The first record of Propomacrusbimucronatus (Pallas, 1781) (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) from Iraq, with notes on its distribution and phenology in the Near East.

Background: Propomacrusbimucronatus (Pallas, 1781), the Mediterranean long-armed scarab, is a large saproxylic beetle, occurring in the east Mediterranean and south-east Europe, sparse throughout its entire distributional range, often considered as rare, threatened or extinct species. New information: Propomacrusbimucronatus is recorded for the first time from Kurdistan, Iraq. The new data on its distribution and phenology in Iraq and in Israel is published for the first time, compared with the previously-published data and analysed.

Reclassification of Gall Midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae: Cecidomyiini) from Amaranthaceae, with Description of Ten New Species Based on an Integrative Taxonomic Study.

The genus Halodiplosis includes 99 species restricted to host-plants of the Amaranthaceae, virtually all of which are from Central Asia. The discovery of numerous undescribed species putatively belonging to this genus in Israel instigated an exhaustive review of the original descriptions of all known species in this genus. This study revealed that the generic concept of Halodiplosis and some of the genera synonymized under it should be redefined based on morphological and life-history attributes, such that Halodiplosis is limited to only 13 species developing in plant tissues without obvious gall formation or as inquilines in galls of other cecidomyiids. Revised status were proposed for Asiodiplosis, Onodiplosis, and Desertomyia, all species of which are gall inducers. A detailed morphological study of the Israeli species combined with data on their life history and an analysis of mitochondrial COI and 16S gene sequences revealed nine gall-inducing species belonging to Asiodiplosis and one inquilinous species belonging to Halodiplosis. All ten species (Asiodiplosis admirabilis n.sp., A. bimoda n.sp., A. delicatula n.sp., A. largifica n.sp., A. mohicana n.sp., A. mucronata n.sp., A. paradoxa n.sp., A. pillosaeconspicua n.sp., A. stellata n.sp., and Halodiplosis fugax n.sp.) are described here as new to science, including the first descriptions of larvae and pupae for these genera.

The ground beetle tribe Platynini Bonelli, 1810 (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in the southern Levant: dichotomous and interactive identification tools, ecological traits, and distribution.

The carabids of the tribe Platynini from the southern Levant (Egypt: Sinai Peninsula, Israel, Jordan) and adjacent regions of Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia are reviewed in terms of species taxonomy, ecological, distributional traits, and conservation biology. In addition to a classical dichotomous identification key to the 14 species of the region, identification tools are made freely available via the Xper3 knowledge database "Platynini, southern Levant". Besides an interactive identification key, a matrix with character states for the species and single access identification keys are available. A database including all available records from the southern Levant is also provided. First faunistic records are recorded for Anchomenusdorsalisinfuscatus from Sinai (Egypt), Olisthopusfuscatus from Lebanon and Iraq, and for O.glabricollis from Iraq. Threatened species are discussed, also with regard to the reasons of their decline. The majority of species lives in wetlands, especially on the shore of winter ponds and streams, which have been extremely degraded in the last decades.

The tiger beetles (Coleoptera, Cicindelidae) of the southern Levant and adjacent territories: from cybertaxonomy to conservation biology.

The tiger beetles of the southern Levant (Egypt: Sinai, Israel, Jordan) and adjacent regions of the neighboring countries Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Egypt are reviewed in terms of species taxonomy, ecological and distributional traits and conservation biology. An illustrated dichotomous identification key from the species of this region is provided. Based on the classical identification key, we developed a digital identification application for smartphones and tablets. The species status of Calomera aulicoides (J.R. Sahlberg, 1913) is (re-) established (stat. rest.) as this taxon can be found sympatrically and parapatrically together with Calomera littoralis winkleri (Mandl, 1934). Morphological character states are discussed to identify Cicindela javetii Chaudoir, 1861 and C. herbacea Klug, 1832. Calomera aphrodisia (Baudi di Selve, 1864) is recorded for the first time from Israel. The presence of Calomera aulica (Dejean, 1831) and Grammognatha euphratica (Dejean, 1822) is confirmed by new records. At least five taxa are threatened or extinct in Israel. For one of these species, Israel has a national responsibility for the conservation as the main part of the distribution range is within this country. AVAILABILITY: The application TIGER BEETLE ID for Android devices can be freely downloaded at https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.734.21989.suppl1. See also disclaimer of warranties.

Tripartite symbiosis of plant-weevil-bacteria is a widespread phenomenon in the Negev Desert.

The weevil Conorhynchus palumbus develops in a mud chamber affixed to the roots of the summer annual plant Salsola inermis in the Negev Desert of Israel. The weevil carries nitrogen fixing bacteria, and evidence suggests that plants with weevils utilize the fixed nitrogen. To characterize the distribution, abundance and significance of this unique interaction, we surveyed Salsola plants in 16 sites throughout the Negev Desert. We excavated ~100 plants from each site, recorded the presence of weevils in their roots, and characterized the soil properties in each site. Weevil mud chambers were present in all of the sampled sites and their abundance was positively correlated with soil nitrogen content and with plant size, and negatively correlated with soil grain-size. Intriguingly, we found two additional weevil species-Menecleonus virgatus and Maximus mimosae-residing in mud chambers on Salsola roots, and found one additional Salsola species-S. incanescens-accommodating weevils. Nitrogen fixing bacteria were found in weevil larvae of the two additional species and at multiple sites. Overall, our findings suggest that potentially beneficial associations between weevils and plants may be more common than previously acknowledged, and may play an important role in this desert ecosystem.

Little effect of climate change on body size of herbivorous beetles.

Ongoing climate change affects various aspects of an animal's life, with important effects on distribution range and phenology. The relationship between global warming and body size changes in mammals and birds has been widely studied, with most findings indicating a decline in body size over time. Nevertheless, little data exist on similar size change patterns of invertebrates in general and insects in particular, and it is unclear whether insects should decrease in size or not with climate warming. We measured over 4000 beetle specimens, belonging to 29 beetle species in 8 families, collected in Israel during the last 100 years. The sampled species are all herbivorous. We examined whether beetle body size had changed over the years, while also investigating the relationships between body size and annual temperature, precipitation, net primary productivity (NPP) at the collection site and collection month. None of the environmental variables, including the collection year, was correlated with the size of most of the studied beetle species, while there were strong interactions of all variables with species. Our results, though mostly negative, suggest that the effect of climate change on insect body size is species-specific and by no means a general macro-ecological rule. They also suggest that the intrapopulation variance in body size of insects collected as adults in the field is large enough to conceal intersite environmental effects on body size, such as the effect of temperature and NPP.

A review of Smicronyx Schoenherr (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) of Israel, with description of two new species.

The species of the genus Smicronyx sensu lato (Curculionidae, Curculioninae) occurring in Israel are reviewed. A total of seven species is recorded. Two species are newly recorded for the country (S. pauperculus Wollaston, 1864 and S. albosquamosus Wollaston, 1854), and two new species are described: S. jordanicus Haran and S. longitarsis Haran. A key to species, diagnosis of the new species, new biological and distribution data together with line illustrations of some characters, including male genitalia, and colour photographs of the habitus are provided.

Tri-party underground symbiosis between a weevil, bacteria and a desert plant.

Inhabitants of arid ecosystems face severe nitrogen and water limitations. Inventive adaptations by organisms occupying such habitats are essential for survival. This study describes a tri-party symbiotic interaction between a plant (Salsola inermis), a beetle (Conorhynchus pistor), and a bacterium (Klebsiella pneumonia). The weevil survives by living within a mud structure affixed to the plant roots, thus benefiting from increased carbon and water, and refuge from predators and parasites. Active nitrogen-fixing bacteria harbored within the weevil's gut mediate this interaction, by supplying nitrogen to the system, which eventually promotes seed development. We studied the correlation between the weevil's existence and (i) root carbon and nitrogen content, (ii) soil water content and (iii) seed weight. Roots hosting weevils contained more nitrogen, heavier seeds and less carbon. In addition, water content was higher around the roots than in open spaces a short distance from the plant stem. Bacterial studies and nitrogen-fixation analyses, including molecular and chemical assays, indicated atmospheric nitrogen fixation in the larval stage and identified the bacterium. The coexistence of weevil and bacterial behavior coinciding with the plant's life cycle was revealed here by a long period of field observations. Out of over 60,000 known weevils, this is the only report of a weevil living most of its life underground without harming plants. The unique tri-party interaction described herein shows the important ecological role of desert plant roots and provides an example of a sustainable consortium of living organisms coping with the challenging desert environment.