Works on Plant and animal studies

This is the first publication of any genus of Metarbelidae Strand, 1909 for Madagascar since 1891. Here, the genus Saalmulleria Mabille, 1891 is revised comprising three species i…

We describe a new species of microhylid frog of the genus Synapturanus from the lower Putumayo basin in Loreto, Perú. Specimens inhabited the soils of stunted pole forests growing…

Zoological collections remain the main archive of animal biodiversity on Earth, and especially in times of large-scale declines of many groups represent important resources for bi…

A new species of Sacada from northern Thailand is described: S. chaehomensis sp. nov. Pellinen & Zahiri (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae, Pyralinae). Morphological characters and DNA barco…

For the first time the Asian hornet Vespa velutina has been found in Hamburg (Northern Germany). So far this is the northernmost occurrence of this originally SE-Asian species in …

Amphisbaena slateri is a rare species of worm lizard from Peru and Bolivia, known only from three specimens. We found two additional specimens of this taxon, housed at the herpeto…

The presence of the rare alpine insect Hemerobius schedli Hölzel, 1970 was confirmed with preserved museum specimens in Basel and London. In addition, live specimens were collecte…

Carcina ingridmariae sp. nov. is described from the eastern Mediterranean region (Greece, Croatia, Cyprus, Türkiye). The species differs strikingly from the so far only repr…

Same-sex and interspecific sexual behavior have been documented in arthropods, but records remain very scarce. We report a mating attempt of a male Dociostaurus kraussi (Ingenitzk…

Anthophora onosmarum is a poorly known bee species described from the Caucasus (Georgia). New fieldwork has revealed that the species is present in Bulgaria and Greece, and is als…

A new species of concealer moths (Oecophoridae), Denisia cryptica sp. nov., is described from specimens collected in the south-western Alps (Italy, France). It differs from simila…

A new osmiine bee species, Hoplitis (Hoplitis) onosmaevae sp. nov. (Megachilidae), is described. So far, this species is exclusively known from the Mercantour National Park in the…

Five species of Psyllinae are recognised from Gunung Kinabalu, all previously unknown, and are formally described and named: Cacopsylla graciliforceps sp. nov., C. kinabaluensis s…

Megacraspedus peslieri was described from the Pyrenees in 2018 and subsequently also discovered at a few localities in the northern Cottian Alps (Italy). The hitherto unknown fema…

Eryngiofaga perrara sp. nov. is described, diagnosed and illustrated from two adult specimens found on Mount Pilatus (Switzerland, Obwalden). The new species is morphologically mo…

A fairyfly (Hymenoptera, Mymaridae) Cleruchus breviclava Triapitsyn & Coray, sp. nov. is described and illustrated. The new species is an egg parasitoid of the invasive Cis chinen…

Gunung Kinabalu is famous for its exceptionally diverse fauna and flora, rich in endemism. An example is the psyllid genus Ctenarytaina that is represented by four, apparently end…

Lyonetia ledi Wocke, 1859 (Lyonetiidae), was hitherto considered as a boreal species with a circumpolar distribution pattern and relict populations in isolated peat bogs north-eas…

Female and male reproductive traits co-evolve through pre- and post-copulatory sexual selection and sexual conflict. Although males typically transfer many sperm during copulation…

Mitrapsylla rupestris sp. nov., associated with Poiretia bahiana C. Mueller (Fabaceae, Faboideae, Dalbergieae), is described, diagnosed and illustrated. The new species is morphol…

Foraging provides the basis for animal reproduction, but requires energy and time to be sustained, entailing a trade-off. Whereas females should maximize their time foraging for r…

Analysis of wing pattern, genital morphology and results of DNA barcoding indicates that the name Dichrorampha montanana sensu auct. actually comprises two species. D. alpestrana …

The Darwin wasp Xorides ater is a solitary idiobiont ectoparasitoid of wood-boring beetle larvae. It occurs across the Palaearctic, and in Switzerland seems to be restricted to ar…

Osmia (Melanosmia) uncinata Gerstäcker is a Palaearctic megachilid bee distributed from temperate and northern Europe eastwards to the Russian Far East. The discovery of over 80 n…

The authors publish faunistic data on 48 owlfly specimens from Jordan, where only two species were known in the past. Four species (Ascalaphus festivus, Deleproctophylla variegata…

Aus der Schweiz wird Nemapogon helveticola als neue Art beschrieben. Dabei handelt es sich um eine taxonomisch isolierte Art, welche bisher nur an einer einzigen Stelle gefunden w…

The Macrophya zhaoae group is reviewed and five species are recognized in China, including a newly described species, M. lishuii Li, Liu & Wei sp. nov. from Zhejiang Province, and…

The taxonomy of the Palaearctic Caryocolum schleichi species group is revised, leading to a largely new species concept. Initially described as four different species (C. schleich…

In order to clarify the identity of Paracacoxenus kaszabi Okada, 1973, a species described from Mongolia, the morphological structures of one male paratype, collected at 1,750 m a…

Osmia (Melanosmia) nigriventris (Zetterstedt) is a predominantly boreoalpine megachilid bee species, whose biology is poorly known due to its pronounced rarity all over Central Eu…

Das ursprünglich aus den Südwestalpen beschriebene Taxon Nematopogon adansoniella (de Villers, 1789) wird neu bewertet. Auf Grund von DNA-Barcodeuntersuchungen sowie morphologisch…

The mid-term impact of forest fires and windthrows on species compositions in the insect orders Neuroptera, Raphidioptera and Mecoptera was assessed in Swiss forests using standar…

We revise the Alpine bee taxa related to Andrena bicolor (Fabricius, 1775), including A. montana Warncke, 1973 and A. allosa Warncke, 1975, the status of which has remained conten…

Hoplitis robusta (Nylander) is a rare and poorly known osmiine bee species occurring in the subalpine zone of the Alps. The discovery of two nests of H. robusta in a thin branch o…

Here, we investigate about 5500 previously unidentified specimens from the collection of Gerhard Bächli. A total of 108 agromyzid species were added to the fauna of Switzerland. C…

The Southernmost region of Australia, the island of Tasmania, is also the most mountainous, with large areas of rugged alpine environments. This entomological frontier offers a di…

Four new Trioza species associated with mistletoes are described, diagnosed and illustrated from Brazil and Chile. They are monophagous on the LoranthaceaeStruthanthus uraguensis …

Understanding the recovery of soil macroarthropod communities during natural regrowth is crucial to demonstrate complete soil restoration. This is because these organisms can play…

Cymbidium kanran is classified as a second-level protected plant in China and is also listed in the World Genetic Conservation Plant Registry. Pollen flow is an important factor i…

Cultivated and suburban areas are usually considered unfavourable to the vulnerable components of biodiversity and regarded as not interesting from a conservation point of view. H…

The present study aimed to describe the composition of the butterfly community in relation to the altitudinal gradient in the Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural (RPPN) Alto-…

Sacred natural sites, as probably the oldest form of habitat reserve for religious or cultural causes worldwide, are suggested to have an important role in conserving vegetation; …

Parrotia subaequalis (H. T. Chang) R.M. Hao & H.T. Wei is a rare and endangered Tertiary relict tree that is endemic to subtropical China. However, little is known about its growt…

Temperature has strong effects on species composition and traits. These effects can differ within and between species groups. Thermoregulation and mobility are traits which can be…

Mountain ecosystems are particularly sensitive to changes in climate and land cover, but at the same time, they can offer important refuges for species on the opposite of the more…

A significant proportion of the mortality of rainforest trees occurs during early life stages (seeds and seedlings), but mortality agents are often elusive. Our study investigated…

To pursue a proper conservation of narrow endemic species, the knowledge of basic reproductive strategies is crucial to plan adequate conservation activities. One of the most evol…

Invasive alien species are the main agent of biodiversity loss in protected natural areas. Prevention is the most appropriate management tool for addressing this challenge, howeve…

Isolated populations are usually subject to low fitness and reduced genetic diversity, both of which may negatively affect their survival and adaptive potential. Hence, these issu…

Butterfly monitoring schemes are recording programs initiated to monitor nationwide butterfly abundance and distribution patterns, often with help from volunteers. The method gene…