Taxonomic study on Afrotropical Osoriinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae). Status of Mimogonellus Fagel and Madegassosorius Scheerpeltz.

Among Afrotropical genera of Osoriini, Madegassosorius Scheerpeltz is exceptionally poorly defined. Although later authors maintained this genus, they restricted its diagnostic features and distinguish it from the apparently highly similar Mimogonellus Fagel merely by the structure or presence of the lateral pronotal carinae and the elytral adsutural striae. A comprehensive survey of specimens belonging to most world genera of Osoriini suggested that these characters may be variable within the genus and therefore of weak taxonomic value. In order to test this hypothesis, the type species of Madegassosorius and Mimogonellus were studied in detail, as well as dozens of additional specimens belonging to this unclearly defined group. As a result, Madegassosorius syn. n. is placed as a junior synonym of Mimogonellus, and the latter genus is redefined and redescribed. A lectotype is designated for Mimogonus leleupi Cameron, the type species of Mimogonellus. The synonymization of Madegassosorius with Mimogonellus results in one case of secondary homonymy, and Mimogonellus longipennides nom. n. is proposed as a replacement name for Mimogonellus longipennis (Coiffait, 1979) comb. n. (ex Madegassosorius), nec Mimogonellus longipennis Fagel, 1960.

Wow assingi gen. and spec. n., with description of a new tribe of Aleocharinae (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae).

A new tribe, Wowini Jaoszyski, Maruyama & Klimaszewski, trib. n., based on a new genus, Wow Jaoszyski, Maruyama & Klimaszewski, gen. n., is established to accommodate an extraordinary new species of aleocharine rove beetles, Wow assingi Jaoszyski, Maruyama & Klimaszewski, spec. n. The species was recently discovered in Yunnan, China. It shows a set of characters unknown in this combination in any other nominal taxon of Aleocharinae. The external morphology and genital male structures are illustrated and discussed. A possible close relationship of the new tribe with Oxypodinini Fenyes is proposed as a working hypothesis, and a parallel evolution of unusual cephalic transformations between Wowini and Keratodegnathus Pace (Lomechusini) is discussed.

Notes on the Western Palaearctic genus Leptocharis Reitter (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae).

A morphological study of the Western Palaearctic genus Leptocharis Reitter revealed remarkable differences between L. microphthalmus Meybohm and all remaining congeners. This species is the only Eurasian member of Stenichnini with the mesocoxae not separated by the mesoventral process. A new genus, Turkocharis gen. n., is proposed to accommodate L. microphthalmus. Morphological details of both Leptocharis and Turkocharis are illustrated and discussed, and the Nearctic genus Neladius Casey is indicated as morphologically most similar to the presumably closely related Leptocharis and Turkocharis. As the genus name Leptocharis is of a feminine grammatical gender, specific adjectives previously with masculine endings are corrected to Leptocharis algerica Besuchet, L. cretica (Pic), and Turkocharis microphthalma (Meybohm) comb. n. An updated key for identification of the Eurasian and New Guinean genera of Stenichnini is given.

Scydmaenus Latreille of Australia: Revision of species in subgenera Choleropsis Franz, Kingius Franz, Mascarensia Franz, Parallomicrus Franz, Scottiscydmaenus Franz, and description of Ascydmaenus subgen. n. (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae).

The Como National Park (CNP), located in the north-eastern part of the Ivory Coast, is strongly influenced by the river Como, which is eponymous for the park. Gallery forests along the river, forest islands, open grasslands, bush and tree savannas of various densities offer diverse habitats that harbor both forest and savannah praying mantis species. We present a preliminary checklist of praying mantids (Insecta: Mantodea) of the CNP. Specimens were collected in 2000 and 20172019, resulting in 35 species in 13 families. Two species, Ischnomantis werneri (Giglio-Tos 1916) and Solygia sulcatifrons (Audinet-Serville 1838), were recorded for the first time in Ivory Coast. Additional 47 species, which are expected to occur in the CNP, are listed here.

A new species of Arthromelodes Jeannel from Okinawa-jima, Japan (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Pselaphinae).

To date, twenty species and subspecies of Arthromelodes Jeannel were known to occur in Japan, distributed in Honsh, Kysh, Shikoku, Yakushima, and Amami Islands. No species have been recorded from central or southwestern Ryky. Arthromelodes tokushigei sp. n., the first species known to inhabit Okinawa Island of the central Ryky is described. This wingless species seems to be restricted to the northern Yambaru forest of Okinawa. In order to facilitate future studies on Arthromelodes and related, poorly-defined genera of Batrisini, detailed morphological documentation of the new species is provided.

The first species of Eutheimorphus Franz & Lbl in Thailand (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae).

Up to date, Eutheimorphus Franz & Lbl included a sole species known from a holotype male collected in Sabah, Borneo. An occurrence of this enigmatic and extremely rare genus in Thailand is reported, and Eutheimorphus thailandicus sp. n. is described. Among diagnostic characters are unique grooves on the head and a symmetrical (in contrast to strongly asymmetrical in E. paradoxus Franz & Lbl) set of endophallic sclerites.

Two new species of the Euconnus taiwanus group from Zhejiang, China (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae).

The recently established Euconnus taiwanus group within Euconnus s. str. includes six species known to inhabit Taiwan, China and Japan. Two more members of this group are described based on specimens collected in eastern China (Zhejiang Province): E. (s. str.) bibaculoides sp. n., and E. (s. str.) mimicus sp. n.

Papuamicrus gen. n., a new genus of Cephenniini from New Guinea (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae).

A new genus of Cephenniini, Papuamicrus gen. n. (type species Papuamicrus globosus sp. n.) is described based on specimens collected in Papua New Guinea. The new genus belongs to the Cephennomicrus group of genera and is characterized by a highly reductive morphology of the dorsum, lacking pronotal pits and elytral foveae, but having uniquely shaped prosternal and mesoventral processes and a highly unusual for Cephenniini aedeagal structure with a basal lentiform sclerotization situated at middle of a small diaphragm shifted to the basal surface of the median lobe. Updated identification key to the world genera of Cephenniini is given to accommodate the new taxon.

A new genus, new species and new records of Eucinetidae in Japan and Taiwan (Coleoptera).

The following new taxa of Eucinetidae with semisuctorial and suctorial mouthparts are described: Bisayodes Wakimura & Jaoszyski gen. n., Bisayodes hure Wakimura & Jaoszyski, sp. n. (Hokkaid, Japan), and Tohlezkus uminchu Jaoszyski, sp. n. (Okinawa-jima, Japan). New records are given for Tohlezkus rufus (M. Sakai) (Honsh, Shikoku and Kysh, Japan) and Tohlezkus orientalis Vt (Taiwan); the aedeagus for the latter species is illustrated for the first time. Identification keys to extant world genera of Eucinetidae and for species of Tohlezkus are given.

A new Ryukyuan species of Edaphus Motschulsky (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Euaesthetinae).

Edaphus nagugushikuensis sp. n., a new Japanese rove beetle species of the subfamily Euaesthetinae is described and illustrated based on a male specimen collected in the northern region of Okinawa-jima, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It is the 56th species of Edaphus Motschulsky known to occur in Japan, and the sixth known to inhabit the largest Ryukyuan island. Puthzs identification key to Edaphus species of the southwestern Japanese islands from 2010 is modified to include the new species.

Rediscovery and re(re)description of Scydmaenus kasuganus Franz, the only Japanese species of the subgenus Mascarensia Franz (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae).

Scydmaenus (Mascarensia) kasuganus Franz is the only nominal species of its subgenus known to occur in Japan. The only known specimen (holotype male) has been inadequately described, and later redescribed in an even more unfortunate way, after its fragile and unique aedeagus had been partly damaged. Therefore, the redescription that not only contains even less useful details than the original description but also illustrations of only a portion of the aedeagus (the one which is the least diversified among Scydmaenus species), only decreased chances to identify this interesting species correctly. Newly collected specimens, including males found on Mount Kasuga ad Nara, the type locality, made it possible to redescribe S. kasuganus properly. A checklist of world Mascarensia species is given, and diagnostic characters of this problematic subgenus are discussed.

Euconnus Thomson of Japan: redescriptions of species established by Reitter, Sharp and Franz, new synonyms, and summary of current state of knowledge (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae).

To date, twenty-seven valid species names in the Stenichnini genus Euconnus Thomson have been recognized in the fauna of Japan. The present paper summarizes the current knowledge of Japanese Euconnus, and for the first time properly illustrated redescriptions of E. debilis (Sharp), E. dulcis Sharp, E. fustiger (Sharp), E. impar Sharp, E. japonicus (Sharp), E. oscillans Sharp, and E. raucus Sharp are given, based on type specimens. Lectotypes are designated for Euconnus dulcis Sharp Euconnus lewisii Sharp, Euconnus impar Sharp, Euconnus schoenfeldti Reitter, Scydmaenus japonicus Sharp, and Scydmaenus debilis Sharp. Euconnus schoenfeldti Reitter syn. n. is placed as a junior synonym of E. fustiger (Sharp); E. ohnoensis Hoshina syn. n. is placed as a junior synonym of E. japonicus (Sharp); E. kusunokii Hoshina syn. n. and E. itsuki Hoshina syn. n. are placed as junior synonyms of E. takachihoi Hoshina; and E. hosakae Hoshina, Fukutomi Watanabe syn. n. is placed as a junior synonym of E. tsugaruensis Hoshina Arai. Placement of E. lewisii Sharp and E. miyawakianus Franz as junior synonyms of E. fustiger is confirmed. Euconnus iouzensis Hoshina Nakata, E. kojiroi Hoshina, E. kumejimensis Hoshina, E. miyatai Hoshina, E. sayaka Hoshina, E. sayo Hoshina, E. takachihoi Hoshina, E. touko Hoshina, E. unpini Hoshina, and E. yoshidai Hoshina have been inadequately or inaccurately described and require redescriptions to become identifiable. Status of some of these names (i.e., valid vs. possibly junior synonyms) may be difficult to clarify because the aedeagi of unique holotype males have been improperly prepared and strongly deformed. The current state of knowledge of Japanese Euconnus is discussed and it is concluded that status of many recently described species remains unclear and further work will be difficult because of inadequate descriptions and preparation methods.

Euconnus (Tetramelus) melkei sp. n., a bizarre South African ant-like stone beetle (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae).

Euconnus (Tetramelus) melkei sp. n. is described, based on a male specimen collected in the Eastern Cape province of the Republic of South Africa. This species is characterized by the most elaborate and extensive male sexual dimorphic features known in Euconnus, comprising glandular projections and impressions that cover most of the head dorsum, strongly modified scapes, long projections on protrochanters, and thickened profemora with glandular porous and setal patches. The most similar species, Euconnus nasicornis Franz and E. paranasicornis Franz, previously treated as incertae sedis within Euconnus, are placed in Tetramelus. The E. nasicornis species group of Tetramelus that includes the abovementioned species is defined by an extremely elongate adult body, multiple dimorphic features in males, and a pair of lateral longitudinal sulci on the pronotum. The current state of knowledge of South African Euconnus is discussed, and a checklist of the currently known 159 nominal species that inhabit RSA is given.

Revision of the family Murmidiidae (Coleoptera: Coccinelloidea).

The coccinelloid (Cucujiformia) family Murmidiidae is revised. Thirty-four species (including sixteen new) in four genera (incl. one new) are recognized: Botrodus championi Slipinski (Mexico), Botrodus dufaui Grouvelle (Caribbean), Botrodus estriatus Casey (Nearctic, Caribbean), Botrodus montserratensis sp. n. (Caribbean), Murmidius araguanus sp. n. (Venezuela), Murmidius australicus sp. n. (Australia), Murmidius campbelli sp. n. (Colombia, Panama), Murmidius convexus sp. n. (Brazil), Murmidius drakei Heinze (Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay), Murmidius elongatus sp. n. (Argentina, Brazil), Murmidius globosus Hinton (Chile), Murmidius hawaiianus sp. n. (Hawaiian Islands), Murmidius hebrus Hinton (Afrotropical), Murmidius irregularis Reitter (Guatemala, Mexico), Murmidius lankanus sp. n. (Sri Lanka), Murmidius melon Guerrero, Ramrez Vidal (Chile), Murmidius meridensis sp. n. (Venezuela), Murmidius merkli sp. n. (India), Murmidius okinawanus sp. n. (Japan: Okinawa Is.), Murmidius ovalis (Beck) (cosmopolitan), Murmidius panamanus sp. n. (Panama), Murmidius rectistriatus Lewis (Mexico), Murmidius segregatus Waterhouse (Mascarene Islands), Murmidius stoicus Hinton (Singapore, Thailand, India, Myanmar, ?China), Murmidius tachiranus sp. n. (Venezuela), Murmidius trujilloensis sp. n. (Venezuela), Murmidius tydeus Hinton (W Malaysia, Singapore), Murmidiella sola gen. sp. n. (Ecuador), Mychocerinus arizonensis Lawrence Stephan (USA: Arizona; Mexico: Sonora), Mychocerinus caledonicus sp. n. (New Caledonia), Mychocerinus depressus (LeConte) (eastern USA), Mychocerinus oahuanus sp. n. (Hawaiian Islands), Mychocerinus piceus sp. n. (Argentina), and Mychocerinus pilifer (Lewis) (Guatemala, Mexico). Murmidius chapini Hinton, syn. n. is placed as a junior synonym of Murmidius irregularis Reitter. Detailed morphological structures are described and illustrated for each genus, and identification keys to all treated genera and species are given.

New taxonomic and nomenclatural acts in Cephenniini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae).

Status of some species and names in Cephenniini is clarified. Cephennium ovatum Nietner is transferred to Cephennodes resulting in Cephennodes (incertae sedis) ovatus comb. n.; Cephennodes zwaluwenburgi Zimmerman is placed in the nominotypical subgenus; Cephennium felicitas Scott is transferred to Pomphopsilla Jaoszyski, resulting in Pomphopsilla felicitas comb. n.; Pseudocephennium maximum Jaoszyski is placed as a junior synonym of Pseudocephennium integricolle Reitter; and Cephennomicrus ignarus nom. n. is proposed as a replacement name for the preoccupied Cephennomicrus impressus Jaoszyski.

Afroboganium wakefieldense sp. n. from KwaZulu Natal, South Africa (Coleoptera: Boganiidae: Boganiinae).

Afroboganium wakefieldense sp. n. is described, based on a series of specimens collected in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. An updated key to identification of all six currently known Afroboganium Endrdy-Younga Crowson species is given. The hindgut of dissected specimens was tightly packed with pollen grains, confirming feeding on flowers. However, it was not possible to identify specific associations with plant taxa. Moreover, the pollen grains in the gut seem to be intact, hence in addition to pollenophagy a possibility of feeding on other flower tissues cannot be excluded.

A new species of Nogunius Jaoszyski in Japan (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae).

The genus Nogunius Jaoszyski was proposed to accommodate four species distributed exclusively in Japan: N. sokani Jaoszyski (Okinawa Island), N. aogashimanus Jaoszyski (Aogashima, Izu Islands), N. kerri Jaoszyski (Ishigaki Island), and N. fukuuzanus Jaoszyski (Okinawa Island). A female of an undescribed species collected in mainland Japan, on Shikoku, was also recorded. In the present paper we provide evidence that this interesting and apparently very rare genus occurs also on Kyushu. Nogunius sagaensis sp. n. is described, based on a single male collected in Saga Prefecture, NW Kyushu. Diagnostic characters of all nominal species are compared, and a distribution of Nogunius is summarized.

Taxonomy of 'Euconnus complex. Part XXIII. Status of Napochus Thomson, Pycnophus Casey, and Filonapochus Franz revisited (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae).

In previously published parts of this long-term study, subgenera Napochus Thomson and Pycnophus Casey of Euconnus Thomson were tentatively maintained, based on detailed morphological examination of their type species. Since then, many more species have been studied, including several hundred nominal Euconnus s. str., Napochus, and Pycnophus spp., and over a thousand presumably undescribed species collected on all continents. Considering character variability, current diagnoses of Napochus and Pycnophus were found to largely overlap with that of Euconnus s. str., and many species show intermediary features. In the present study, examples of such intermediary or transitional characters are illustrated, and character variability within the Euconnus s. str. + Napochus + Pycnophus morphological group is discussed. Available morphological evidence strongly supports a concept of a highly diverse Euconnus s. str. that includes Napochus and Pycnophus. Consequently, Napochus syn. n. and Pycnophus syn. n. are merged with Euconnus s. str. as junior synonyms. In addition, examination of the type specimens of the type species of Glandularia L.W. Schaufuss and Connophron Casey, both names currently treated as junior synonyms of Napochus, confirms the previously established synonymies. Characters of the previously revised subgenus Filonapochus Franz were also found to fall within the variability revealed in the present study, and also Filonapochus syn. n. is placed as a junior synonym of Euconnus s. str.

The enigmatic Nearctic genus Ceramphis Casey revisited (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae).

Ceramphis Casey is the only genus of Scydmaenini restricted to North America. Despite previous redescriptions of the only included species, C. deformata (Horn), not all taxonomically important structures have been illustrated, and consequently morphological affinities with other Scydmaenini genera remain unclear. Ceramphis deformata is redescribed with exoskeletal features documented by scanning electron microscopy. Similarities and differences in relation to all remaining Scydmaenini (preliminarily subdivided into three groups of genera) are discussed. Differences between Ceramphis and Scydmaenus seem rather minor and Ceramphis, apart from its unusual body shape, closely resembles a group of several subgenera of Scydmaenus characterized by the metanepisterna fused with the metaventrite. However, unclear taxonomy of Scydmaenus with its 30 ill-defined subgenera makes it impossible to decide whether Ceramphis should be maintained as a genus or reduced to a subgenus of Scydmaenus. For this reason, status of Ceramphis remains unchanged, until a comprehensive revision and phylogenetic analysis of the Adrastia-Ceramphis-Scydmaenus group of genera has been carried out.

A new bizarre species of Euconnus (Cladoconnus) in Upper Eocene Rovno amber (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae).

Despite being among the most species-rich extant animal genera, Euconnus Thomson is rare in fossil record. Merely six species found in relatively young, Eocene and Oligocene ambers have been placed in this genus, which currently includes over 2,600 extant nominal species distributed worldwide. We describe †Euconnus nathani sp. n., the first extinct, unambiguously placed member of the broadly distributed, extant Palaearctic subgenus Cladoconnus Reitter, based on a unique male specimen in Upper Eocene Rovno amber, Ukraine. The male of the new species has monstrously modified antennae, in general structure showing close similarities to those of extant congeners, but the modification of antennomere 8 is so profound and bizarre that this one antennal segment alone is sufficient to identify adults of E. nathani.