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This paper reviews the lower-ranked taxa within the species Plagionotus arcuatus (Linnaeus, 1758) and describes a new subspecies P. arcuatus shirazensis based on specimens from Iran. Some comments are made on the morphology of the subspecies, and a key, together with an exhaustive photographic documentation, is provided for their identification. The distribution ranges of these various taxa are discussed and basic biological information on all the subspecies is given. We explain our opposition to the subspecies Plagionotus arcuatus tastani Özdikmen, Atak Uçkan, 2017, and have accordingly synonymized it with the nominative subspecies.Among the southern African Trogidae, Trox fumarius Haaf, 1953 is presently considered a junior subjective synonym of Phoberus cyrtus (Haaf, 1953). The availability of more specimens than were seen by previous workers, coupled with thorough removal of cuticular dirt and accumulated debris, allowed in-depth morphological study of these nominal taxa and reassessment of their synonymy. Consistent differences in external morphology and in aedeagal structure are observed. Trox fumarius is removed from synonymy with Phoberus cyrtus, reinstated as a separate species, and transferred to the genus Phoberus MacLeay, 1819. Both species are diagnosed and redescribed. selleck kinase inhibitor Photographs of their holotypes and of cleaned specimens illustrate them. The distributions of these two putatively sister species are discussed along with their probable habitat associations. The species are allopatric and have non-overlapping associations with biomes and habitats. Phoberus cyrtus is reported from Botswana for the first time. The importance of properly cleaning terricolous beetles covered with dirt and debris that obscure taxonomic features is emphasised and guidelines to achieve this are presented.Studies of Holocene ostracods of the Tibetan Plateau have mostly centred around valves and carapaces collected from lake sediments, some at or near the substrate surface and others from short cores. Reports from habitats other than lakes are scarce, and few living species found in this region have appendages described, hindering further taxonomic and phylogenetic work. For this study collections of living ostracods were made in mostly ponds, as well as two rivers and one lake. Six species, including three previously undescribed, were recovered Tonnacypris estonica (Järvekülg, 1960), Arctocypris edita n. sp., Cypris pubera O.F. Müller, 1776, Potamocypris variegata (Brady Norman, 1889), Ilyocypris tibeta n. sp., and Fabaeformiscandona monticulus n. sp. Specimens of Tonnacypris estonica include males, previously unknown for this species, and suggesting it is a geographical parthenogen. A revision of the fifth limb morphology of the genus Arctocypris, and a subsequent amended diagnosis of the genus are given. Based on carapace and appendage features, Eucypris mareotica (Fischer, 1855) is transferred to this genus Arctocypris mareotica (Fischer, 1855) com. nov. There are now ca. 100 ostracod species reported from modern or subsurface sediments on the Tibetan Plateau, but only 19 of those can be confirmed as alive when collected (i.e. had appendages intact). The families Limnocytheridae and Ilyocyprididae are both relatively diverse on the plateau compared with the Palaearctic zoogeographical region generally. About one third of ostracod species reported from the Tibetan Plateau are only known from there, suggesting a potentially very high rate of endemism.Immature stages of Cassida pfefferi Sekerka, 2006 from Cyprus are described and illustrated for the first time and compared with immatures of closely related species Cassida nobilis Linnaeus, 1758 and Cassida vittata Villers, 1789. Detailed descriptions of mature larvae and pupae of C. nobilis and C. vittata are also given. Analysis of the morphological body structure of the preimaginal stages of the studied species reveals subtle characters distinguishing C. pfefferi from other species of C. nobilis groups and confirms its species status.An annotated checklist of chondrichthyan fishes (sharks, batoids, and chimaeras) occurring in South African waters is presented. The checklist is the result of decades of research and on-going systematic revisions of the regional fauna. The chondrichthyan fauna of South Africa is one of the richest in the world with 191 species, comprising 50 families and 103 genera. It consists of 30 families, 64 genera, and 111 species of sharks; 17 families, 36 genera, and 72 species of batoids; and, 3 families, 5 genera, and 8 species of chimaeras. The most species-rich shark families are the whaler sharks Carcharhinidae with 20 species followed by the deepwater catsharks Pentanchidae with 13 species. The most species-rich batoid families are the hardnose stakes Rajidae with at least 21 species followed by the stingrays Dasyatidae with 13 species. This monograph represents the first detailed annotated checklist of chondrichthyans from South Africa in over 30 years.The Batrachideinae subfamily is a well-defined and taxonomically stable taxon, with a pantropical distribution and an important representation in the Neotropical region. In this study, the characters and distributions of the genera and species are discussed based on a morphological analysis and a key to genera of the American Batrachideinae is also provided. New synonymies are established Tettigidea Scudder, 1862 = Eotetrix Gorochov, 2012 syn. nov.; Batrachidea mucronata (Saint-Fargeau Serville, 1825) = Tettigidea granulosa Bruner, 1913 syn. nov.; Batrachidea planus (Hancock, 1907) = Batrachidea brevis (Hancock, 1909) syn. nov.; Tettigidea lateralis (Say, 1824) = Tettigidea nicaraguae Bruner, 1895 syn. nov.; Tettigidea lateralis (Say, 1824) = Tettigidea annulipes Bruner, 1910 syn. nov.; Tettigidea cuspidata Scudder, 1875 = Tettigidea corrugata Bruner, 1910 syn. nov.; Tettigidea cuspidata Scudder, 1875 = Tettigidea multicostata Bolívar, 1887 syn. nov.; Tettigidea chapadensis Bruner, 1910 = Tettigidea costalis Bruner, 1910 syn. nov.; Tettigidea chapadensis Bruner, 1910 = Tettigidea hancocki Bruner, 1910 syn. nov.; Tettigidea intermedia Bruner, 1910 = Tettigidea subatera Bruner, 1910 syn. nov.; Tettigidea scudderi Bolívar, 1887 = Tettigidea steinbachi Bruner, 1920 syn. nov. Three species are transferred from the genus Tettigidea to the genus Paxilla Bolívar, 1887 Paxilla mexicana (Hancock, 1915) comb. nov., Paxilla tecta (Morse, 1900) comb. nov., Paxilla nigra (Morse, 1900) comb. nov.; Tettigidea unicornis (Gorochov, 2012) comb. nov. is transferred from the genus Eotetrix Gorochov, 2012 to Tettigidea, and Batrachidea planus (Hancock, 1907) comb. nov. from Tettigidea to Batrachidea Serville, 1838. Five new species groups (lateralis, armata, cuspidata, paratecta and scudderi) are recognized in the genus Tettigidea. Neotype of Tettigidea lateralis lateralis is designated. Keys to the Batrachideinae genera and species of the most diverse American genera (Tettigidea and Paxilla) are also provided.