 1990s, following the withdrawal of organochlorines, the Australian sugarcane industry faced a crisis with increasing canegrub damage. A comprehensive integrated pest management strategy was developed on the basis of research on a wide range of topics such as basic taxonomy, species identification, ecology and biology of the different species within the sugarcane system, development of new insecticides and new formulations of insecticides, potential development of genetically modified pest-resistant canes, and methods for predicting risk of infestations. The value of the research depended on a wide-ranging extension program that saw broadscale adoption of the new strategies. However, the cropping system is not static, and recent changes have the potential to alter plant architecture and phenology and therefore could affect canegrub biology, canegrub feeding, the impact of natural controls on canegrubs, and the accessibility to soil for sampling and insecticide application. Growers also demand cheaper, easier-to-use options.