Revival of a Prominent Taxonomy of Insects—2nd Edition

A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450). This special issue belongs to the section "Insect Systematics, Phylogeny and Evolution".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 549

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Life Science, Northwest University, Xi’an 710069, China
Interests: insecta; hemiptera; cicadidae
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Following the success of the first edition, this volume continues to emphasize a strong foundation in traditional taxonomy while encouraging growth in integrative taxonomy that bridges morphology with molecular data. We welcome submissions that advance the field of insect phylogenetics, apply Ecological Niche Modeling to explore species distributions and adaptive potential, and investigate the impacts of climate change on insects through predictive modeling. Submissions in the areas of functional morphology and movement bionics are also highly encouraged. We seek contributions that demonstrate the power of cross-disciplinary collaboration, especially those introducing novel analytical frameworks, computational tools, or modeling approaches to address long-standing questions in insect systematics and biogeography. By uniting diverse expertise, this collection aims not only to document insect diversity but also to foster interdisciplinary dialogue in hopes of sparking new perspectives and inspiring future research pathways.

Dr. Yang Liu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Insects is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • insects
  • taxonomy
  • integrated taxonomy
  • phylogenetics
  • insect literacy
  • public education
  • quarantine-significant plant pests

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

27 pages, 5408 KB  
Article
Well-Known, Misidentified, or Unnamed? A DNA Barcode-Based Reassessment of the Lepidoptera Fauna of Cyprus Supported by Morphology
by Peter Huemer, Özge Özden, Erwin Rennwald, Ian Barton, Jari Junnilainen, Axel Hausmann, Erik J. van Nieukerken and Paul D. N. Hebert
Insects 2026, 17(1), 4; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17010004 - 19 Dec 2025
Abstract
This study presents the first comprehensive molecular analysis of the Lepidoptera fauna of Cyprus based on DNA barcoding. A total of 1859 DNA barcode sequences were generated, representing 701 Barcode Index Numbers (BINs) and thus putative species. Morphological examination enabled the assignment of [...] Read more.
This study presents the first comprehensive molecular analysis of the Lepidoptera fauna of Cyprus based on DNA barcoding. A total of 1859 DNA barcode sequences were generated, representing 701 Barcode Index Numbers (BINs) and thus putative species. Morphological examination enabled the assignment of 596 BINs to 580 Linnaean species. Based on this genetically validated species inventory—complemented by morphologically examined specimens and a critical review of the literature—a new checklist for the Lepidoptera of Cyprus is provided. In total, 1213 species are accepted as confirmed or considered likely based on published but unverified records. The checklist includes 57 genetically confirmed first records for Cyprus and 62 new records supported solely by morphology. Remarkably, 10 species are recorded as new to Europe: Alloclita deprinsi, Cochylimorpha diana, C. additana, Pammene avetianae, P. nannodes, Cydia alienana, Ephestia abnormalella, Hypsotropa paucipunctella, Dysauxes parvigutta, and Bryophilopsis roederi. In addition, 105 BINs could not be assigned to a species. Preliminary morphological assessment indicates that many of these represent cryptic taxa or belong to taxonomically unresolved species complexes. Furthermore, 35 morphology-based records could be identified at best to the genus level. The study also lists 158 previously published species that are now considered likely misidentifications and therefore excluded from the Cypriot fauna. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Revival of a Prominent Taxonomy of Insects—2nd Edition)
12 pages, 7343 KB  
Article
Cuticular Pegs near Wing Bases in Aphids of the Subfamily Eriosomatinae Kirkaldy, 1905 s. str. (Insecta, Aphididae)
by Agnieszka Nowińska and Łukasz Depa
Insects 2025, 16(12), 1200; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16121200 - 26 Nov 2025
Viewed by 378
Abstract
Aphids have two general types of morphs: alate and apterous. While apterous morphs exploit existing local resources, the alate morphs disperse in search of proper host plant species for settlement and reproduction. Acquiring information on the position of the body and wings requires [...] Read more.
Aphids have two general types of morphs: alate and apterous. While apterous morphs exploit existing local resources, the alate morphs disperse in search of proper host plant species for settlement and reproduction. Acquiring information on the position of the body and wings requires a set of various sensory organs, which provide visual, olfactory, and proprioceptive information. The latter ones are provided through various sensilla, also located on the wings. Here, we present data on the cuticular pegs located on the membranous part of the tegula in alate aphids of the subfamily Eriosomatinae. These cuticular pegs, located on the distal part of the tegula, seem to have a sensory function, but their functional mode is unknown. It is hypothesized that they play either a mechanical function during movement of the wing, or are a part of the chordotonal organ, often located near the base of the wing in insects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Revival of a Prominent Taxonomy of Insects—2nd Edition)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop