Publications by authors named "Otto Merkl"

The tribes Goniaderini Lacordaire, 1859 and Lupropini Lesne, 1926 within the tenebrionid subfamily Lagriinae Latreille, 1825 have previously been shown to be non-monophyletic by molecular phylogenetic analyses. The tribes and constituent genera are here reviewed and redefined morphologically. As part of tribal redefinitions, we establish Prateini with type genus LeConte, 1862.

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Recent progress in the taxonomy of flat bark beetles (Cucujidae), specifically, in the genus Cucujus, has revealed great diversity in subtropical Asia, but the seemingly well-known temperate and boreal taxa need further attention because of their conservation status. Here, we used an integrative approach using morphology, DNA, and species distribution modelling to disentangle phylogenetic relations, verify the number of species, and understand the historical biogeography of Palearctic and Nearctic Cucujus beetles, particularly the C. haematodes species group.

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A review of genus-group names for darkling beetles in the family Tenebrionidae (Insecta: Coleoptera) is presented. A catalogue of 4122 nomenclaturally available genus-group names, representing 2307 valid genera (33 of which are extinct) and 761 valid subgenera, is given. For each name the author, date, page number, gender, type species, type fixation, current status, and first synonymy (when the name is a synonym) are provided.

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Article Synopsis
  • The alfalfa weevil, native to the Western Palearctic, has two main mitochondrial clades (Western and Eastern/Egyptian) with limited understanding of native populations.
  • The Western clade is heavily infected with the endosymbiotic bacteria Wolbachia, which affects genetic diversity and increases the fixation of mutations, while the Eastern clade shows a broader distribution.
  • Research findings indicate geographic isolation due to historical ice ages shaped the clade differences, and using infected clade males for pest control in uninfected populations raises both potential benefits and concerns.
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The subgenus Amblypteraca Mas-Peinado, Buckley, Ruiz García-París, 2018 of Pimelia Fabricius, 1775, is restricted to the southern Iberian Peninsula and western Maghreb (northern and western Morocco). The distribution of Amblypteraca throughout the African-European edges overlaps largely with the geographic range of the subgenus Amblyptera, which is sister to the clade grouping subgenera Amblypteraca and Ecphoroma Solier, 1836. Delimiting species boundaries in the speciose genus Pimelia is often challenging, and the taxonomic status of some groups within the aforementioned subgenera is still a matter of debate.

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Statira baltica sp. nov. is described from Eocene Baltic amber found in the Baltic Sea coast, Yantarny settlement, Kaliningrad Region, Russia.

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A taxonomic review of the genus Prosodes Eschscholtz, 1829 of Iran is given. Two new species from the subgenus Meropersina Reitter, 1909 are described, both from West Azerbaijan Province: P. kasatkini sp.

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Three species of the genus Xenocerogria Merkl, 2007 have been recorded in China, Xenocerogriafeai (Borchmann, 1911), Xenocerogriaignota (Borchmann, 1941) and Xenocerogriaruficollis (Borchmann, 1912). Xenoceraxanthisma Chen, 2002 is proposed as a junior synonym of Xenocerogriaruficollis. Lectotype of Xenocerogriaignota is designated, and the species is transferred to the genus Lagria Fabricius, 1775.

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Ulomimus indicus Bates, 1873 of the tribe Ulomini is recorded for the first time from China (Guangxi and Hainan), Indonesia (Sumatra) and Thailand (Chiang Dao). A redescription of the male and the first description of the female are also provided.

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