Review of the subgenus Tarpheion of the genus Blacus Nees (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Brachistinae) from China, with description of nine new species and eight new records.

An updated key to the currently known species of the subgenus Tarpheion van Achterberg, 1976 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Blacus) in China is provided. Nine new species are proposed, B. (T.) adelphius sp. nov., B. (T.) frontalis sp. nov., B. (T.) gilvus sp. nov., B. (T.) hainanensis sp. nov., B. (T.) parilis sp. nov., B. (T.) reticulatus sp. nov., B. (T.) sculptilis sp. nov., B. (T.) tanae sp. nov., and B. (T.) wuyishanensis sp. nov. Eight species, B. (T.) achterbergi Haeselbarth, 1976, B. (T.) albiventris van Achterberg, 1988, B. (T.) angichorus van Achterberg, 1988, B. (T.) antennalis van Achterberg, 1988, B. (T.) apicalis van Achterberg, 1976, B. (T.) artomandibularis van Achterberg, 1976, B. (T.) bicolor van Achterberg, 1988, and B. (T.) soror van Achterberg, 1988, are newly recorded from China.

A review of the subgenera Carinichelonus, Microchelonus, Parachelonus and Stylochelonus of the genus Chelonus Panzer (Braconidae: Cheloninae) with descriptions of twenty-one new species from China.

Three subgenera Microchelonus Szpligeti, 1908 s. str., Parachelonus Tobias, 1995 and Stylochelonus Helln, 1958 are newly recorded from China, 21 new species, viz., C. (M.) adiazetos sp. nov., C. (M.) aequus sp. nov., C. (M.) brachykeraiatus sp. nov., C. (M.) bullatus sp. nov., C. (M.) clivus sp. nov., C. (M.) crassitibialis sp. nov., C. (M.) cyclotus sp. nov., C. (M.) erugatus sp. nov., C. (M.) illatus sp. nov., C. (M.) leious sp. nov., C. (M.) linzhiensis sp. nov., C. (M.) maculovittatus sp. nov., C. (M.) melanochromus sp. nov., C. (M.) platyetrus sp. nov., C. (M.) recavus sp. nov., C. (M.) ruficorpus sp. nov., C. (M.) scirpophagae sp. nov., C. (M.) staurorhytis sp. nov., C. (P.) hirsutus sp. nov., C. (S.) acaretrus sp. nov., and C. (S.) punctulosus sp. nov. are described and illustrated. Also, eleven species are reported as new to China: C. (M.) alticinctus (Tobias, 1989), C. (M.) alveatus (Tobias, 1989), C. (M.) calcaratus (Tobias, 1989), C. (M.) flagellaris (Tobias, 1989), C. (M.) insidiatrix (Tobias, 1989), C. (M.) milkoi (Tobias, 2003), C. (M.) moskovitus (Tobias, 1997), C. (M.) semilunaris (Tobias, 2000), C. (M.) temporalis (Tobias, 1986), C. (M.) varus (Tobias, 2000) and C. (M.) zaitzevi (Tobias, 1972). Four new combinations are proposed: C. (P.) compressor (Chen & Ji, 2003) comb. nov., C. (P.) macrocorpus (Ji & Chen, 2003) comb. nov., C. (P.) polycolor (Chen & Ji, 2003) comb. nov. and C. (Baculonus) rubriventris (Tobias, 1988) comb. nov. The following new names are proposed: C. (M.) jiae nom. nov. for C. (M.) bimaculatus (Chen & Ji, 2003) and C. (M.) substernatus nom. nov. for C. (M.) tobiasi (Yuldashev, 2011). Microchelonus (Carinichelonus) cavifrons Tobias, 2000 is synonymized with C. (Ca.) tabonus Sonan, 1932. A key to the Chinese species of the subgenus Microchelonus is provided together with keys to the currently known species of the subgenera Carinichelonus, Stylochelonus and Parachelonus.

Review of the subgenus Chelonus of the genus Chelonus Panzer (Braconidae: Cheloninae) with description of twenty-one new species from China.

The subgenus Chelonus Panzer, 1806 of genus Chelonus Panzer, 1806 is revised for China and 73 (of which 31 are illustrated) species are recognized. Twenty-one new species, namely, C. (C.) akinakes sp. nov., C. (C.) ameterion sp. nov., C. (C.) angustivertex sp. nov., C. (C.) apicoretusus sp. nov., C. (C.) argoskeles sp. nov., C. (C.) aspros sp. nov., C. (C.) bouommatus sp. nov., C. (C.) brochus sp. nov., C. (C.) columnatus sp. nov., C. (C.) ferrugineus sp. nov., C. (C.) gilvus sp. nov., C. (C.) glomerosus sp. nov., C. (C.) hadrosetron sp. nov., C. (C.) longipectus sp. nov., C. (C.) notochinensis sp. nov., C. (C.) pedinos sp. nov., C. (C.) perspicillatus sp. nov., C. (C.) tanyaisthema sp. nov., C. (C.) transversus sp. nov., C. (C.) truncatus sp. nov. and C. (C.) wuyiensis sp. nov., are described and illustrated. Nine species are recorded from China for the first time, i.e., C. (C.) breviventris Thomson, 1874, C. (C.) capsa Tobias, 1972, C. (C.) cesa Kocak & Kemal, 2013, C. (C.) dauricus Telenga, 1941, C. (C.) fumarius Tobias, 2000, C. (C.) pannonicus Szpligeti, 1896, C. (C.) praepusillus Tobias, 2000, C. (C.) subseticornis Tobias, 1971 and C. (C.) wullii Kittel, 2016. A key to the Chinese species of the subgenus Chelonus Panzer, 1806 is provided.

Review of the subtribe Spinariina van Achterberg (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Rogadinae) from India with description of one new species.

The Indian members of the subtribe Spinariina van Achterberg, 1988 are reviewed and a key to Indian species is provided. Spinaria westwoodi Cameron, 1906 is reported from Great Nicobar island and a new species, Spinaria indica Gupta & van Achterberg, sp. nov. from Nagaland, is described and illustrated. In addition, Batotheca nigriceps (Cameron, 1897) is reported from caterpillars feeding on Psidium guajava L. and S. spinator (Gurin-Mneville, 1830) from slug caterpillar (Limacodidae) on Elaeodendron glaucum (Rottb.) Pers. in southern India.

First report of two braconid genera Syntretus Foerster and Xynobius Foerster from India with description of one new species.

Two genera, namely Syntretus Foerster (Braconidae: Euphorinae) and Xynobius Foerster (Braconidae: Opiinae), are reported for the first time from India. One new species, Syntretus curvatus Gupta, van Achterberg & Pattar, sp. nov. is described and illustrated from southern India. Xynobius chrysops Wu, van Achterberg, Sheng & Chen, 2018, described from Vietnam, is reported newly from India.

A new genus in the braconid subfamily Miracinae from the Oriental region, with descriptions of seven new species from India and Sri Lanka.

A new genus in the braconid subfamily Miracinae is described from the Oriental region including a new species from south India. Additionally, six new species of the genus Centistidea Rohwer is described from India and Sri Lanka. Taxonomic keys to separate the new genus from other miracine genera, to the extant species of Rugosimirax gen. nov. and to the Oriental species of Centistidea are provided.

The discovery of the subgenus Hysterobolus Viereck, 1913 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Brachistinae, Blacini, Blacus) in China, with description of nine new species.

The subgenus Hysterobolus Viereck, 1913 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Blacus) is newly recorded from China. Nine new species are proposed, B. (H.) baishanzuensis sp. nov., B. (H.) flaviceps sp. nov., B. (H.) laculaticornis sp. nov., B. (H.) longiapicalis sp. nov., B. (H.) melanoapicalis sp. nov., B. (H.) niger sp. nov., B. (H.) variegatus sp. nov., B. (H.) xui sp. nov., B. (H.) yunnanensis sp. nov., and one species, B. (H.) chabarovi Belokobylskij, 1995, is newly recorded from China. An updated key to the currently known species of the subgenus Hysterobolus in China is provided.

The discovery of the subgenus Contochorus van Achterberg, 1976 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Brachistinae, Blacini, Blacus) in China.

The subgenus Contochorus van Achterberg, 1976 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Blacus) is newly recorded from China. Two new species are proposed, B. (C). capillosus sp. nov., B. (C). planus sp. nov., and two species are newly recorded in China, B. (C). mellitarsis van Achterberg, 1988 and B. (C). turbidus Papp, 1985. An updated key to the currently known species of the subgenus Contochorus in the world is provided.

Evolutionary timescale of chalcidoid wasps inferred from over one hundred mitochondrial genomes.

Chalcidoidea is one of the most biologically diverse groups among Hymenoptera. Members are characterized by extraordinary parasitic lifestyles and extensive host ranges, among which several species attack plants or serve as pollinators. However, higher-level chalcidoid relationships remain controversial. Here, we performed mitochondrial phylogenomic analyses for major clades (18 out of 25 families) of Chalcidoidea based on 139 mitochondrial genomes. The compositional heterogeneity and conflicting backbone relationships in Chalcidoidea were assessed using various datasets and tree inferences. Our phylogenetic results supported the monophyly of 16 families and polyphyly of Aphelinidae and Pteromalidae. Our preferred topology recovered the relationship (Mymaridae+(Signiphoridae+Leucospidae)+(Chalcididae+((Perilampidae+Eucharitidae)+ remaining Chalcidoidea)))). The monophyly of Agaonidae and Sycophaginae was rejected, while the gall-associated ((Megastigmidae+Ormyridae)+(Ormocerinae+Eurytomidae)) relationship was supported in most results. A six-gene inversion may be a synapomorphy for most families, whereas other derived gene orders may introduce confusion in phylogenetic signals at deeper nodes. Dating estimates suggested that Chalcidoidea arose near the Jurassic/Cretaceous boundary and that two dynamic shifts in diversification occurred during the evolution of Chalcidoidea. We hypothesized that the potential codiversification between chalcidoids and their hosts may be crucial for accelerating the diversification of Chalcidoidea. Ancestral state reconstruction analyses supported the hypothesis that gall-inducers were mainly derived from parasitoids of gall-inducers, while other gall-inducers were derived from phytophagous groups. Taken together, these findings advance our understanding of mitochondrial genome evolution in the major interfamilial phylogeny of Chalcidoidea.

A new genus and two new species of Braconinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) from the Oriental region.

A new genus of Braconinae, Pseudorhadinobracon Ranjith & van Achterberg, is described based on the species (P. luteus (Szpligeti) gen. et. comb. nov.) earlier classified under the genus Rhadinobracon Szpligeti. Additionally, the genus Rhadinobracon is newly reported from the Oriental region with the description of two new species from India, R. levigatus Ranjith and R. nitidus Ranjith. A taxonomic key to separate Pseudorhadinobracon from Rhadinobracon is provided. The generic diagnosis of Rhadinobracon is revised along with a taxonomic key to the extant species.

The identity of Chivinia Shestakov (Hymenoptera: Braconidae, Braconinae), with description of a similar species from the Oriental region.

A peculiar new species from Vietnam (Bracon (Pseudochivinia) tobiasi Long & van Achterberg, sp. nov.) is described and illustrated. It is included in a new subgenus Pseudochivinia Long & van Achterberg, subgen. nov., because it does not fit into the superficially similar subgenus Chivinia Shestakov. The new subgenus shares with Chivinia Shestakov the absence of vein r-m of the fore wing (resulting in the absence of a closed second submarginal cell) but can be distinguished from Chivinia and other subgenera of the genus Bracon Fabricius by the deep and crenulate medio-longitudinal depression of the first metasomal tergite and the different venation. Bracon (Chivinia) zimini Shestakov, 1932 is redescribed and illustrated for the first time.

Illustrated keys to Scoliidae (Insecta, Hymenoptera, Scolioidea) from China.

The Scoliidae occur predominantly in tropical and subtropical regions and are ectoparasitoids of Scarabaeoidea larvae (especially of Melolonthinae) which are immobilised, parasitised by the female wasp in their terrestrial larval gallery and buried deeper in a special cell by the female wasp. Herein, we provided, for the first time, illustrated keys to 11 genera and 52 species of Scoliidae from China, based on specimens in the Naturalis Biodiversity Center (RMNH, Leiden) and additional specimens from the Chinese Academy of Insect Science (Beijing), Zhejiang University (ZJUH, Hangzhou) and Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU, Guangzhou) and it is a first attempt to make keys available for all the Scoliidae species in China.

Revision of parasitoids of Massicus raddei (Blessig Solsky) (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) in China, with one new species and genus.

Fifteen parasitoids of Massicus raddei (Blessig Solsky) (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) are revised. The host is a serious pest of Quercus liaotungensis Koidz. and Q. mongolica Fisch. ex Ledeb. in NE China. All the parasitoids were reared from larvae of M. raddei. Pseudocyanopterus gen. nov. raddeivorus sp. nov., a new braconid wasp is described, and Cyanopterus tricolor (Ivanov) and Eubazus (E.) pallipes are new records for the Chinese fauna. An identification key to the parasitoids of M. raddei in China is provided. Detailed photographs of the parasitoids are provided.

Two genera Campyloneurus Szépligeti and Iphiaulax Foerster in China, with the descriptions of fourteen new species (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Braconinae).

The species of the genus Campyloneurus Szépligeti and Iphiaulax Foerster (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Braconinae) from China are revised and 32 species are recognized, including 14 new species (Campyloneurus brachyurus sp. nov., C. lasiofacialis sp. nov., C. longitergum sp. nov., C. longitudinalis sp. nov., C. micromacularis sp. nov., C. nigriventris sp. nov., C. promiscuus sp. nov., C. pachypus sp. nov., C. quadraticeps sp. nov., C. robusticella sp. nov., C. rugifacialis sp. nov., C. stigmosus sp. nov., C. tergipunctatus sp. nov. and Iphiaulax longinervis sp. nov.), which are described and fully illustrated. Campyloneurus kirbyi (Cameron, 1905) is reported from China for the first time. A key to taxonomically similar genera, Campyloneurus, Craspedolcus Enderlein, Cyanopterus Haliday, Iphiaulax and Maculibracon Li, van Achterberg Chen), and a key to the Chinese species of the genera Campyloneurus and Iphiaulax are provided.

Sexual variation in two species of Helorus Latreille (Hymenoptera, Heloridae) from NW China, with description of female of Helorus caii He amp; Xu.

The intra-specific variation of two species of Helorus Latreille (Hymenoptera, Heloridae) from NW China is studied and for the first time the sexual variation in Chinese Helorus species is described. Both sexes of Helorus antefurcalis He Xu, 2015 (new for Shaanxi) and H. caii He Xu, 2015 (up to now only known from one male), are described and illustrated. Helorus xinjiangensis He Xu, [June] 2015, is a new junior synonym of H. alborzicus Izadizadeh, van Achterberg Talebi, [April] 2015 and H. elgoni Risbec, 1950, is re-instated as valid species. A revised key to the Old World species of Helorus Latreille (except Australian region) is included.

A taxonomic review of the genus Diolcogaster Ashmead (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae) in Iran, distribution and morphological variability.

The four species of the genus Diolcogaster Ashmead, 1900, present in Iran are reviewed. Field sampling was done during 2010 to 2016 in eastern and southeastern parts of Iran by various methods. The identity and morphological variability of D. alvearia (Fabricius), D. claritibia (Papp), D. mayae (Shestakov) and D. spreta (Marshall) were compared with other Palaearctic material. Three species, D. claritibia, D. mayae and D. alvearia, are illustrated and redescribed and the intraspecific variation of D. mayae is presented for the first time. Examination of the additional specimens revealed eleven new records: D. alvearia (Croatia), D. claritibia (Tunisia and Ukraine), D. mayae (Algeria, Israel, Russia and Yemen) and D. spreta (Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany and Spain). A key to the species found in Iran, as well as information about their distribution, are also provided.

First records of the genus Spilopteron Townes (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Acaenitinae) from Vietnam, with descriptions of five new species.

The genus Spilopteron Townes, 1960 (Ichneumonidae: Acaenitinae) is reported for the first time from Vietnam. Five of the seven reported species are described as new, comprising: S. brunneum sp. nov., S. lamdongensis sp. nov., S. nigromaculatum sp. nov., S. tamdaoensis sp. nov., and S. tumidium sp. nov. In addition, two further species, S. flaviapicus Wang Huang, 1993, and S. fuscomaculatum Wang, 1988, are recorded for the first time from the country.

Two species and a genus new for Thailand, with description of a new species of Neurolarthra Fischer (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Alysiinae).

Neurolarthra Fischer, 1976, is a small braconid genus with two described species. The genus is revised using morphological characters and a phylogenetic analysis of COI sequence data; GenBank accession numbers of seven COI sequences from two species are included. A new species from Thailand is described and illustrated: N. karensharkeyae Yao n. sp. Neurolarthra Fischer and N. procera are reported for the first time from Thailand. A key to species of the genus Neurolarthra is presented.

Northeast Asian Allorhynchium van der Vecht (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), with a key to Oriental species.

The Oriental species of Allorhynchium van der Vecht, 1963 (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) are keyed for the first time and their distribution is summarised, with special reference to China and Vietnam. Archancistrocerus Giordani Soika, 1986, is synonymized with Allorhynchium van der Vecht (syn. nov.). Allorhynchium diffinis (Giordani Soika, 1986) is a new combination and A. quadrimaculatum Gusenleitner, 1997, is recorded from Vietnam for the first time.