Scientiae biologicae

The morphology and higher taxonomy of the tribes Agrilini Laporte de Castelnau, 1835 and Coraebini Bedel, 1921 are studied. A morphology of selected genera is analysed through the application of phylogenetic taxonomy. The previous classification of both tribes was based chiefly on the presence of a lateral edge to the pronotum. Our observations decrease the value of this character. The conception of the tribes presented here is based chiefly on the mouthparts, wings and terminalia, as well as larval characters. The tribes Coraebini and Agrilini, both sensu novo, are established. The genera Amorphosternoides Cobos, 1974, Amorphosternus Deyrolle, 1864, Bergidora Kerremans, 1903, Diadora Kerremans, 1900, Diadorina Cobos, 1974, Helferina Cobos, 1956, Paragrilus Saunders, 1871, Rhaeboscelis Chevrolat, 1837, Velutia Kerremans, 1900 (formerly classified within the coraebine subtribes Amorphosternina Cobos, 1974 and Rhaeboscelidina Cobos, 1976), and genera Deyrollius Obenberger, 1922, Lepismadora Velten, 1987, Nickerleola Obenberger, 1929, Pseudagrilodes Obenberger, 1921, Pseudagrilus Laporte de Castelnau, 1835, Sambus Deyrolle, 1864, Wendleria Obenberger, 1924, Weyersiella Théry, 1930 (all formerly classified within the Coraebini) are transferred into the Agrilini. The subtribe Geraliina Cobos, 1988 (with genus Geralius Harold, 1869) described within Agrilini is transferred to Coraebini. The tribe Coraebini is subdivided into 10 subtribes: (1) Ethoniina Majer, subtrib.nov., (2) Cisseina Majer, subtrib.nov., (3) Toxoscelina Majer, subtrib.nov., (4) Geraliina Cobos, 1988 (sensu novo), (5) Dismorphina Cobos, 1990 (sensu novo), (6) Amorphosomina Majer, subtrib.nov., (7)Coraebina Bedel, 1921 (sensu novo), (8) Meliboeina Majer, subtrib.nov., (9) Synechocerina Majer, subtrib.nov. and (10) Clemina Majer, subtrib.nov. The new genus Ethonion Kubáň, gen.nov. is described (type species: Buprestis fissiceps Kirby, 1818). A history of the subfamily Agrilinae Laporte de Castelnau, 1835 is presented. A new synonymy is established: Cisseis Laporte de Castelnau & Gory, 1836 (= Ethon Laporte de Castelnau & Gory, 1836 as a new junior subjective synonymy). Conditions for qualification of the younger but valid name Cisseis by the term nomen protectum and the invalid, but older, name Diphucrania Dejean, 1833 by the term nomen oblitum are discussed.

[Two new Trifurcula species mining Globularia (Lepidoptera, Nepticulidae).] - Two new species of the genus Trifurcula Zeller, 1848 are described and the diagnosis of Trifurcula globulariae Klimesch, 1975 is given. Trifurcula istriae sp.nov. develops in Globularia punctata Lapeyr. and T. liskai sp.nov. in Globularia cordifolia L. The first species is known from Istria and northern Italy, the second from Austria, northern Italy and Slovenia.

A new species of Thysanoptera, Ecacanthothrips kolibaci sp.nov., is described from China. The new species has only four heavy sense cones on the large antennal segment III and the fore-femora and tibiae have smooth inner margins, without any hooks or claws. It is closely related to E. andrei Palmer & Mound, 1978, which has four sense cones on antennal segment III, but hooks on the inner side of the fore-femora and tubercles on the inner side of fore tibiae.

Distributional data on 39 clearwing moth species in southern Moravia are summarised and presented in maps. Comments on habitats and inhabited communities are included. Three ecological groups are proposed and the level of threat to the species is considered.

Arboridia loginovae (Emeljanov, 1964), Zygina griseombra Remane, 1994, Zygina schneideri (Günthart, 1974), first findings in the Czech Republic; Macropsis megerlei (Fieber, 1868) and Mocydiopsis intermedia Remane, 1961, first findings in Moravia; Mocydiopsis longicauda Remane, 1961, first published localities in Moravia.

Distribution and bionomical remarks on the species of the Aradidae and Pyrrhocoridae are given. Aradus pallescens Herrich-Schaeffer is new for Moravia. The subfamily Aradinae is represented by 14 species and Aneurinae by 2 species, and the family Pyrrhocoridae by 2 species.

First find of Arocatus longiceps Stal in Moravia and Bohemia. New species for the Czech Republic. Biological notes on this species.

A list is given of ectomycorrhizal macromycetes recorded in ten permanent plots in floodplain forests in southern Moravia (Czech Republic). It contains 56 species belonging especially to the genera Amanita, Cortinarius, Hebeloma, Inocybe, Lactarius, Russula, and Xerocomus. The numbers of mycorrhizal, lignicolous and terrestrial species and the ratios between them are studied and compared with the scale of ectotrophic forest stability disturbance. This comparison showed that two plots (locality Myslivcova louka) are at the start of the latent phase of disturbance, while others are already in the acute and transient to lethal phase, or in the lethal phase. The value of the ectotrophic forest stability disturbance scale (Fellner 1993, Fellner & Pešková 1995) for floodplain forests is discussed.

Sixty five of Besser's specimens (higher plants) of type character deposited in the Moravian Museum in Brno (BRNM) are listed.

29 of Waldstein's and Kitaibel's duplicate specimens of higher plants deposited in the Moravian Museum in Brno (BRNM) are listed.

RNDr. Valentin Pospíšil, CSc died at the age of 87 years, on November 12th 1999. He was the Nestor of Moravian botanists, for many years a worker and collaborator with the Moravian Museum (BRNM) and the head of its botanical department, a long-time chairman of the southern Moravian branch of the Czechoslovak (later "Czech") botanical society and an honorary member of it, a true naturalist.

RNDr. Irina Vavřínová was born in Brno on March 16, 1940. Her father was a Russian emigré who found refuge in Czechoslovakia after the Bolshevik revolution. In Czechoslovakia he studied chemistry and established a small chemical factory in Brno. He was imprisoned by the Nazis during the Second World War.

Karel Majer died suddenly one sunny summer day in the year 2000, as a result of a lasting injury he suffered two years ago in the Andaman Islands. I might venture to say that, in him, we have lost one of the leading and most interesting personalities in systematic entomology, a man of incredible diligence and talent.