To the nomenclature of two species of the genus Adomerus (Heteroptera: Cydnidae).

The study of the lectotype of Sehirus fuscipennis Horváth, 1899 showed that this specimen is conspecific with Canthophorus maculipes sensu Aukema Constant, 2016 and Adomerus maculipes sensu Gapon, 2018. To promote stability of nomenclature, the neotype of Cydnus maculipes Mulsant et Rey 1852 is designated instead of the lost syntypes. The name Sehirus aeneus Walker, 1867 is placed in synonymy with Adomerus maculipes (Mulsant et Rey, 1852). The name Adomerus fuscipennis (Horváth, 1899), stat. resurr. is reinstated. Colouration of the hemelytra, the structure of the parameres and aedeagi of the holotype of S. aeneus Walker, 1867 (female), of a male of A. maculipes, being topotypic with the latter, and of the lectotype of S. fuscipennis Horváth, 1899 are compared with each other and with descriptions of the terminalia of both species, recently published by the second author based on material from different localities. A map of the distribution of both species is given according to the literature data and studied collection materials.

New species in the Old World: Europe as a frontier in biodiversity exploration, a test bed for 21st century taxonomy.

The number of described species on the planet is about 1.9 million, with ca. 17,000 new species described annually, mostly from the tropics. However, taxonomy is usually described as a science in crisis, lacking manpower and funding, a politically acknowledged problem known as the Taxonomic Impediment. Using data from the Fauna Europaea database and the Zoological Record, we show that contrary to general belief, developed and heavily-studied parts of the world are important reservoirs of unknown species. In Europe, new species of multicellular terrestrial and freshwater animals are being discovered and named at an unprecedented rate: since the 1950s, more than 770 new species are on average described each year from Europe, which add to the 125,000 terrestrial and freshwater multicellular species already known in this region. There is no sign of having reached a plateau that would allow for the assessment of the magnitude of European biodiversity. More remarkably, over 60% of these new species are described by non-professional taxonomists. Amateurs are recognized as an essential part of the workforce in ecology and astronomy, but the magnitude of non-professional taxonomist contributions to alpha-taxonomy has not been fully realized until now. Our results stress the importance of developing a system that better supports and guides this formidable workforce, as we seek to overcome the Taxonomic Impediment and speed up the process of describing the planetary biodiversity before it is too late.

Fecundity in relation to wing-morph of three closely related species of the melanocephalus group of the genus Calathus (Coleoptera: Carabidae).

In two successive years the fecundity of the carabid beetles Calathus (Neocalathus) cinctus, C. (N.) melanocephalus and C. (N.) mollis was studied in relation to wing-morph and temperature. Differences were found between the three species in both egg production and timing and length of the oviposition period. In all species the fecundity of laboratory bred beetles was significantly higher than that of females collected in the field. Long-winged females of both cinctus and melanocephalus had significantly higher egg production than short-winged females, and they also tended to produce eggs over a longer period. In mollis only the fecundity of the long-winged morph was established. The observed lower relative fitness of the short-winged morph in both cinctus and melanocephalus contradicts the supposed increase of the frequency of this morph in ageing, more or less isolated, populations of these species. The loss of long-winged genotypes, resulting from flight activities, is considered the most plausible cause of the increase of short-winged beetles in ageing populations. The higher fecundity of macropterous females makes them especially suited for (re)establishing populations.