No abstract

Habitat shift is a key innovation that has contributed to the extreme diversification of insects. Most groups are well-adapted to more or less specific environments and shifts usually only happen between similar habitats. To colonize a profoundly different habitat type does not only present ecological opportunities but also great challenges. We used Hydrophiloidea (water scavenger beetles) as a system to study transitions between terrestrial and aquatic environments. We estimated the diversification rate of different clades using phylogenetic trees based on a representative taxon sampling and six genes. We also investigated possible evolutionary changes in candidate genes following habitat shifts. Our results suggest that the diversification rate is relatively slow (0.039-0.050 sp/My) in the aquatic lineage, whereas it is distinctly increased in the secondarily terrestrial clade (0.055-0.075 sp/My). Our results also show that aquatic species have a G (Glycine) or S (Serine) amino acid at a given site of COI, while terrestrial species share an A (Alanine) amino acid with terrestrial outgroups. This indicates that habitat factors may create selection pressure on the evolution of functional genes and cause homoplasy in molecular evolution [Current Zoology 60 (5): [561][562][563][564][565][566][567][568][569][570] 2014 ].

Helochares (Hydrobaticus) MacLeay, 1871 is the largest subgenus of Helochares Mulsant, 1844. The Chinese fauna of Helochares (Hydrobaticus) is still poorly known. Five species are recognized, including three herein described as new: Helochares (Hydrobaticus) hainanensis sp. n. (Hainan); H. wuzhifengensis sp. n. (Jiangxi); H. tengchongensis sp. n. (Yunnan). Helochares minor d’Orchymont, 1925 and H. nipponicus Hebauer, 1995 are recorded from China for the first time. Descriptions, diagnoses, and illustrations of the new species are given. Habitus and aedeagus photos of the new record species are provided.

Seven new species of the genus Ischnothyreus Simon, 1893 from the spider family Oonopidae Simon, 1890 are reported from Myanmar: I. hponkanrazisp. nov. (♀), I. jianglangisp. nov. (♀), I. meukyawwasp. nov. (♂♀), I. putaosp. nov. (♀), I. qiuxingsp. nov. (♀), I. taunggyisp. nov. (♂♀) and I. zhigangisp. nov. (♂♀). Morphological descriptions and photographic illustrations of the new species are given. All types are preserved in the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IZCAS).

Ancyronyx Erichson is recorded from China for the first time and a new species, Ancyronyx yunju sp. nov., is described from Jiangxi Province, China.

Four species of the genus Allopachria Zimmermann, 1924 (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae) are currently known to occur in Jiangxi Province, China, two of which, Allopachria wuzhifengensis sp. nov. and Allopachria grandis sp. nov., are described as new to science. Allopachria dudgeoni Wewalka, 2000 is recorded from Jiangxi for the first time. Descriptions, diagnosis and illustrations of new species are given.

The spider family Leptonetidae Simon, 1890 includes 20 genera and 366 species from North America, the Mediterranean Region and Asia. Currently, 132 species belonging to six genera have been recorded in China. A new genus and species of leptonetid spiders, Yueleptoneta dongxing gen. et sp. n., is described from Guangdong Province, China. Yueleptoneta gen. n. is distinct from the other genera in the chelicerae having the stridulatory file on the lateral margin and the male palp having a tarsal spur, lacking strong spines or apophyses on the femur and tibia.

Six species of the genus Trilacuna Tong & Li, 2007 are reported from Myanmar, including four new species: T. besucheti Grismado & Piacentini, 2014 (♂♀), T. changzi Tong & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀), T. hponkanrazi Tong & Li, sp. nov. (♂♀), T. loebli Grismado & Piacentini, 2014 (♀), T. triseta Tong & Li, sp. nov. (♂), and T. zhigangi Tong & Li, sp. nov. (♀). Morphological descriptions and photographic illustrations of the new species are given. All types are preserved in the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing (IZCAS).