Special Issue "The Fundamental Role of Biosystematics in Insect Diversity and Conservation"

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 July 2022.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Augusto Loni
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment- University of Pisa, Pisa, 56126, Italy
Interests: biodiversity; community structure; braconids parasitoids; biocontrol; funerary archaeoentomology
Prof. Dr. Daniela Lupi
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Food, Environmental and Nutritional Sciences, University of Milan, Milan 20133, Italy
Interests: invasive species; biodiversity; conservation biology
Special Issues and Collections in MDPI journals
Dr. Valeria Trivellone
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1816 South Oak Street, Champaign, IL 61821, USA
Interests: Auchenorrhyncha; agroecology; biodiversity; evolutionary ecology; exotic species; functional community ecology; insect conservation; plant-insect-microbe interactions; taxonomy; vector ecology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

A pertinent quote from Axel Hochkirch in his article “The insect crisis we can’t ignore”, published in 2016 in Nature, expressed that “we can preserve only what we know”. Insects represent the most diverse taxonomic class on Earth, with 8.7 million insect species predicted, of which only 1.8 million (15%) are described and named. Insects represent one of the largest components of biodiversity in the world, with numerous ecosystem services (such as pollination, pest control, and nutrients cycling) being reliant on insect activity and, thus, they play a key role in the maintenance of ecological balance. Insect populations are estimated to have declined by 45% during the past 40 years, with a further 40% predicted to be extinct within the next few decades. Altogether, evidence of an imminent Insect Apocalypse suggest we are facing an issue of global concern, and there is a demand for more data and rigorous analysis to better target future conservation strategies. Our society is experiencing the loss of many species that have never been encountered. Fragmentation and loss of habitats, anthropogenic impacts, and climate change are the main causes of biodiversity declines and species extinction. Diversity conservation relies on the possibility to identify living components and characterize their contribution to communities. Accurate species identification and biological systematic studies provide backbone information for the management of insect diversity conservation.

We have accumulated a huge amount of data and publications, with online database applications allowing easy access to them, accelerating the possibility of sharing information and transferring systematic knowledge. This could be a great opportunity to facilitate the study of biosystematics, offering a crucial instrument to develop conservation management strategies. This Special Issue welcomes biodiversity and conservation surveys on natural and agroecosystems, studies investigating community structure along environmental gradients which take into consideration biosystematic aspects. Reports on web-based taxonomy and systematic identification tools intended to support the exchange of observation data and revisionary studies will be also appreciated.

Dr. Augusto Loni
Prof. Dr. Daniela Lupi
Dr. Valeria Trivellone
Guest Editors

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 papers will be 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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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 1600 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

  • evolutionary biology
  • functional community ecology
  • biodiversity conservation
  • systematics
  • taxonomy

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

Article
Remarkable Species Diversity of the Leafhopper Genus Xestocephalus (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Aphrodinae) in Thailand
Insects 2021, 12(6), 514; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12060514 - 01 Jun 2021
Viewed by 636
Abstract
Xestocephalus Van Duzee is among the most common and widespread genera of Cicadellidae in the temperate and tropical regions of the world. In the present study, 205 specimens of the genus Xestocephalus were collected in Thailand, whereas only a single species of the [...] Read more.
Xestocephalus Van Duzee is among the most common and widespread genera of Cicadellidae in the temperate and tropical regions of the world. In the present study, 205 specimens of the genus Xestocephalus were collected in Thailand, whereas only a single species of the genus was recorded previously using Malaise trap field sampling, studied by comparative morphology. Seventeen species were recognized, including twelve new species: X. binarius sp. nov., X. chrysanthemum sp. nov., X. cowboyocreus sp. nov., X. densprint sp. nov., X. dimiprocessus sp. nov., X. exproiecturus sp. nov., X. gracilus sp. nov., X. limpidissimus sp. nov., X. malleus sp. nov., X. nonattribus sp. nov., X. recipinams sp. nov., and X. tenusis Liang sp. nov. Four species were recorded in Thailand for the first time: Xestocephalus abyssinicus Heller and Linnavuori, Xestocephalus asper Linnavuori, Xestocephalus ishidae Matsumura, and Xestocephalus toroensis Matsumura. Detailed morphological descriptions of all 17 species are given; photographs of external habitus and male genitalia of the species from Thailand are provided. A checklist of species of the genus is also given, and a key to all Thailand Xestocephalus species is also provided. Full article
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Article
Species Diversity in the Leafhopper Genus Batracomorphus Lewis (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Iassinae) from Qinling Mountain in Shaanxi
Insects 2021, 12(6), 494; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12060494 - 26 May 2021
Viewed by 808
Abstract
The genus Batracomorphus Lewis is the third largest leafhopper genus in the world, with its greatest diversity in the Oriental region. Here, nine species of Batracomorphus, including one new species, are recorded from Shaanxi Province, China, for the first time: B. allionii (Turton), [...] Read more.
The genus Batracomorphus Lewis is the third largest leafhopper genus in the world, with its greatest diversity in the Oriental region. Here, nine species of Batracomorphus, including one new species, are recorded from Shaanxi Province, China, for the first time: B. allionii (Turton), B. clavatus Cai and Shen, B. fletcheri Hu and Dai sp. nov., B. geminatus (Li and Wang), B. juno Knight, B. lateprocessus Li and Wang, B. lunatus Cai and He, B. subfuscus (Li and Wang) and B. pandarus Knight. Among them, B. juno Knight is recorded from China for the first time. One new synonym is revealed: B.nigromarginattus Cai and Shen, 1999 is a junior synonym of B. subfuscus (Li and Wang, 1993). All taxa are described, and photographs of male genitalia are given based on observations of specimens from Qinling Mountain in Shaanxi of China. A key to the species found in Qinling Mountain of Shaanxi is also provided. Full article
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