This paper presents the first complete and updated list of all 3597 species of beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) belonging to 92 familiesfound and published in Lithuania until 2011, with comments also provided on the main systematic and nomenclatural changes since the last monographic treatment in two volumes (Pileckis and Monsevičius 1995, 1997). The introductory section provides a general overview of the main features of the territory of Lithuania, the origins and formation of the beetle fauna and their conservation, the faunistic investigations in Lithuania to date revealing the most important stages of the faunistic research process with reference to the most prominent scientists, an overview of their work, and their contribution to Lithuanian coleopteran faunal research.Species recorded in Lithuania by some authors without reliable evidence and requiring further confirmation with new data are presented in a separate list, consisting of 183 species. For the first time, analysis of errors in works of Lithuanian authors concerning data on coleopteran fauna has been conducted and these errors have been corrected. All available published and Internet sources on beetles found in Lithuania have been considered in the current study. Over 630 literature sources on species composition of beetles, their distribution in Lithuania and neighbouring countries, and taxonomic revisions and changes are reviewed and cited. An alphabetical list of these literature sources is presented. After revision of public beetle collections in Lithuania, the authors propose to remove 43 species from the beetle species list of the country on the grounds, that they have been wrongly identified or published by mistake. For reasons of clarity, 19 previously noted but later excluded species are included in the current checklist with comments. Based on faunal data from neighbouring countries, species expected to occur in Lithuania are matnioned. In total 1390 species are attributed to this category and data on their distribution in neighbouring countries is presented. Completion of this study provides evidence that the Lithuanian coleopteran fauna has yet to be completely investigated and it is estimated that approximately 28 % of beetle species remain undiscovered in Lithuania. More than 85% of beetle species expected for Lithuania have been found in the following families: Cerylonidae, Geotrupidae, Haliplidae, Kateridae, Lycidae, Lucanidae, Mycetophagidae, Scarabaeidae and Silphidae. In families with few species such as Alexiidae, Boridae, Byturidae, Dascilidae, Drilidae, Eucinetidae, Lampyridae, Lymexilidae, Megalopodidae, Nemonychidae, Nosodendridae, Noteridae, Orsodacnidae, Pyrochroidae, Pythidae, Psephenidae, Rhysodidae, Sphaeritidae, Sphaeriusidae, Sphindidae, Stenotrahelidae and Trogidae, all possible species have already been discovered. However in some beetle families such as Aderidae, Bothrideridae, Eucnemidae, Laemoploeidae, Mordellidae, Ptiliidae, Scraptidae and Throscidae less than 50% of all possible species are known. At present the ...

First records of pseudoscorpions from Lithuania are presented based on specimens preserved in Lithuanian collections and new material collected during the latest ten years. Pseudoscorpions were collected at 25 localities in both deciduous and coniferous forests at altitudes of 5 to 186 m above the sea level. Sifting of litter and moss, pitfall traps and collecting by picking under the bark of deadwood were used as the collecting methods. Altogether 132 specimens belonging to eight species from three families were recorded. The findings of Neobisium crassifemoratum (Beier, 1928) represent the northernmost known records of the species.

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The current article deals with the distribution of Oxythyrea funesta (Poda, 1761) in Lithuania. Until 2001, there were no reports on the species from Lithuania: it was known only from old records going as far back as the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century. The species was considered very rare in Lithuania but after 2001 its populations started spreading fast. The Lithuanian Entomological Society announced O. funesta "The Insect of the Year 2013". The analysis of the already published results as well as the new data collected in 2013 revealed that nowadays O. funesta is widespread in Lithuania. The article discusses factors possibly affecting its distribution.Išanalizuotas kvapiojo auksavabalio (Oxythyrea funesta (Poda, 1761) paplitimas Lietuvoje. Iki 2001-ųjų metų ši rūšis šalies teritorijoje buvo žinoma tik iš senų, 19 amžiaus ir 20 amžiaus pradžios duomenų, todėl manyta, kad ji labai reta. Po 2001-ųjų metų duomenų apie kvapiojo auksavabalio paplitimą labai padaugėjo. Lietuvos entomologų draugija kvapųjį auksavabalį nominavo 2013 metų vabzdžiu ir paskelbė akciją, kviečiančią visuomenę prisidėti prie jo paplitimo ištyrimo. Susumavus ankstesnius ir naujai surinktus duomenis paaiškėjo, kad kvapusis auksavabalis Lietuvoje yra plačiai paplitęs. Remiantis kitų autorių publikacijomis, aptariamos galimos šios rūšies plitimo priežastys ir tikimybė tapti potencialiu žemės ūkio augalų kenkėju.

During the Last Glacial Maximum in the Northern Hemisphere, expanding ice sheets forced a large number of plants, including trees, to retreat from their primary distribution areas. Many host-associated herbivores migrated along with their host plants. Long-lasting geographic isolation between glacial refugia could have been led to the allopatric speciation in separated populations. Here, we have studied whether the migration history of the Norway spruce Picea abies in Quaternary has affected its host-associated herbivorous beetle—Monochamus sartor. By using microsatellite markers accompanied by the geometric morphometrics analysis of wing venation, we have revealed the clear geographic structure of M. sartor in Eurasia, encompassing two main clusters: southern (Alpine–Carpathian) and eastern (including northeastern Europe and Asia), which reflects the northern and southern ecotypes of its host. The two beetles’ lineages probably diverged during the Pleniglacial (57,000—15,000 BC) when their host tree species was undergoing significant range fragmentation and experienced secondary contact during post-glacial recolonization of spruce in the Holocene. A secondary contact of divergent lineages of M. sartor has resulted in the formation of the hybrid zone in northeastern Europe. Our findings suggest that the climatic oscillations during the Pleistocene have driven an insect-plant co-evolutionary process, and have contributed to the formation of the unique biodiversity of Europe.