The first mainland European Mesozoic click-beetle (Coleoptera: Elateridae) revealed by X-ray micro-computed tomography scanning of an Upper Cretaceous amber from Hungary

Fossil bioinclusions in amber are invaluable source of information on the past evolution and diversity of various organisms, as well as on the paleoecosystems in general. The click-beetles, Elateridae, which originated and greatly diversified during the Mesozoic, are mostly known from the adpression-like fossils, and their diversity in the Cretaceous ambers is only poorly documented. In this study, we describe a new click-beetle based on an incomplete inclusion in ajkaite, an Upper Cretaceous (Santonian) amber from the Ajka Coal Formation from Hungary. We used X-ray micro-computed tomography scanning to reconstruct its morphology because it is deposited in an opaque piece of amber. Our results suggest that the newly described Ajkaelater merkli gen. et sp. nov. belongs to subfamily Elaterinae. It represents the first Mesozoic beetle reported from Hungary, and the first Mesozoic Elateridae formally described from mainland Europe. Our discovery supports an Eurasian distribution and diversification of Elaterinae already in the Cretaceous. The paleoenvironment of the Ajka Coal Formation agrees well with the presumed habitat preference of the new fossil taxon. The discovery of a presumably saproxylic click-beetle shed further light on the yet poorly known paleoecosystem of the Santonian present-day western Hungary

Changes in Biomass and Diversity of Soil Macrofauna along a Climatic Gradient in European Boreal Forests

Latitudinal gradients allow insights into the factors that shape ecosystem structure and delimit ecosystem processes, particularly climate. We asked whether the biomass and diversity of soil macrofauna in boreal forests change systematically along a latitudinal gradient spanning from 60° N to 69° N. Invertebrates (3697 individuals) were extracted from 400 soil samples (20 × 20 cm, 30 cm depth) collected at ten sites in 2015–2016 and then weighed and identified. We discovered 265 species living in soil and on the soil surface; their average density was 0.486 g d·w·m−2. The species-level diversity decreased from low to high latitudes. The biomass of soil macrofauna showed no latitudinal changes in early summer but decreased towards the north in late summer. This variation among study sites was associated with the decrease in mean annual temperature by ca 5 °C and with variation in fine root biomass. The biomass of herbivores and fungivores decreased towards the north, whereas the biomass of detritivores and predators showed no significant latitudinal changes. This variation in latitudinal biomass patterns among the soil macrofauna feeding guilds suggests that these guilds may respond differently to climate change, with poorly understood consequences for ecosystem structure and functions

Changes in Biomass and Diversity of Soil Macrofauna along a Climatic Gradient in European Boreal Forests

Latitudinal gradients allow insights into the factors that shape ecosystem structure and delimit ecosystem processes, particularly climate. We asked whether the biomass and diversity of soil macrofauna in boreal forests change systematically along a latitudinal gradient spanning from 60° N to 69° N. Invertebrates (3697 individuals) were extracted from 400 soil samples (20 × 20 cm, 30 cm depth) collected at ten sites in 2015–2016 and then weighed and identified. We discovered 265 species living in soil and on the soil surface; their average density was 0.486 g d·w·m−2. The species-level diversity decreased from low to high latitudes. The biomass of soil macrofauna showed no latitudinal changes in early summer but decreased towards the north in late summer. This variation among study sites was associated with the decrease in mean annual temperature by ca 5 °C and with variation in fine root biomass. The biomass of herbivores and fungivores decreased towards the north, whereas the biomass of detritivores and predators showed no significant latitudinal changes. This variation in latitudinal biomass patterns among the soil macrofauna feeding guilds suggests that these guilds may respond differently to climate change, with poorly understood consequences for ecosystem structure and functions.</p

New and little-known species of the genus Lacon Laporte, 1838 (Coleoptera: Elateridae) of China

Prosvirov, Alexander S. (2016): New and little-known species of the genus Lacon Laporte, 1838 (Coleoptera: Elateridae) of China. Zootaxa 4132 (3): 373-382, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4132.3.

Hypnoidus afghanus Prosvirov 2017, sp. nov.

&lt;i&gt;Hypnoidus afghanus&lt;/i&gt; sp. nov. &lt;p&gt;(Figs. 1&ndash;8)&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Type locality.&lt;/b&gt; Afghanistan, Hindu Kush mountain range, Salang Pass.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Type material. Holotype,&lt;/b&gt; male, &lt;b&gt;Afghanistan:&lt;/b&gt; &ldquo;Afghan., Hinduku&scaron;, Salang pass., 4000 m., 2.8.1972, Kabakov &rdquo; [NE Afghanistan, the Hindu Kush mountain range, Salang Pass, 4000 m a.s.l., 2 August 1972, O.N. Kabakov leg.] (ZISP). &lt;b&gt;Paratype,&lt;/b&gt; female, &lt;b&gt;Afghanistan:&lt;/b&gt; same label data as holotype (ZISP).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Diagnosis.&lt;/b&gt; &lt;i&gt;H. afghanus&lt;/i&gt; &lt;b&gt;sp. nov.&lt;/b&gt; is similar to &lt;i&gt;H. vonhayeka&lt;/i&gt; Stibick, 1980, &lt;i&gt;H. tilloae&lt;/i&gt; Stibick, 1980, and &lt;i&gt;H. badachschanicus&lt;/i&gt; Dolin, 1998 (Stibick 1980, 1981; Dolin 1998; Dolin &amp; Cate 2001, 2002). It can be distinguished from these species by the notably broadened pronotum, more widened elytra as well as different shape of the aedeagus.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Description. Male&lt;/b&gt; (Figs. 1, 3, 4): length 6.3 mm; width 2.2 mm. Body oblong, depressed. Shiny (only hypomera almost matt), dorsum brown; pronotum along sides, hind angles of pronotum, and lateral parts of elytra lighter; head, labrum, beaded part of prosternal lobe, scutellum along margin, and basal margin of elytra darkened. Underside, mouthparts (except brown mandibles), antennae, and legs light brown; disc of prosternum darker; eyes dark gray. Body covered with golden long recumbent setae; pubescence of dorsum and disc of prosternum moderately dense, while pubescence of underside dense. Antennae covered with numerous dense recumbent setae and some erect setae; pubescence on antennae shorter than that of other parts of body.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;Head.&lt;/i&gt; Slightly wider than long (length/width 0.8), depressed. Punctures coarse, round, and umbilicate, notably larger than punctures on pronotum; intervals between punctures clearly smaller than diameter of one puncture. Antenna short, not reaching apex of hind angle of pronotum about by length of two apical antennomeres, very weakly serrate from antennomere 4. Antennomere 1 thickened and broadened; antennomeres 2 and 3 elongate, more than two times as long as wide, slightly expanded to apex, antennomere 3 longer than antennomere 2; antennomere 4 elongate and broadened at apex, nearly as long as antennomere 3; subsequent antennomeres about as long as antennomere 4, slightly more expanded to apex; apical antennomere ovate oblong (ratio of length/width of antennomeres from 1 to 5 is 1.7, 2.3, 3, 2, 1.4, respectively).&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;Thorax.&lt;/i&gt; Pronotum more than twice as wide as head, wider than long (length 1.6 mm; width 2.1 mm), widest behind middle, narrowed toward anterior angles more sharply than toward hind angles, slightly sinuate in front of hind angles. Hind angle of pronotum rather thin and long, clearly divergent, sharply rounded at apex; carina distinct, short, and not reaching posterior third of pronotum. Disc of pronotum moderately convex, with indistinct median impression in posterior half. Punctures umbilicate; rather dense and elongate laterally, intervals between punctures equal to diameter of one puncture or smaller; punctures on disc sparser, circular or slightly elongated, intervals between punctures equal to diameter of one puncture or larger. Pubescence of pronotum directed caudad and medio-caudad laterally and in anterior half, mediad in posterior half.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Punctures of hypomeron very dense, circular, consisting of a mixture of shallow small ones and considerably larger deep ones; intervals between punctures matt or slightly shiny. Prosternal lobe rather long, exceeding far beyond apex of hypomeron, arcuate in front, partially covering labium, clearly bent downwards, broadly carinate along margin, separated from rest of prosternum by distinct transverse impression at about anterior quarter of prosternum, coarsely punctured by homogeneous large punctures. Prosternum at about its anterior half with other short, obsolete, transverse lateral impressions. Sides of prosternum punctate as hypomeron, punctures on disc generally large, less dense, intervals between punctures shining. Prosternal process flat, straight, about three times as long as diameter of procoxal cavity, bordered at sides. Punctures of mesosternum small and rather dense. Metasternum subequal in length and width, punctate as hypomeron, but with punctures less dense, intervals between punctures shining. Hind coxal plate strongly widened inwards, more than five times as wide as its narrowest part.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Scutellum flat, about as long as wide, truncated at anterior margin, with sparse small punctures. Both elytra together ellipsoidal, slightly wider than pronotum, widest behind middle, more than twice as long as pronotum (both elytra together: length 4.3 mm; width 2.2 mm); tapering more strongly to apex than to base; shoulders obtusely rounded. Disc of elytra flat, elytral striae near suture with fine circular punctures; lateral striae with larger and deeper punctures; each interstria with two or three rows of fine, sparse punctures. Wings strongly reduced, represented by vestigials at basal parts of elytra.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;Abdomen.&lt;/i&gt; Abdomen punctate as metasternum. Ratio of length of abdominal sternite 2 and length of metasternum about 0.5.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;Aedeagus&lt;/i&gt; (Fig. 6). Parameres about as long as penis, almost straight, expanded at anterior quarter, rounded at apex. Penis rather slender, somewhat narrow, its apophysis short, about 0.3 times as long as penis.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;Female&lt;/i&gt; (Figs. 2, 5). Coloration lighter than in male. Body larger than in male (length 6.8 mm; width 2.3 mm); disc of pronotum more convex, without median impession. Antenna shorter than in male. In all other respects similar to male.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;Female genitalia&lt;/i&gt; (Figs. 7, 8). Ovipositor rather long; baculum long, weakly sclerotized (length of baculum/ length of ovipositor 0.8); coxite weakly sclerotized, narrowed to apex, with short, indistinct stylus, and with several setae. Bursa copulatrix without sclerotized structures.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;i&gt;Larva.&lt;/i&gt; Unknown.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Distribution.&lt;/b&gt; Northeastern Afghanistan: Hindu Kush mountain range.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Bionomics.&lt;/b&gt; The biology of this species remains unknown, but according to its morphological characters (almost complete reduction of wings and associated shortening of metasternum) and the label data it is likely that &lt;i&gt;H. afghanus&lt;/i&gt; &lt;b&gt;sp. nov.&lt;/b&gt; lives exclusively in high mountain areas.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;b&gt;Etymology.&lt;/b&gt; The name of the new species is derived from the name of the country of its origin, Afghanistan.&lt;/p&gt;Published as part of &lt;i&gt;Prosvirov, Alexander S., 2017, Two new species of the Hypnoidini Schwarz, 1906 (Coleoptera: Elateridae: Dendrometrinae) from Afghanistan, pp. 269-276 in Zootaxa 4323 (2)&lt;/i&gt; on pages 270-272, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4323.2.10, &lt;a href="http://zenodo.org/record/898842"&gt;http://zenodo.org/record/898842&lt;/a&gt

Two new species of the Hypnoidini Schwarz, 1906 (Coleoptera: Elateridae: Dendrometrinae) from Afghanistan

Prosvirov, Alexander S. (2017): Two new species of the Hypnoidini Schwarz, 1906 (Coleoptera: Elateridae: Dendrometrinae) from Afghanistan. Zootaxa 4323 (2): 269-276, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4323.2.1

Margaiostus sundukovi sp. nov., the first record of the genus in the Palaearctic region (Coleoptera: Elateridae)

Prosvirov, Alexander S. (2015): Margaiostus sundukovi sp. nov., the first record of the genus in the Palaearctic region (Coleoptera: Elateridae). Zootaxa 3980 (3): 442-446, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3980.3.

FIGURES 17–18 in On the Ampedini Gistel, 1848 (Coleoptera: Elateridae) of Central Asia, with a description of a new species of the genus Reitterelater Platia & Cate, 1990

FIGURES 17–18. Habitat of Reitterelater kovalenkoi sp. nov. (photographs by Ya.N. Kovalenko). 17. Biotope, general view. 18. Bracket fungus in which R. kovalenkoi sp. nov. was collected

FIGURES 6 – 8 in Two new species of the Hypnoidini Schwarz, 1906 (Coleoptera: Elateridae: Dendrometrinae) from Afghanistan

FIGURES 6 – 8. Genitalia of Hypnoidus afghanus sp. nov. 6. Holotype, aedeagus, ventral view. 7. Paratype, ovipositor, ventral view. 8. Paratype, part of female genital tract, general view. Not to scale