The Neotropical praying mantis genus Miobantia Giglio-Tos, 1917 currently includes six species with a complex taxonomic history. Although frequently found in the atlantic forest of Brazil, little is known about these species. Several obstacles make it difficult identifying these mantids, including high levels of sexual dimorphism and both sexes known only for one of the six currently known species. The taxonomic boundaries among the species of Miobantia are proposed in this work, through a cladistic analysis using 99 morphological characters, and the analysis of sequence variation of approximately 700 bp of the mithocondrial gene COI for association of dimorphic sexes and nymphs. Additionally, an investigation of intraspecific variation is conducted based on a large number of specimens of M. fuscata (Giglio-Tos) in oder to choose the most relevant features for the separation of the species to be used in taxonomic descriptions and identification keys. The male of M. aptera Giglio-Tos, and the females of M. ciliata (Stål) and M. fuscata are described for the first time, and redescription of the males of these and the female of M. aptera, are provided based on additional data. Miobantia nebulosa (Giglio-Tos) is herein redescribed (male genitalia included) and proposed as a junior synonym of M. rustica (Fabr.). Additionally, four new species are here described, totaling nine species for the genus: M. immanis n. sp. (Espírito Santo, Brazil), M. arctissima n. sp. (Espírito Santo, Brazil), M. sulista n. sp. (Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; San Bernardino, Paraguay), and M. nordestina n. sp. (Bahia, Brazil); both sexes of all new species are described, except for M. arctissima, which remain known by males only. Identification keys and figures of diagnostic features are provided for both males and females of all valid species. The species distribution is mapped according to literature data and 50 new records.

The Atlantic Forest is one of the world's top biodiversity hotspots, but the diversification processes of its biota are still poorly known, with competing models attributing dominant roles to either Quaternary climatic changes or geographic barriers. Many studies identify the Doce river as a major phylogeographic break, but the reasons for this phenomenon are highly debated. Here we test the predictions of the refugial and barrier models for a common species of praying mantis, Miobantia fuscata, focusing in the areas immediately south and north of the Doce river. Our analyses show high intraspecific genetic diversity, deep coalescence times and no evidence for recent population expansion. Phylogeographic structure is inconsistent with a refugial hypothesis. Significant gene flow between northern and southern populations also conflicts with a strong role for geographic barriers. This study highlights the need for considering invertebrate taxa to infer recent landscape changes, and points towards a more complex picture of genetic diversification in the Atlantic Forest.

Thespidae is the most diverse family among the Neotropical Mantodea, currently containing 33 genera and 146 species of praying mantises (Wieland & Svenson, 2018). Miobantia Giglio-Tos, 1917 are small, dark coloured mantids, often found in low vegetation of humid forests near the South American Atlantic coast, from the Brazilian Northeast to the Argentine Patagonia (Scherrer, 2014). Males are active fliers, while females, apterous, are often found in leaf litter or in plants close to the ground (Scherrer, 2014; Santos et al., 2018). Despite their commonness in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest the genus received little taxonomic attention, yet had a complicated nomenclatural history. Scherrer (2014) provided a comprehensive taxonomic and nomenclatural revision of Miobantia after incorporating both molecular and morphological data to reorganize the group, resulting in the description of four new species, detailed identification keys, illustrations, association of conspecific sexes, and maps for all known species. The most recent contribution to the taxonomy of the genus was the addition of Metathespis precaria Piza, 1968 as a junior synonym of Miobantia rustica (Fabricius, 1781) (Agudelo & Rivera, 2015).

Debilos Townes, a group of common Neotropical wasps classified in Goryphina (Ichneumonidae: Cryptinae: Cryptini) isrevised and redefined, and the first key for its species is provided. The previously known D. soror (Trentepohl) and D.trochanteratum (Szépligeti) are redescribed, and 27 species are described as new. The female of D. trochanteratum is re-ported for the first time. For the purpose of discussion of morphologically similar species, five informal species groupsare proposed, which include 27 of the 29 species: the D. soror group (D. soror, D. dnopheror sp. nov., D. dialeucor sp.nov., and D. palaior sp. nov.), the D. orthum group (D. orthum sp. nov. and D. gnampthum sp. nov.), the D. typurum group(D. typurum sp. nov., D. owinum sp. nov., D. pekujum sp. nov., D. okum sp. nov., D. okarum sp. nov., D. umentum sp.nov., D. aserum sp. nov., D. anokum sp. nov., D. masipum sp. nov., D. sanimum sp. nov., D. tasamunum sp. nov., and D.makirum sp. nov.), the D. prionilix group (D. prionilix sp. nov., and D. crusilix sp. nov.), and the D. trochanteratum group(D. trochanteratum, D. melachrosatum sp. nov., D. petiolatum sp. nov., D. nivatum sp. nov., D. curtuvenatum sp. nov.,D. labeculatum sp. nov., and D. xanthochrosatum sp. nov.). Debilos frater sp. nov. and D. indistinctum sp. nov. are also described but not included in these groups. All species are illustrated and their distributions are mapped.Key-words: Mesostenina, Neotropical, Phygadeuontinae

The taxonomic limits of Acorystus are reviewed. The genus is characterized by a body surface shiny and mostly impunctate, supra-antennal area with a conical horn, epomia and posterior transverse carina of propodeum entirely absent, ovipositor tip very slender, without nodus and with very weak teeth. Two new taxa, A. albicornis Scherrer et Santos, sp. nov., and A.circumflexus Scherrer et Santos, sp. nov., are described and illustrated. Acorystus albicornis is diagnosed mainly by the white band of the female flagellum covering only about five flagellomeres, supra-antennal area with a white central horn, with a very weak and slightly rugose longitudinal swelling, orbital band reaching supra-clypeal and supra-antennal areas, propodeum with anterior transverse carina almost straight, and pleural carina very weak, with short transverse wrinkles. It is recorded from two close localities at Espírito Santo State (19º57'55"S 40º32'25"W and 20º16'21"S 40º28'40"W), in the Atlantic Forest of Southeastern Brazil. Acorystus circumflexus is diagnosed mainly by the white band of the female flagellum covering about fifteen flagellomeres, supra-antennal area with a black central horn, with a strong and rugose longitudinal swelling, orbital band absent, propodeum with anterior transverse carina centrally arched forwards, and pleural carina entirely absent. It is recorded only from Caxiuanã (2º4'54"S 51º51'5"), Eastern Amazon Basin. A key to all three known species of the genus is provided.