First Discovery of the North American Leaf-Mining Moth Chrysaster ostensackenella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) in Russia: The Genetic Diversity of a Novel Pest in Invaded vs. Native Range.

Here, we report the first detection of the North American leaf-mining moth Chrysaster ostensackenella (Fitch, 1859) (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) on North American black locust Robinia pseudoacacia (Fabaceae) in Primorsky Krai (the Russian Far East) in July 2022. Overall, six moths were reared from the leaf mines and identified based on adult morphology (forewing pattern and male genitalia) and three of them were DNA barcoding. Description of the leaf mines that allowed us to distinguish the damage of Ch. ostensackenella from other gracillariids associated with R. pseudoacacia is provided. The phylogeographic analysis comparing the DNA barcodes from Russia with those from other invaded countries in Europe (Italy) and East Asia (South Korea and Japan) and from the native range (North America) was performed. Intraspecific genetic diversity reached 3.29%. Altogether, 10 haplotypes were revealed among 21 studied specimens in the Holarctic. The detection of one haplotype common for Japan and the USA (North Carolina) suggests that the invasion to East Asia could have happened from the USA directly, rather than through Europe. A shared haplotype defined for Japan and the Russian Far East points at a possible moth species' spread to Primorsky Krai from earlier invaded Hokkaido. Further distribution of Ch. ostensackenella in East Asia and Europe is expected, bearing in mind the wide planting of R. pseudoacacia in these continents. Furthermore, an accidental introduction of the moth to the Southern Hemisphere, where black locust was introduced, is not ruled out.

Dinarippiger gen. nov. (Tettigoniidae: Bradyporinae: Ephippigerini), a new saddle bush-cricket genus for Ephippiger discoidalis Fieber, 1853 from the Dinaric karst.

A new genus of the tribe Ephippigerini, Dinarippiger Skejo, Kasalo, Fontana et Tvrtkovic gen. nov., is described based on the characters of occiput coloration, tegmina coloration, cerci and pronotum shape. The new genus is morphologically intermediate between the genera Ephippiger Berthold, 1827 and Uromenus Bolívar, 1878, and presently includes only Dalmatian Saddle Bush Cricket, Dinarippiger discoidalis (Fieber, 1853) comb. nov., hitherto known as Ephippiger discoidalis Fieber, 1853. The species inhabits NE Italy (mainly Carso Triestino), SW Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Montenegro, i.e., islands and karst habitats along the eastern Adriatic coast, with isolated findings in Albania and Italy. Its prominent variation in size and coloration has already produced many synonyms (= limbata Fischer, 1853, = limbata var. major Krauss, 1879, = limbata var. minor Krauss, 1879, = selenophora Fieber, 1853, = sphacophila Krauss, 1879), which may suggest that what is currently regarded as a single species could represent a complex of distinct species with restricted distributions. This study also presents an annotated distribution map and a bioacoustic analysis of D. discoidalis comb. nov. Further research, especially adopting molecular methods, is necessary to assess possible cryptic diversity within the genus Dinarippiger gen. nov. and elucidate its evolutionary history.

Species spectrum of flea beetles (Phyllotreta spp., Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) attracted to allyl isothiocyanate-baited traps.

In field tests in Hungary, Slovenia and Bulgaria, in allyl isothiocyanate-baited traps significantly more beetles of Phyllotreta cruciferae, Ph. vittula, Ph. undulata, Ph. nigripes, Ph. nodicornis, Ph. balcanica, Ph. atra, Ph. procera, Ph. ochripes, Ph. diademata and Psylliodes chrysocephalus (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Halticinae) were captured than in unbaited control traps. With the exception of Ph. cruciferae, this is the first report on significant field attraction by allyl isothiocyanate for these species. The species spectrum captured included six important agricultural pests. At all sites a great portion of the catch (ranging from ca 30 to 98%) was Ph. cruciferae, irrespective of the plant culture. The second most abundant species present at most sites was Ph. vittula. The present results are very promising from the point of view of applicability of allyl isothiocyanate in Europe as a bait in cabbage flea beetle traps for detection and monitoring.

More than a century old 'Platycleis Kraussi case' finally resolved (Tettigoniidae: Platycleidini).

In this paper we deal with a not well known orthopteran species described from Croatia--Krauss' bush-cricket, Platycleis kraussi Padewieth, 1900 with unknown type series. After systematic field studies the species was found only three kilometres from Padewieth's locus typicus, in Francikovac near Senj (Croatia). It was found to be the same as Bicolorana kuntzeni (Ramme, 1931), thus B. kuntzeni (Ramme, 1931) syn. nov. became a synonym of Bicolorana kraussi (Padewieth, 1900) comb. nov. which is moved into genus Bicolorana Zeuner, 1941. Since the type was lost a neotype of B. kraussi is designated and deposited in the Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Leiden, the Netherlands). Historical review of this species' taxonomy is given. An improved description is presented showing some variability of certain morphological characters. The morphology, morphometrics and bioacoustic data of the species are compared with those of the closely related B. bicolor (Philippi, 1830) and Modestana modesta (Fieber, 1853). Vichetia helleri syn. nov. is regarded a synonym of Bicolorana bicolor. The literature and new distribution data are gathered and presented.