The sub-cortical beetle fauna of dead Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) and Norway spruce (Picea abies) trunks was compared in primeval forests and managed forests in central Finland. The numbers of both individuals and species were higher in the managed forest in spite of the smaller trunk surface area examined. The proportion of rare species was higher in the primeval forest. Although most species occurred both in primeval and managed forests, there were striking differences in the abundance relations: there was only one species (Pytho depressus) in common among the ten most abundant species. The proportion of bark beetles (Scolytidae) was more than 50% in the managed forests, and less than 5% in the primeval forests. The number of species per site was associated with observation date, occurrence of snails and trunk position (standing or lying) in the primeval forest, and with trunk diameter in the managed forests. The occurrence of rare beetle species in dead conifer trunks was related to man's effects on the forest. Although many sub-cortical species can live in managed forests, the fauna differs drastically from that of primeval forests.

The distribution and occurrence, with the time-factor taken into consideration, were monitored in Finland for the mainly dung-living histerid genera Margarinotus, Hister, and Atholus (all predators), and for the Scarabaeidae genera Onthophagus and Aphodius, in which almost all species are dung-feeders. All available records from Finland of the 54 species studied were gathered and distribution maps based on the UTM grid are provided for each species with brief comments on the occurrence of the species today. Within the Histeridae the following species showed a decline in their occunence: Margarinotus purpurascens, M. neglectus, Hister funestus, H. bissexstrinatus and Atholus bimaculatus, and within the Scarabaeidae: Onthophagus nuchicornis,O. gibbulus, O. fracticornis, O. similis, Aphodius subterraneus, A. sphacelatus and A. merdarius. The four Onthophagus species and A. sphacelatus disappeared in the 1950s and 1960s and are at present probably extinct in Finland. Changes in the agricultural ecosystems, caused by different kinds of changes in the traditional husbandry, are suggested as a reason for the decline in the occurrence of certain vulnerable species.

Based on a phylogenetic study using adult morphology, the tribe Hyphydrini is redefined as including the following 12 genera: Andex Sharp, Coelhydrus Sharp, Darwinhydrus Shnp, Hydropeplus Sharp, Primospes Sharp, Hyphovatus Wewalka & Biström, Agnoshydrus n. gen. (contains two species: A. laccophiloides (Régimbart) and A. densus n. sp.), Microdytes J. Balfour-Browne, Allopachria Zimmermann, Hyphydrus Illiger, Hovahydrus Biström, and Desmopachria Babington. The two genera Heterhydrus Fairmaire and Pachydrus Sharp are transferred to Pachydrini n. trib. All genera in the two tribes are reviewed including descriptions and check lists. The phylogenetic analysis provided support for the monophyly of each of the genera Allopachria and Desmopachria, whereas that of Microdytes, Hyphydrus and Hovahydrus is considered doubtful. An identification key is provided for the genera and subgenera of both tribes. The following n. comb. are given: Microdytes pasiricus (Csiki, 1938) previously in Hydrovatus and Agnoshydrus laccophiloides (Régimbart, 1888) previously in Microdytes.

-The genus Canthyporus Zimmermann, 1919, is revised. A total of 35 species are recognized, all of them distributed within the Ethiopian Region, and with a centre of diversity in the South African Western Cape province. Descriptions of all species are given together with illustrations of habitus and male and female genitalia. A key to species (males), distribution maps, and ecological information are provided. Four new species are described from South Africa: Canthyporus aenigmaticus n.sp., C. nimius n.sp., C. turneri n.sp., and C. wewalkai n.sp. The species C. congener , is regarded as valid and not as a junior synonym of C. canthydroides (Régimbart, 1895). Lectotypes are designated for the following ten names: C. alvei , C. consuetus Omer-Cooper, 1965, C. latus Omer-Cooper, 1965, C. lowryi Omer-Cooper, 1965, C. nebulosus Omer-Cooper, 1965, C. similator Zimmermann, 1923, C. simulator Guignot, 1959, C. testaceus Zimmermann, 1923, Hydroporus collaris Boheman, 1848, and Hydroporus hottentottus Gemminger & Harold, 1868. A parsimony analysis based on 32 morphological characters found 28 shortest trees. Monophyly of the genus Canthyporus is supported mainly by the presence of an anterior ligula on the ventral side of the elytron. Four species groups are recognized within the genus: (1) canthydroides group, including ten species in Namibia and South Africa; (2) exilis group, including four species in Lesotho and South Africa; (3) hottentottus group, including 18 species from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe; and (4) lateralis group, including three species from South Africa. Riassunto -Revisione tassonomica del genere Afrotropicale Canthyporus (Coleoptera Dytiscidae).Il genere Canthyporus Zimmermann, 1919 è revisionato. In totale sono riconosciute 35 specie, tutte sono distribuite nella regione Afrotropicale, con un centro di diversità nella Western Cape province (Sud Africa). Sono fornite le descrizioni di tutte le specie con illustrazioni dell'habitus, dei genitali maschili e femminili. Sono inoltre forniti una chiave per l'identificazione dei maschi delle specie, mappe di distribuzione e informazioni ecologiche. Sono descritte quattro nuove specie provenienti dal Sud Africa: Canthyporus aenigmaticus n.sp., C. nimius n.sp., C. turneri n.sp., and C. wewalkai n.sp. Canthyporus congener Omer-Cooper, 1956 è considerata come specie valida e non un sinonimo di C. canthydroides (Régimbart, 1895). Sono designati i lectotipi dei seguenti dieci taxa: C. alvei , C. consuetus Omer-Cooper, 1965, C. latus Omer-Cooper, 1965, C. lowryi Omer-Cooper, 1965, C. nebulosus Omer-Cooper, 1965, C. similator Zimmermann, 1923, C. simulator Guignot, 1959, C. testaceus Zimmermann, 1923, Hydroporus collaris Boheman, 1848 e Hydroporus hottentottus Gemminger & Harold, 1868. Un'analisi cladistica condotta secondo il criterio della parsimonia e basata su 32 caratteri morfologici ha prodotto 28 alberi. La monofilia del genere Canthyporus è supportat...

The genus Macroplea Samouelle, 1819 is a group of highly specialized aquatic leaf beetles occurring in the Palaearctic. Since the members of this genus are morphologically very similar, we addressed the question of species identification and delimitation by analysing the second half of the mitochondrial gene coding for the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) subunit. Species limits are inferred from the multimodal frequency distribution of genetic distances between specimens: low genetic distances within a species are clearly set apart from distances between species. The species status of the hitherto controversial species M. japana (Jacoby, 1885) is confirmed. The pattern of nucleotide and amino acid substitutions is discussed in the light of functional domains of the COI molecule. Although the data are preliminary, the results provide new data on the distribution of the species. Together with the phylogenetic analysis they allow for a discussion of the phylogeography of the genus.