Four fossil taxa of earliest Holometabola recently were identified based on a variety of determinative evidence and assigned to a stem-group or a basal lineage within a modern order. One consequence of these new discoveries is that the divergence date between the Holometabola and its sister clade has been set earlier than previously thought on the basis of fossils or molecular phylogenetic evidence. This new date provides a minimal calibration date pegged to the Early Carboniferous–Late Carboniferous boundary, and approximates an absolute date of 318 million years. The four taxa provide new insights into the life habits, particularly feeding habits, of early holometabolan larvae. Additionally, they require an explanation of why there is an 80 million year lag between the origin and the taxonomic dominance of this profound developmental innovation in early terrestrial ecosystems. An earlier lead time is likely present for these earliest holometabolan fossils, which can be extrapolated conservatively to the Late Mississippian, 328 to 318 million years ago. Consequently, a focused investigation on earlier, Late Mississippian strata to search for ancestral holometabolan insects is imperative.

As molecular clock methods become more widely used it has become apparent that careful consideration of fossil minimum calibrations is essential. Not only is it necessary to be certain of the taxonomic identity of the fossils and correct placement within the phylogenetic tree, recent studies have suggested that when multiple fossils are available consideration of whether any of the fossils are in conflict must also be taken into account. In this study we investigate whether any of the 43 fossils used by Moreau, et al. (2006) are “inconsistent” and how this affects the results of molecular clock dating analyses and inferred diversification patterns. After considering each of the 43 fossils in turn, following the methods of Near and colleagues (Near and Sanderson, 2004; Near et al., 2005), we found that five fossils are considered to be “inconsistent.” After removing these fossils and reanalyzing the data, we found that excluding these minimum age fossil calibration points did not have a significant effect on the results. Comparing lineage-through-time plots demonstrate that not only are similar ages recovered, but also that the significant shift in diversification rates within the ant phylogeny is not an artifact of the “inconsistent” fossils. These findings suggest that all available fossil information should be included in molecular clock analyses.

Most molecular phylogenetic studies of beetles (order Coleoptera) using 18S rDNA have recovered the suborders Adephaga and Polyphaga as sister groups, together sister to the suborders Myxophaga and Archostemata, with Archostemata alone or in combination with Myxophaga as the closest relative of all other beetles. Analyses of data from other genes have recovered alternative arrangements. Estimated subordinal divergence times based on analyses of DNA sequence data and fossil calibrations range from ∼ 285–266 million years ago (Ma), with most extant families estimated to have originated in the Jurassic. However, timing and patterns of ecological and taxonomic diversification remain uncertain for most beetle groups primarily due to limited gene and nucleotide sampling, missing data, and a corresponding lack of well-supported resolution. Consequently, the nature and degree to which events in earth's history (e.g., the diversification and rise of angiosperms to ecological dominance) have influenced the success of Coleoptera remains unclear. Nevertheless, the phylogeny of beetles is being revealed via molecular studies with large taxon and gene samples, presenting renewed and novel opportunities for the study of beetle macroevolution.

Thirty-two new species in the plant bug genus Orthotylus are described from the Hawaiian IsIands. The new species and their host plant associations are as follows: O. metrosideropsis n. sp., from Oahu, on Metrosideros polymorpha; O. ohia n. sp., from Oahu, on Metrosideros polymorpha; O. olapa n. sp., from Oahu, on Cheirodendron trigynum; O. perrotteticola n. sp., from Molokai, on Perrottetia sandwicensis; O. perrottetiopsis n. sp., from Oahu, on Perrottetia sandwicensis; O. dubautiae n. sp., from Kauai, on Dubautia raillardiodes; O. dubauticola n. sp., from Kauai, on Dubautia microcephala; O. pisoniacola n. sp., from Kauai, on Pisonia sandwicensis; O. elaeocarpi n. sp., from Kauai, on Eleocarpus bifidus; O. clermontiopsis n. sp., from Kauai, on Clermontia fauriei; O. pipturicola n. sp., from Kauai, on Pipturus albidus; O. pipturiphila n. sp., from Molokai, on Pipturus albidus; O. antidesmoides n. sp., from Molokai, on Antidesma platyphyllum; O. diospyrivorus n. sp., from Lanai, on Diospyros sandwicensis; O. coprosmaphagus n. sp., from Kauai, on Coprosma waimeae and Coprosma kauaiensis; O. coprosmivorus n. sp., from Lanai, on Coprosma ochracea; O. manonophila n. sp., from Kauai, on Hedyotis terminalis; O. manonovorus n. sp., from Lanai, on Hedyotis terminalis; O. manono n. sp., from Molokai, on Hedyotis terminalis; O. manonocola n. sp., from Molokai, on Hedyotis terminalis; O. manonophagus n. sp., from Molokai, on Hedyotis acuminata; O. manonoides n. sp., from Oahu, on Hedyotis terminalis; O. manoniella n. sp., from Oahu, on Hedyotis centranthoides; O. neopsychotriopsis n. sp., from Lanai, on Psychotria mariniana; O. neopsychotricus n. sp., from Maui, on Psychotria mariniana; O. kopikocola n. sp., from Kauai, on Psychotria hexandra; O. kopikovorus n. sp., from Kauai, on Psychotria mauiensis; O. kopikopsis n. sp., from Lanai, on Psychotria mariniana; O. kopikoides n. sp., from