Open Access

A new species of the genus Megacormus Karsch from the Mexican state of Oaxaca is described. The new species is most similar to M. segmentatus Pocock, with which it is compared; the two species are most readily separated by male characters. The male of M. segmentatus is also described, based on material from two new localities in Veracruz. Hemispermatophores of three of the four species in the genus are illustrated, providing evidence of their usefulness in species level taxonomy. Finally, new records for M. gertschi Diaz, including the first accurate localities in Puebla, are given.

This first published checklist of West Virginia May or June beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Phyllophaga), lists 29 species. County distributions and the range of collection dates are included.

There are four previously described species of the genus Echinohelea Kieffer in the Western Hemisphere. The following species are described as NEW SPECIES: aitkeni from Brazil, blantoni and panamensis from Panama, jamaicensis from Jamaica, and leei and neotropica from Colombia. Echinoideshelea NEW SUBGENUS is described with E. aitkeni n. sp. as type-species. The hitherto unknown pupal stage of the genus is described fro E. lanei Wirth, which was reared from a pond margin in New York, USA. Diagnoses are presented for the genus Echinohelea and the subgenus Echinoideshelea, a key is given for the identification of the 11 species, descriptions or diagnoses are given for all species, and diagnostic characters of the male genitalia are illustrated.

The subfamily Asopinae of the stinkbug family Pentatomidae is revised for the Old World with a key to the genera and a review of the species with nomenclatural changes. The genus Tahitocoris is removed from the Asopinae and placed tentatively with the Podopinae. The genus Breddiniella is reduced to a synonym of Cazira. The genus Incitatus is reduced to a synonym of Martinina. The genus Platynopus is divided into three genera by the restriction of Platynopus to include only five Indo- Pacific species; the elevation of the subgenus Montrouzieriellus to the level of full genus, and the erection o fa new genus Platynopiellus for the African species formerly placed in Platynopus. A new genus Australojalla is erected for Jalla versicolor. The genera Cantheconidea and Eocanthecona are defined and their respective species aligned in concordance with their definitions. Fourteen species are thus transferred from Cantheconidea to Eocanthecona creating the following new combinations: Eocanthecona japanicola, Eocanthecona binotata, Eocanthecona latipes, Eocanthecona mitis, Eocanthecona neotib ialis, Eocanthecona ornatula, Eocanthecona parua, Eocanthecona plebeja, Eocanthecona robusta, Eocanthecona rufescens, Eocanthecona shikokuensis, Eocanthecona thomsoni, Eocanthecona tibialis, and Eocanthecona uollenhoueni. Eocanthecona migratoria is transferred to the genus Afrius creating the new combination Afrius migratorius. Also, Canthecona populusi is transferred to Eocanthecona giving the new combination Eocanthecona populusi. Anasida ikrami is transferred to the genus Pseudanasida giving the new combination Pseudanasida ikrami. Afrius discolor glypsoides is placed in synonymy under Cantheconadiscolor. Asopus rufus is synonymized under Amyotea malabarica. Arma neocusta and Arma neoinsperata are synonymized under Arma custos.

Because I've studied Dominican Amber for 25 years, this article began as a simple request for me to review a recent book: "Life in Amber" by George 0. Poinar, Jr., Stanford university Press. 350p.; 37 color and 154 black and white photos; 8 maps. Publication date: Sept. 25, 1992. Price: $55.00. It was soon obvious that the volume and nature of my comments precluded a simple review. My paraphrased title is a minor semantic difference with Dr. Poinar's, although I doubt that he would write of "Life in Egyptian Tombs". Creatures preserved for 30 to 40 million years should at least be "Former Life in Amber". So much for trivia.