Two new species of darkling beetles of the genera Euboeus Boieldieu, 1865 and Eustenomacidius Nabozhenko, 2006 are described and illustrated: Eustenomacidius (Caucasohelops) rajabii Eshraghi Mofrad et Nabozhenko, sp. nov. (Alborz Mts: Ardabil Province) and Euboeus (Pelorinus) danae Eshraghi Mofrad et Nabozhenko, sp. nov. (Alborz Mts: Qazvin Province). The rank of one taxon is elevated from subspecies to species: Eustenomacidius (Caucasohelops) araxi Nabozhenko, 2006, stat. nov. (from E. svetlanae araxi). The following subgeneric synonymy is proposed: Caucasohelops Nabozhenko, 2006 = Zophondrus Nabozhenko, 2014, syn. nov. One new combination is established: Eustenomacidius (Caucasohelops) iranensis (Nabozhenko, 2014), comb. nov. (from the genus Zophohelops Reitter, 1902, the subgenus Zophondrus). Eustenomacidius (Caucasohelops) svetlanae Nabozhenko, 2006, and Adelphinus ordubadensis Reitter, 1890 are recorded from Iran for the first time. Following the present revision, the number of taxa of Helopini in Iran is increased to 61 species and three subspecies. The distribution of several previously described species in the tribe Helopini is discussed. Information on the range of Nalassus lineatus (Allard, 1876) is corrected. This species occurs only in the Hyrcanian forest in south-east Azerbaijan and Iran, while its occurrence in the Western Caucasus is excluded. The genus Turkmenohelops G.S. Medvedev, 1987 was erroneously reported from Iran and thus is excluded from its fauna.

A new tenebrionid (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) species of the genus Leptodes Dejean, 1834, Leptodes (Mesoleptodes) talebii Eshraghi Mofrad & Nabozhenko sp. nov., is described and illustrated from Khuzestan Province, Iran. This new species is compared with two close species, L. khanensis Tahami, Merkl & Sadeghi, 2016 and L. shapouri Tahami, Merkl & Sadeghi, 2016. Leptodes (Mesoleptodes) lederi Reitter, 1889 is recorded for Iran for the first time. Images of habitus and the aedeagus of Tapenopsis costata Solier, 1843 are presented for the first time. Data on distribution of several previously described species of the tribe Leptodini Lacordaire, 1859 are supplemented. With the inclusion of the species described here and new record, the number of taxa Leptodes in Iran is increased to 11 species.http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:025B0AD8-F58B-4200-A420-DD50A3768DEC

The third fossil species of the tribe Bacaniini (Coleoptera, Histeridae), Bacanius caterinoi Sokolov et Perkovsky, sp. nov., is described from the Eocene Rovno amber. Previous two extinct species were known from the Rovno and Baltic amber. We compared the new species with them and extant representatives of related taxa. The new species belongs to the extant genus Bacanius LeConte, 1853 and can be included to the extant subgenus Gomyister Mazur 1984. This is the second species of the subgenus from Rovno amber indicating the diversity of this currently primarily tropical group in the Eocene of Europe.

The Central Asian genus Dengitha Reitter, 1887 is briefly reviewed. The following new synonymy is proposed: Dengitha crystallina Semenow, 1896 = Dengitha symmetrica G.S. Medvedev, 1964 syn. nov. ; Dengitha lutea Reitter, 1887 = Dengitha hyalina Semenow, 1896 resyn. Lectotype is designated for D. crystallina . In total, two species of the genus are distributed in Central Asia, occurring on weakly fixed sands with Haloxylon or dunes without vegetation in the Karakum and Kyzylkum deserts. Dengitha crystallina is widely distributed in Turkmenistan (western, central and north Karakum), Uzbekistan (Ustyurt plateau, Kyzylkum) and Kazakhstan (Kyzylkum); Dengitha lutea is known only from the eastern Karakum (Turkmenistan) and Sundukli deserts near the Amudarya River (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan).

Examples of the small beetle family Cerylonidae are scarcely represented in the fossil record or at least are rarely determined as such by specialists. Until now, only one species of an extinct genus has been reliably identified to this family from Eocene Baltic amber. A new species, Mychocerus gedanensis McHugh et Slipinski, sp. nov. (Coleoptera, Cerylonidae), is described from Eocene Baltic amber using X-ray micro-computed tomography (mu CT) and optical microscopy. This is the first extinct species described for the subfamily Ceryloninae. It belongs to the extant genus Mychocerus Erichson, 1845, the largest cerylonid genus, which has a widespread distribution that until now excluded the continental parts of the Palaearctic. The new fossil species can be placed in the North American discretus group with two remarkably similar species (M. discretus (Casey, 1890) and M. striatus Sen Gupta & Crowson, 1973) based on the presence of a long and parallel-sided prosternal process.LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:95EA100C-3323-472C-A17B-B75480B3FB18

AbstractThe Central Asian genus Dengitha Reitter, 1887 is briefly reviewed. The following new synonymy is proposed: Dengitha crystallina Semenow, 1896 = Dengitha symmetrica G.S. Medvedev, 1964 syn. nov.; Dengitha lutea Reitter, 1887 = Dengitha hyalina Semenow, 1896 resyn. Lectotype is designated for D. crystallina. In total, two species of the genus are distributed in Central Asia, occurring on weakly fixed sands with Haloxylon or dunes without vegetation in the Karakum and Kyzylkum deserts. Dengitha crystallina is widely distributed in Turkmenistan (western, central and north Karakum), Uzbekistan (Ustyurt plateau, Kyzylkum) and Kazakhstan (Kyzylkum); Dengitha lutea is known only from the eastern Karakum (Turkmenistan) and Sundukli deserts near the Amudarya River (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan).

Sixteen species of darkling beetles (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) in mountainous Ingushetia (Russia, the North Caucasus) were collected during two years in different seasons and habitats. The new species Mycetochara (Ernocharis) ingushetica sp. n. (close to M. abschasica Pic, 1925) is described from an oak grove in the Assa River valley. Te following new synonymy is established: Opatrum sabulosum sabulosum (Linnaeus, 1758) = Opatrum sabulosum amauropterum Reichardt, 1936, syn. n.; both, typical and smooth forms were collected during copulation in one habitat and the latter cannot be saved as a valid subspecies. Isomira murina murina (Linnaeus, 1758) is recorded for the Caucasus for the frst time. Comparative analysis of the North Caucasian mountain arid basins showed that the tenebrionid fauna in the Dzheyrakh and Targim basins of Ingushetia is distinguished by its ordinariness, low taxonomic diversity and the absence of local endemics. The occurrence of Nаlassus dissonus Nabozhenko, 2001 in the Targim and Dzheyrakh basins, as well as Omophlus subalpinus (Ménétriés, 1832) in the Targim basin brings the xerophilic fauna of darkling beetles of mountain Ingushetia closer to that of the Central Caucasus. Comparative diagnosis of Mycetochara (Ernocharis) ingushetica sp. n. The species belongs to the group with unicolour black or dark-brown body and light legs (from yellowish to dark ochreous and reddish) and most similar to M. abschasica by the body, dorsally pubescent by black setae and parameres of the aedeagus with strong spines on lateral sides, directed backward. Externally, the new species looks similar to two close species M. zolotareffi Reitter, 1896 and M. nabozhenkoi Novák, 2020, which like a new species, have spines on the sides of the parameres, but both difer from M. abschasica and M. ingushetica sp. n. in having yellowish, ochreous or light brown dorsal pubescence, narrow, not serrate antennae with cylindrical and not thickened middle antennomeres, the narrower pronotum and the shape of the aedeagus. Externally, a new species is also similar to M. maura (Fabricius, 1792), which also pubescent by black setae, but the latter has strongly diferent shape of the parameres with strong constriction in basal half and without spines. Mycetochara ingushetica sp. n. difers from M. abschasica by eyes smaller and less close together dorsally (ocular index = 45.45 in M. ingushetica sp. n. and 39.57 in M. abschasica), less coarse and dense puncturation of the pronotum and the elytra, widely emarginated lateral edges of the pronotum in the basal half (straight, slightly divergent in M. abschasica), more elongate elytra (2.25 times as long as wide in the new species and 2.1 times in M. abschasica) and also much narrower parameres dorsally, than in M. abschasica.

The genus Sternodes Fischer von Waldheim, 1837 currently consists of one species with two subspecies from Karakum, Sundukli deserts and several surrounding areas. Sternodes pallasi Semenov-Tian-Shanskij et Bogatchev, 1940 is resurrected from a junior synonym of Sternodes caspicus (Pallas, 1781). The following new synonymy is established: Sternodes caspicus caspicus (Pallas, 1781) = Sternodes caspicus eous Semenov-Tian-Shanskij et Bogatchev, 1940, syn. n. The lectotype is designated for S. caspicus eous. As a result, two valid species (without subspecies) are known in the genus. They differ in the structure of head, prosternal process and elytra. Both species are sympatric in Repetek (Karakum Desert, eastern Turkmenistan), but S. caspicus has spring-summer activity, while S. pallasi was collected in late autumn.

The third fossil species of the tribe Bacaniini (Coleoptera, Histeridae), Bacanius caterinoi Sokolov et Perkovsky, sp. nov., is described from the Eocene Rovno amber. Previous two extinct species were known from the Rovno and Baltic amber. We compared the new species with them and extant representatives of related taxa. The new species belongs to the extant genus Bacanius LeConte, 1853 and can be included to the extant subgenus Gomyister Mazur 1984. This is the second species of the subgenus from Rovno amber indicating the diversity of this currently primarily tropical group in the Eocene of Europe.Zoobank LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:85027CC6-42D0-44CB-B111-8CE1A8F53F12

The invertebrate fauna of the Hissar State Reserve in Uzbekistan remains largely unstudied. In this reserve, we collected and examined darkling beetles, which are among the most diverse and abundant groups of beetles in Middle Asia. All species were found at altitudes ranging from 1,800 to 2,500 meters, spanning the zone of Juniperus seravschanica Kom. and mountain steppes to the border of subalpine meadows. In total, 21 species were collected, one of which, Prosodes (Uroprosodes) chigrayi Nabozhenko et N. Bekchanov sp. nov., is new to science. Another species, Bioramix (Planoplatyscelis) latipennis (Kaszab, 1940), is recorded for the first time in the fauna of Uzbekistan. Additionally, we found and examined the very rare species Laena dentitibia Reitter, 1901, which was previously known only from the male holotype. The female of the rare species Blaps aruktavica G.S. Medvedev, 2004 is characterised for the first time. Two female specimens of the very rare Hissar population of Blaps caraboides Allard, 1882, which have a pronounced elytral mucron, were found for the first time in 112 years. We provide illustrations of the majority of species for the first time. Data on the distribution, taxonomy, external morphology, variability, and bionomics of the examined species are presented.

New data on the distribution, taxonomy, and nomenclature of five tenebrionid species of the genus Microdera from the Caucasus and/or the south of the European part of Russia are presented. A new species, M. urartu sp. n., is described from Armenia and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of Azerbaijan; this species is similar to the Central Asian M. globulicollis Ménétriés, 1849, but its diagnostic characters are provided. Eight new synonyms are established (including two for the latter Central Asian species): Microdera convexa convexa (Tauscher, 1812) = M. transversicollis v. parvicollis Reitter, 1897 (nec M. parvicollis Bates, 1879), syn. n. = M. reitteri Kaszab, 1966, syn. n.; Microdera campestris Steven, 1828 = M. gracilis Eschscholtz, 1831, syn. n. = Rostrax menetriesii Fischer von Waldheim, 1844, syn. n. = M. macrops Reitter, 1915, syn. n. = M. campestris karanogaica Abdurakhmanov et Nabozhenko, 2011, syn. n.; Microdera globulicollis Ménétriés, 1849 = M. margelanica Kraatz, 1982, syn. n. = M. ferganensis Kaszab, 1957, syn. n. Lectotypes of Microdera gracilis and M. globulicollis are designated. A key to the Microdera species from the study region is given.

The subgenus Turcmenicola Bogatchev, 1952 (genus Colposcelis Dejean, 1834) is reviewed. Representatives of the studied taxon occur in the most lifeless rocky, gravelly and clayey areas of the deserts of Middle Asia (Ustyurt plateau, Kyzylkum desert, foothills of southern Kugitang, Betpak-Dala desert). Turcmenicola comprises five species from which two are described here as new: C. ustyurtensis Bekchanov & Nabozhenko sp. n. (Uzbekistan, Karakalpakstan, eastern part of Ustyurt plateau) and C. khudaybergani Bekchanov, Nabozhenko & Bekchanova, sp. n. (Uzbekistan, Karakalpakstan, Amudarya and Beruni districts). The following new synonymy is proposed: Colposcelis jachontovi (Bogatchev, 1952) = Colposcelis kerzhneri Medvedev, 1970, syn. n. A key to species of Turcmenicola is given.

The subgenus Turcmenicola Bogatchev, 1952 (genus Colposcelis Dejean, 1834) is reviewed. Representatives of the studied taxon occur in the most lifeless rocky, gravelly and clayey areas of the deserts of Middle Asia (Ustyurt plateau, Kyzylkum desert, foothills of southern Kugitang, Betpak-Dala desert). Turcmenicola comprises five species from which two are described here as new: C. ustyurtensis Bekchanov & Nabozhenko sp. n. (Uzbekistan, Karakalpakstan, eastern part of Ustyurt plateau) and C. khudaybergani Bekchanov, Nabozhenko & Bekchanova, sp. n. (Uzbekistan, Karakalpakstan, Amudarya and Beruni districts). The following new synonymy is proposed: Colposcelis jachontovi (Bogatchev, 1952) = Colposcelis kerzhneri Medvedev, 1970, syn. n. A key to species of Turcmenicola is given.

A new species of darkling beetles of the genus Philhammus Fairmaire, 1871 is described from Amudarya bank, Khorezm Region, Uzbekistan: Ph. dilaramae Nabozhenko et N. Bekchanov, sp. n. This first representative of the genus in the country belongs to the nominotypical subgenus and most similar to Pre-Caspian Ph. zaitsevi G.S. Medvedev, 1979. The new species differs from the latter in the structure of genae, eyes and pronotum.

Several fossil beetles from the Late Pliocene (Piacenzian) of Willershausen (Lower Saxony, Germany) previously identified as Tenebrionidae and Staphylinidae are reviewed. One species, formerly determined as “Staphylinoidea” is identified as Euboeus mimonti Boieldieu, 1865 (Tenebrionidae: Helopini). This species is the oldest record of an extant species of darkling beetles, which occurs now in the Balkans and Anatolia. The discovery of Euboeus mimonti in the Late Pliocene of Germany indicates that the range of this species was much wider, and the climate in the Late Pliocene in the modern territory of Lower Saxony was much milder. One species formerly determined as “Alleculidae gen. sp.” belongs to the subfamily Alleculinae (Tenebrionidae) and it is identified here as Pseudocistela aff. ceramboides . Two species, misidentified by a previous author as Tenebrionidae belong to Elateridae and Cerambycidae respectively. Generic and species composition, as well as the ratio of extinct and extant beetle taxa in the Willershausen Fossil Lagerstätte are discussed.

The present state of the invasive population of Odocnemis aurichalcea (Adams, 1817) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) in North Caucasus is studied. This species is widespread in Transcaucasia and has entered Nalchik and Nartkala towns (North Caucasus, Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia) possibly during urban greening where it is mentioned in these localities since at least the middle of the 20th century. Nothing was known about the status of this invasive population for 54 years. A rich population of this species was discovered in the outskirts of Nalchik in a natural beech forest in 2022. The species is naturalized in the North Caucasus, but inhabits only a very narrow, isolated range in this region. Diurnal activity, the response of adults to high temperature and humidity, habitat and trophic associations, and current distribution of the species in the North Caucasus are assessed. Taxocenes of tenebrionids from the tribe Helopini, including O. aurichalcea, were described. We establish that imagoes of the species occupy a narrower ecological niche in the invasive range under natural conditions, than in the native range, inhabiting exclusively beeches and feeding on algae of the genus Desmococcus F. Brand, 1925 (Chlorophyta: Trebouxiophyceae).

Although the complex evolutionary history of lichen-forming fungi has gained considerable attention, particularly regarding the long-debated role of these organisms in shaping early terrestrial ecosystems, the evolution of lichenivory and its potential impact on the diversification of lichenophages have been largely neglected. With > 800 described species worldwide and a broad geographical distribution, the tribe Helopini (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) represents a diverse, yet poorly studied, group of predominantly lichenophagous beetles. Using a dataset of 52 ingroup taxa and five gene fragments, a first phylogenetic hypothesis of the tribe was generated, which was subsequently used for reconstructing the ancestral state of the trophic and habitat associations of the beetles and for estimating a time frame of diversification. Our phylogenetic reconstruction sheds light on the higher-level systematics of the tribe, supporting the current subtribal division of the group while also providing a framework for understanding the intergeneric relationships within subtribes. The results also indicate an Early Cretaceous origin of the tribe, highlighting the close association between Helopini and lichen-forming fungi since the emergence of the group. Nevertheless, at least seven independent switches from lichenophagy to alternative feeding habits have occurred since the middle Eocene, which can be linked temporally to transitions from forests to open habitats.

The subgenus Turcmenicola Bogatchev, 1952 (genus Colposcelis Dejean, 1834) is reviewed. Representatives of the studied taxon occur in the most lifeless rocky, gravelly and clayey areas of the deserts of Middle Asia (Ustyurt plateau, Kyzylkum desert, foothills of southern Kugitang, Betpak-Dala desert). Turcmenicola comprises five species from which two are described here as new: C. ustyurtensis Bekchanov & Nabozhenko sp. n. (Uzbekistan, Karakalpakstan, eastern part of Ustyurt plateau) and C. khudaybergani Bekchanov, Nabozhenko & Bekchanova, sp. n. (Uzbekistan, Karakalpakstan, Amudarya and Beruni districts). The following new synonymy is proposed: Colposcelis jachontovi (Bogatchev, 1952) = Colposcelis kerzhneri Medvedev, 1970, syn. n. A key to species of Turcmenicola is given.

Two darkling beetles from the subfamily Lagriinae from the late Pliocene of Japan, Kabutoiwa Member (early Piacenzian, similar to 3.5 Ma) of the Motojuku Formation are discussed: Lagria koshimizui sp. nov. and Lagria aff. formosensis Borchmann, 1912. These are the first members of the family Tenebrionidae recorded from Pliocene and the first clearly documented fossil species of the genus Lagria. The new species differs from all extant East Asian congeners in the elliptical and short female antennomere 11, which is less than two times as long as previous one. The second species appears very similar to Lagria formosensis Borchmann, 1912, but we cannot assign it to this species with certainty. The absence of Lagria koshimizui sp. nov. and L. aff. formosensis in the contemporary fauna of the main Japanese islands may point on the possible thermophily of both these species and their subsequent extinction.