Diagnostics of new species of Neotropical Tischeriidae (Lepidoptera), with the first record of Coptotriche Walshingham from South America.

We describe seven new Neotropical species of Tischeriidae: Astrotischeria dondavisi Stonis Diskus, sp. nov., A. bacchariphaga Diskus Stonis, sp. nov., A. guatemalica Diskus Stonis, sp. nov., A. sanjosei Stonis Diskus, sp. nov., A. truncata Diskus Stonis, sp. nov., Coptotriche parvisacculata Diskus Stonis, sp. nov. and C. carmencita Stonis Diskus, sp. nov. We report the discovery of Coptotriche Walsingham in South America and provide the following new host-plant records for the Neotropical Tischeriidae: Terminalia australis Cambess. (Combretaceae), Baccharis latifolia (Ruiz Pav.) Pers., and B. emarginata (Ruiz Pav.) Pers. (Asteraceae). We update the biology of Astrotischeria ochrimaculosa Diskus, Stonis Vargas with the discovery that Wissadula (Malvaceae) is a new, verified host plant. The new species are illustrated with photographs of the adults, male and, if available, female genitalia, and the leaf mines. We expect broader distributions of tisheriid species in South America inferred from known host-plant distributions.

The Passalidae (Coleoptera, Scarabaeoidea) from Bolivia, with the descriptions of three new species.

Employing data from literature, examination of specimens in collections, and a field trip, a list of the species of Passalidae from Bolivia is elaborated. A total of 38 species is reported, including new records of Passalus inca Zang, 1905 and P. lunaris (Kaup, 1871), and three new brachypterous species: Passalus bolivianus sp. nov., P. canoi sp. nov., and P. gonzalezae sp. nov. Most of the species (27) belongs to the Passalini tribe, especially to the genus Passalus Fabricius, 1792 (19 species); the Proculini tribe is represented by eleven species in three genera. The number of species of Bolivia is low and reflects the lack of a systematic exploration of this country; more surveys are needed, especially in ecosystems such as montane forest and tropical rain forest.

ResumenEmpleando datos de literatura, el examen de especímenes en colecciones y recolectados en campo, elaboramos una lista de las especies de Passalidae de Bolivia. Registramos un total de 38 especies, incluidos los nuevos registros de Passalus inca Zang, 1905 y P. lunaris (Kaup, 1871), y tres nuevas especies braquípteras: Passalus bolivianus sp. nov., P. canoi sp. nov. y P. gonzalezae sp. nov. La mayoría de las especies (27) pertenecen a la tribu Passalini, especialmente al género Passalus Fabricius, 1792 (19 especies); la tribu Proculini está representada por 11 especies de tres géneros. El número de especies registradas para Bolivia es bajo y refleja la falta de una exploración sistemática de este país. Se necesitan más muestreos, especialmente en ecosistemas como el bosque montano y la selva tropical.

Phylogenetics of Ogyges Kaup and the biogeography of Nuclear Central America (Coleoptera, Passalidae).

A phylogenetic morphological analysis of the genus Ogyges Kaup, distributed in Nuclear Central America, from Chiapas, Mexico, to northwestern Nicaragua was undertaken. Five species of Proculejus Kaup, distributed north of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Mexico, were selected as outgroup. Ogyges was recovered as monophyletic with three species groups: championi, laevissimus, and crassulus. Each species group shows a distinct, generally allopatric distribution. The O. championi species group, with ten species, is distributed in the Maya block, more specifically in the mountainous system north of the Motozintla-Comaltitlán fault in Chiapas, and north of the dry valleys of the Cuilco and Motagua rivers in Guatemala. The two remaining species groups are distributed in the Chortis block. The O. laevissimus species group, including seven species, ranges mostly along the Pacific Volcanic Chain from Guatemala to El Salvador, and from southeastern Honduras to the northwestern area of Nicaragua. The O. crassulus species group, with ten species, is distributed from northeastern Guatemala (Merendón) to northern Honduras. The Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Mexico, the Motagua-Cuilco and Motozintla-Comaltitlán sutures zones in Chiapas and Guatemala, the lowland valleys of Colón and Comalí rivers between Nicaragua and Honduras (or, perhaps, the northern suture of the Siuna Terrane in Nicaragua), the Guayape fault system in Honduras, and the intricate dry valleys of Ulúa-Chamelecón-Olancho in Honduras, are hypothesized to have acted as barriers that affected the geographical distribution of Ogyges, as well as probably other montane organisms.

Passalidae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) of the Greater and Lesser Antilles.

We present a synthesis of the state of knowledge concerning the species of Passalidae (Coleoptera) of the West Indies and we present a key to the species. The recently described genus Antillanax Boucher renders the subgenus Passalus (Pertinax) Kaup paraphyletic, therefore we place Antillanax in synonymy with Passalus (Pertinax) and we propose a new combination for Passalus (Pertinax) doesburgi (Boucher). The island richest in species is Hispaniola, with five species, three of them endemic. Excluding Trinidad and Tobago, the passalid fauna of the West Indies comprises 13 species; this is low richness, but with high endemism (50%), especially for the Greater Antilles.

A checklist and key for the identification of bess beetles (Coleoptera: Passalidae) of Argentina.

Based on field collections, museum specimens and literature review, we present a checklist of Argentine Passalidae, with a key to their identification. A total of five genera and 24 species are listed, including Passalus quadricollis, Passalus perplexus and Passalus elfriedae as first records for the country.

First discovery of Quercus feeding Nepticulidae (Lepidoptera) in Central America.

Despite the high taxonomic diversity of oaks in Mexico and Central America, no Quercus feeding Nepticulidae have ever been recorded from the region. Here, we present seven species whose larvae are leaf-miners of Quercus (section Lobatae) in Guatemala. Except Stigmella nigriverticella (Chambers 1875), which was previously known from the United States, all other discovered species are new. We describe and name five new species (Stigmella jaguari Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., S. lauta Diskus & Stonis, sp. nov., S. sublauta Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., S. aurifasciata Diskus & Stonis, sp. nov. and S. guatemalensis Diskus & Stonis, sp. nov.); the remaining new species is described but left unnamed because of lack of adults (i. e. moths and genitalia are described from developed pupae). All seven treated species are illustrated with photographs of the leaf-mines, adults, and genitalia.

Four new leaf-mining Acalyptris species from Guatemala and Belize, with new data on bionomics of Stigmella pruinosa (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae).

This paper describes four new species: Acalyptris basicornis Remeikis & Stonis, sp. nov., A. peteni Diskus & Stonis, sp. nov., A. caribbicus Diskus & Stonis, sp. nov. (host-plant: Lantana involucrata L., Verbenaceae), and A. statuarius Diskus & Stonis, sp. nov. Another species, Stigmella pruinosa Puplesis & Robinson, is re-described, with new distribution records in Guatemala and with the first documentation of leaf-mines on Guazuma ulmifolia Lam. (Malvaceae). All five species are illustrated with photographs of the leaf-mines, adults, and genitalia.

A new species of Oileus Kaup (Coleoptera, Passalidae) from Guatemala, with a key to the species of the genus.

Oileus gasparilomisp. n. is described from nine specimens from the mountains of Quiché in Guatemala, from cloud forest at 1795 m elevation. This represents the second species of the genus for Guatemala, differing from the closely related Mexican species Oileus rimator (Truqui) in having a straight anterior clypeal border, the postocular sulcus divided by a keel and the pronotum almost straight (not clearly bilobed). A key to the species of Oileus is given.