The pelidnotine scarabs (Scarabaeidae: Rutelinae: Rutelini) are a speciose, paraphyletic assemblage of beetles that includes spectacular metallic species (“jewel scarabs”) as well as species that are ecologically important as herbivores, pollinators, and bioindicators. These beetles suffer from a complicated nomenclatural history, due primarily to 20th century taxonomic and nomenclatural errors. We review the taxonomic history of the pelidnotine scarabs, present a provisional key to genera with overviews of all genera, and synthesize a catalog of all taxa with synonyms, distributional data, type specimen information, and 107 images of exemplar species. As a result of our research, the pelidnotine leaf chafers (a paraphyletic group) include 27 (26 extant and 1 extinct) genera and 420 valid species and subspecies (419 extant and 1 extinct). Our research makes biodiversity research on this group tractable and accessible, thus setting the stage for future studies that address evolutionary and ecological trends. Based on our research, 1 new species is described, 1 new generic synonym and 12 new species synonyms are proposed, 11 new lectotypes and 1 new neotype are designated, many new or revised nomenclatural combinations, and many unavailable names are presented. The following taxonomic changes are made:New generic synonym: The genus Heteropelidnota Ohaus, 1912 is a new junior synonym of Pelidnota MacLeay, 1819.New species synonyms: Plusiotis adelaida pavonacea Casey, 1915 is a syn. n. of Chrysina adelaida (Hope, 1841); Odontognathus gounellei Ohaus, 1908 is a revised synonym of Pelidnota ebenina (Blanchard, 1842); Pelidnota francoisgenieri Moore & Jameson, 2013 is a syn. n. of Pelidnota punctata (Linnaeus, 1758); Pelidnota genieri Soula, 2009 is a syn. n. of Pelidnota punctata (Linnaeus, 1758); Pelidnota lutea (Olivier, 1758) is a revised synonym of Pelidnota punctata (Linnaeus, 1758); Pelidnota (Pelidnota) texensis Casey, 1915 is a revised synonym of Pelidnota punctata (Linnaeus, 1758); Pelidnota (Strigidia) zikani (Ohaus, 1922) is a revised synonym of Pelidnota tibialis tibialis Burmeister, 1844; Pelidnota ludovici Ohaus, 1905 is a syn. n. of Pelidnota burmeisteri tricolor Nonfried, 1894; Rutela fulvipennis Germar, 1824 is syn. n. of Pelidnota cuprea (Germar, 1824); Pelidnota pulchella blanda Burmeister, 1844 is a syn. n. of Pelidnota pulchella pulchella (Kirby, 1819); Pelidnota pulchella scapularis Burmeister, 1844 is a syn. n. of Pelidnota pulchella pulchella (Kirby, 1819); Pelidnota xanthogramma Perty, 1830 is a syn. n. of Pelidnota pulchella pulchella (Kirby, 1819).New or revised statuses: Pelidnota fabricelavalettei Soula, 2009, revised status, is considered a species; Pelidnota rioensis Soula, 2009, stat. n., is considered a species; Pelidnota semiaurata semiaurata Burmeister, 1844, stat. rev., is considered a subspecies.New or comb. rev. and revised status: Plusiotis guaymi Curoe, 2001 is formally transferred to the genus Chrysina (C. guaymi (Curoe, 2001), comb. n.); Plusiotis transvolcanica Morón & Nogueir...

The scarab beetle tribe Cyclocephalini (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) is the second largest tribe of rhinoceros beetles, with nearly 500 described species. This diverse group is most closely associated with early diverging angiosperm groups (the family Nymphaeaceae, magnoliid clade, and monocots), where they feed, mate, and receive the benefit of thermal rewards from the host plant. Cyclocephaline floral association data have never been synthesized, and a comprehensive review of this ecological interaction was necessary to promote research by updating nomenclature, identifying inconsistencies in the data, and reporting previously unpublished data. Based on the most specific data, at least 97 cyclocephaline beetle species have been reported from the flowers of 58 plant genera representing 17 families and 15 orders. Thirteen new cyclocephaline floral associations are reported herein. Six cyclocephaline and 25 plant synonyms were reported in the literature and on beetle voucher specimen labels, and these were updated to reflect current nomenclature. The valid names of three unavailable plant host names were identified. We review the cyclocephaline floral associations with respect to inferred relationships of angiosperm orders. Ten genera of cyclocephaline beetles have been recorded from flowers of early diverging angiosperm groups. In contrast, only one genus, Cyclocephala, has been recorded from dicot flowers. Cyclocephaline visitation of dicot flowers is limited to the New World, and it is unknown whether this is evolutionary meaningful or the result of sampling bias and incomplete data. The most important areas for future research include: 1) elucidating the factors that attract cyclocephalines to flowers including floral scent chemistry and thermogenesis, 2) determining whether cyclocephaline dicot visitation is truly limited to the New World, and 3) inferring evolutionary relationships within the Cyclocephalini to rigorously test vicarance hypotheses, host plant shifts, and mutualisms with angiosperms.

Cyclocephaline scarab beetles represent the second largest tribe of the subfamily Dynastinae, and the group includes the most speciose genus of dynastines, Cyclocephala. The period following publication of Sebő Endrődi’s The Dynastinae of the World has seen a huge increase in research interest on cyclocephalines, and much of this research has not been synthesized. The objective of this catalog and bibliography is to compile an exhaustive list of taxa in Cyclocephalini. This paper provides an updated foundation for understanding the taxonomy and classification of 14 genera and over 500 species in the tribe. It discusses the history of cataloging dynastine species, clarifies issues surrounding the neotype designations in Endrődi’s revision of Cyclocephalini, synthesizes all published distribution data for cyclocephaline species, and increases accessibility to the voluminous literature on the group by providing an easily searchable bibliography for each species. We propose the nomen novum Cyclocephala rogerpauli, new replacement name, for C. nigra Dechambre.

Halyomorpha halys is an invasive, widespread stink bug for which only short-term solutions are currently available for pest control worldwide. The need for long-term management solutions for H. halys has driven studies on augmentative and classical biological control of this species, especially by its egg parasitoids. Numerous investigations in Asia, USA, and Europe on native and exotic egg parasitoids of H. halys, and the effects on non-target pentatomids, have improved the global knowledge of parasitoid-host relationships, uncovered new associations, and led to the discovery of new species. This trend continues with Acroclisoides sinicus, a pteromalid that was described in the 1980's from Asia. In this work we report recent findings of this species in North America and Europe. Moreover, we propose that Acroclisoides solus syn. nov., a species described originally from the USA, is conspecific with A. sinicus based on morphological and molecular analysis.

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The cyclocephaline scarabs (Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Cyclocephalini) are a speciose tribe of beetles that include species that are ecologically and economically important as pollinators and pests of agriculture and turf. We provide an overview and synopsis of the 14 genera of Cyclocephalini that includes information on: 1) the taxonomic and nomenclatural history of the group; 2) diagnosis and identification of immature life-stages; 3) economic importance in agroecosystems; 4) natural enemies of these beetles; 5) use as food by humans; 6) the importance of adults as pollination mutualists; 7) fossil cyclocephalines and the evolution of the group; 8) generic-level identification of adults. We provide an expanded identification key to genera of world Cyclocephalini and diagnoses for each genus. Character illustrations and generic-level distribution maps are provided along with discussions on the relationships of the tribe’s genera.

A morphological and molecular analysis of Gryon Haliday (Platygastroidea, Scelionidae) was conducted to provide a taxonomic and phylogenetic context for a species under evaluation as a biological control agent of Bagrada hilaris (Burmeister) (Hemiptera, Pentatomidae). Our analysis revealed that Gryon is polyphyletic and that the biological control agent is not G. gonikopalense, a name that was tentatively applied to this species in 2019. We here describe this species as new, Gryon aetherium Talamas sp. nov., and resurrect the generic name Hadronotus Förster. Morphological characters that delimit our concepts of Gryon and Hadronotus are presented. Based on morphological characters and multilocus phylogenies, we determined that five presently valid scelionid genera belong within Gryon. In total, 15 species are transferred into Gryon from these genera, 215 species are transferred from Gryon to Hadronotus, and 6 species are transferred from Gryon to Dyscritobaeus Perkins. Specimens collected during field studies in California and reevaluation of specimens determined as G. myrmecophilum in Mexico reveal that G. aetherium is adventive in North America.

Abstract. Cyclocephaline scarabs, the second largest tribe of rhinoceros beetles, are important pollinators of early-diverging angiosperm families in the tropics. The evolutionary history of cyclocephaline genera is poorly resolved and several genera are thought to be nonmonophyletic. We assess the monophyly of Mimeoma Casey, a group of Neotropical palm-feeding scarabs, and its relationship to Cyclocephala with a phylogenetic analysis of 2899 bp of DNA sequence data and 18 morphological characters. All five species of Mimeoma were included in analyses along with species of Cyclocephala Dejean, Dyscinetus Harold and Tomarus Erichson as outgroup taxa. Nearly complete 28S, 12S and CO1 data were collected from 26 of 29 specimens, of which 16 samples were pinned, museum specimens. 28S data strongly support a nonmonophyletic Mimeoma; mitochondrial data (CO1 and 12S) suggest that Mimeoma species are nested within an apical clade of other Cyclocephala species; combined molecular and morphological data identify two strongly supported clades of Mimeoma species but do not support their sister relationship. Combined data show that Mimeoma species are nested within Cyclocephala, thus rendering Cyclocephala paraphyletic. Mimeoma is synonymized within Cyclocephala resulting in the following new combinations: Cyclocephala acuta Arrow n.comb., Cyclocephala englemani (Ratcliffe) n.comb., Cyclocephala maculata Burmeister n.comb., Cyclocephala nigra (Endrödi) n.comb. and Cyclocephala signatoides Höhne n.comb. Our results demonstrate that pinned, museum specimens can be used to obtain DNA sequence data (particularly high-copy gene regions) for evolutionary studies, and provide the first empirical support that host-plant associations within cyclocephaline scarab clades are conserved at the plant family-level.