In this study, Bassaniodes pseudorectilineus (Wunderlich, 1995) (Thomisidae) populations were investigated genetically using the mitochondrial COI gene region. The haplotypes of the populations were determined, network analyses and neutrality tests were performed, and a BEAST (Bayesian evolutionary analysis sampling tree) was created. The populations were not completely separated from each other and that ongoing gene flow was maintained between the populations. The Bassaniodes pseudorectilineus population expanded from south to north and it is thought that the ancestral population is in the south. In addition, the study enabled recording of the taxon in genetic databases for the first time.

Using specific primers, we measured the infection status of Wolbachia, WO, Cardinium, and Spiroplasma in Chilo suppressalis (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) collected from 14 locations in China, and conducted phylogenetic analysis of the three endosymbionts. The results showed that eight geographical populations of C. suppressalis were infected by Wolbachia. The infection rates of Wolbachia in four geographical populations had no significant difference between 2011 and 2012 (P>0.05). There were five geographical populations infected with Cardinium and seven geographical populations infected with Spiroplasma. Seven populations of C. suppressalis carrying Wolbachia were also infected with WO. The maximum parsimony tree shows that Wolbachia from C. suppressalis, Pieris rapae, Coliaserate poliographus and Tetranychus urticae fall into the same clade. Cardinium from C. suppressalis joins together with Cardinium from Oppiella nova. Spiroplasma in C. suppressalis has a close relationship with that of Fannia manicata. In conclusion, infections of three endosymbionts showed regional differences, and there were eight geographical populations infected with more than one endosymbiont. Our study found, for the first time, double infection with Wolbachia and Spiroplasma in one sample from Xinzhou. Phylogenetic analysis of the three endosymbionts proved that the endosymbionts can transfer horizontally between different individuals of the same or different hosts.

An annotated checklist for the Iranian Erotylidae (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea) is proposed. Based upon a literature review and new data, a total of ten species within six genera, and three subfamilies Cryptophilinae (two species), Erotylinae (six species) and Xenoscelinae (two species) are given for the fauna of Iran.

Pseuodoscorpions (Pseudoscorpiones) have been little studied, although they are the third largest group in the Arachnida in number of species. Pseudoscorpions have features resembling those of true scorpions. Due to their small size (the largest pseudoscorpion being no larger than 1 cm) systematic studies have proven difficult. A high-performance microscope is necessary for detailed studies. In the present study, the pseudoscorpion Atemnus politus (Simon, 1878) collected in Osmaniye province, Turkey, was used to describe systematic and taxonomic characters, including chelicerae, pedipalps, walking legs, and cuticular structures on appendages using stereo light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The study revealed characteristic features of this species. This is the first SEM study of A. politus and provides an important contribution to understanding the morphology of pseudoscorpions and demonstrates the taxonomic value of SEM micrographs. Probable functions of some of the structures observed are discussed.

Aphelinus mali (Haldeman) (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) is an important specific endoparasitoid of Eriosoma lanigerum (Hausmann) (Hymenoptera: Aphididae) with high natural parasitism in the field. By studying the COI gene of the A. mali mitochondrion, two distinct clades, Shandong and Liaoning clades, were found in China. In this paper, the mitochondrial genome of A. mali populations from Shandong province was sequenced and analyzed. In total, 14415 bp were sequenced, representing 93.5% of the total length of the A. mali mitochondrial genome, with six tRNA, trnY, trnM, trnI, trnQ, trnW, trnS1, not sequenced. The unmeasured area was located in an A+T-rich region of approximately 1000 bp. The AT content in the A+T-rich region was as high as 91.3% and this may be why this region has not been detected until now. The A+T content was 84.4% in the measured region, which is higher than that of other Hymenoptera. The AT skew was 0.1291, the highest AT skew known among Hymenoptera, which might be related to the higher AT content of protein-coding genes, rRNA and RSCU AT content. Transport genes (tRNA) had a secondary clover shaped structure, compared with other Hymenoptera; there is a more incomplete secondary structure, and less base mismatch. The mitochondrial genome of A. mali showed considerable rearrangement when compared with the mitochondrial genome of the most primitive arrangement, mainly concentrated in six tRNA genes and the gene region from cob to trnE and from trnL to nad1. The mitochondrial genome of A. mali is quite different from that of other Hymenoptera as can be demonstrated by constructing a phylogenetic tree. This paper provides a basis for further study of phylogeny, genetic structure, and hybridization of A. mali populations.

The accidentally introduced leaf beetle Ophraella communa LeSage has become widely dispersed over regions with different climates in East Asia, following its host plant—the alien invasive ragweed Ambrosia artemisiifolia. During this range expansion, some of its life history traits have changed in response to environmental conditions in newly-colonized habitats. In this study we examined genetic variation in mtCOI gene among nine geographical populations of O. communa in East Asia, including one from Japan, one from Korea and seven from China. Our analysis identified two distinct clades (C1 and C2) among these populations, C2 including only the Fujian population from China and C1 including the other populations; haplotype sequence divergence was as large as ≥ 3% between the two clades yet negligible within each of them. Our results suggest that the Fujian population of O. communa is distinctly diverged at mtCOI genetic level from the other populations.

A species of Cryptonevra, which are miners of Lipara galls on common reed, Phragmites australis, was found to infest non-gall tissues of giant cane, Arundo donax. Based on somatic morphology and male genitalia, the species was determined to be Cryptonevra nigritarsis. previously considered to be a color form of Cryptonevra flavitarsis.

We report the first known occurrences of adult Panorpa helena Byers (Mecoptera: Panorpidae) and Rivellia steyskali Namba (Diptera: Platystomatidae) at vertebrate carrion based on recent observations made in Ohio and North Carolina, USA.

Cerceris fumipennis (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae) is a ground-dwelling wasp species that provisions its nests with wood-boring jewel beetles (Buprestidae), making it a useful tool for biosurveillance of buprestid forest pests, particularly the Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis). The maximum foraging range of C. fumipennis has not yet been determined, but there have been limited studies on how far these wasps may fly when released from measured distances – an indication of their potential homing range. Careless (2008) determined the maximum homing range to be 2 km and hypothesized that the foraging range was limited to this distance. This study was coarsely-grained in that the wasps were released only at 1 km increments up to 3 km. Our study is finer-grained due to the release of wasps at intermediate distances within 3 km from the nesting area. Over 50% of the individuals released from 2.5 km and 3 km returned, indicating that the homing range of C. fumipennis is larger than previously estimated. The implications of this larger homing range and its effects on current predictions of foraging range are discussed.

This study makes contributions to the biology of Bombus (Megabombus) argillaceus (Hymenoptera: Apidae) (Scopoli, 1805). A new nest belonging to this species was discovered on the slope of a small spring located on the highlands of Kahramanmaraş Province (southern Turkey). The architecture, material and the contents of the nest were determined. Cocoons of pupae, honey pots and closed egg cells were evaluated in detail. However, it was found that the nest had been modified from a previous wasp nest. Consequently, the architecture and the content of the nest were found to be similar with the literature information about other subgenus Megabombus members. In addition, pollen storage of the nest was investigated and compared with the vegetation of the surrounding area and foraging flower literature data of the species to understand the flower preferences of the colony. We found that the surrounding vegetation represented in the pollen storage was scarce and the dominant pollen source was zygomorphic flowers for the members of this nest.