Behaviour, feeding and cytogenetic features of the wingless blood-sucking ectoparasite Cyanolicimex patagonicus (Heteroptera: Cimicidae).

Cyanolicimex (Haematosiphoninae) includes a single species, C. patagonicus, which is found in the largest known colony of its avian host Cyanoliseus patagonus (Psittacidae) located in Patagonia (Argentina). Relationships between Cyanolicimex and other genera of Haematosiphoninae are still unclear because this genus shares some characters with other South American genera and possesses some similarities with Hesperocimex from the Neoarctic region. The aim of the present study was to provide additional data of C. patagonicus so as to better understand its relationships with other South American species. We examined some biological features of C. patagonicus in the field and we performed a cytogenetic analysis. We observed in the field that C. patagonicus does not live inside the hollow nests of Cyanoliseus patagonus. The cytogenetic analysis showed that the male karyotype is 2n= 31= 28A+X1X2Y and revealed an achiasmate male meiosis and of the collochore type. Our results together with available cytogenetic data in other cimicids, allow proposing the possible chromosomal rearrangements involved in the chromosomal evolution of C. patagonicus and also contribute to better understand the evolutionary divergence at the chromosomal level within Haematosiphoninae. Based on the whole evidence, we propose to place in four groups the species of Haematosiphoninae cytogenetically hitherto studied.

The family Cavognathidae (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea) in Argentina and adjacent countries.

The family Cavognathidae (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea) in Argentina is represented by three species of the genus Taphropiestes Reitter, 1875: T. fusca Reitter, 1875 [Chubut], T. magna Slipinski & Tomaszewska, 2010 [Río Negro; Chubut], and T. plaumanni Slipinski & Tomaszewska 2010 [Buenos Aires]. A total of 2565 larvae (multiple instars), 83 pupae, 2028 live adults, and 16 dead adults of T. plaumanni were found in Argentina between 2005 and 2013 in the nests of birds representing the families Columbidae, Emberizidae, Falconidae, Furnariidae, Hirundinidae, Mimidae, Passeridae, Psittacidae, Troglodytidae and Tyrannidae. The adults were most abundant in closed mud nests of Furnarius rufus (Gmelin, 1788) [Furnariidae] and its inquiline birds, but the larvae were most abundant in wood nest boxes. When T. plaumanni was scarcely represented in bird nests from some localities, Alphitobius diaperinus (Panzer, 1797), an exotic darkling beetle [Col.: Tenebrionidae: Tenebrioninae], and one native species, Phobelius crenatus Blanchard, 1842 [Col.: Tenebrionidae: Lagriinae], were most abundant in stick nests of Furnariidae. In contrast, when A. diaperinus and P. crenatus were absent in one locality from the province of Buenos Aires, T. plaumanni was the most abundant beetle. A complete account of data is provided for these collections of T. plaumanni in Argentina. Known distributional data for all Argentinian species of Taphropiestes are plotted on maps with biogeographical provinces indicated.

The species of Botanochara Dejean, 1836 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) from Argentina: an identification key, new host plant records and list of Cassidinae found in birds' nests and other protected places.

The genus Botanochara Dejean, 1836 comprises 43 species distributed in the Neotropical Region, among which 26 (57%) are known from Argentina. Botanochara praefica (Spaeth, 1940) is synonymized with B. macularia (Boheman, 1850). Botanochara missionea (Spaeth, 1915) and B. tessellata (Burmeister, 1870) are illustrated for the first time. Botanochara duodecimnotata (Boheman, 1850) and Botanochara segnis (Boheman, 1862) are new country records. Six species are shared with Bolivia, 21 with Brazil, 15 with Paraguay, one with Peru, and 7 with Uruguay. The known geographic distributions, synonymies, hybrids, chromosome numbers, and host plants in Argentina and adjacent countries are summarized. New localities and host plants, and some corrections of misidentified species from Argentina are given. Distribution maps of all species in Argentina with known localities superimposed with biogeographic provinces are provided. The southern limits of Botanochara in western, central and eastern Argentina are established and correlates with the known distributions of Ipomoea L. species (Convolvulaceae). A total of 12,815 specimens of Cassidinae were found inside birds' nests from Argentina, from which 11,538 (90.03%) belong to 8 species of Botanochara; 9,331 (80.87%) were found during Autumn (21th March to 20th June) and Winter (21th June to 20th September) (diapause), and 2,207 (19.13%) during Spring (21 th September to 20 th December) and Summer (21 th December to 20 th March) (aseasonal quiescence). Additional records of two other Cassidinae found in birds' nests and other protected places, Carlobruchia tricostata (Spaeth, 1907) and Stolas lacordairei (Boheman, 1850), are also provided.