A checklist of Lichen-forming, Lichenicolous and Allied Fungi of Ecuador is presented with a total of 2599 species, of which 39 are reported for the first time from the country. The names of three species, Hypotrachyna montufariensis, H. subpartita and Sticta hypoglabra, previously not validly published, are validated. Pertusaria oahuensis, originally introduced by Magnusson as ‘ad interim’, is validated as Lepra oahuensis. The form Leucodermia leucomelos f. albociliata is validated. Two new combinations, Fissurina tectigera and F. timida, are made, and Physcia mobergii is introduced as a replacement name for the illegitimate P. lobulata Moberg non (Flörke) Arnold. In an initial step, the checklist was compiled by reviewing literature records of Ecuadorian lichen biota spanning from the late 19th century to the present day. Subsequently, records were added based on vouchers from 56 collections participating in the Consortium of Lichen Herbaria, a Symbiota-based biodiversity platform with particular focus on, but not exclusive to, North and South America. Symbiota provides sophisticated tools to manage biodiversity data, such as occurrence records, a taxonomic thesaurus, and checklists. The thesaurus keeps track of frequently changing names, distinguishing taxa currently accepted from ones considered synonyms. The software also provides tools to create and manage checklists, with an emphasis on selecting vouchers based on occurrence records that can be verified for identification accuracy. Advantages and limitations of creating checklists in Symbiota versus traditional ways of compiling these lists are discussed. Traditional checklists are well suited to document current knowledge as a ‘snapshot in time’. They are important baselines, frequently used by ecologists and conservation scientists as an established naming convention for citing species reported from a country. Compiling these lists, however, requires an immense effort, only to inadequately address the dynamic nature of scientific discovery. Traditional checklists are thus quickly out of date, particularly in groups with rapidly changing taxonomy, such as lichenized fungi. Especially in megadiverse countries, where new species and new occurrences continue to be discovered, traditional checklists are not easily updated; these lists necessarily fall short of efficiently managing immense data sets, and they rely primarily on secondary evidence (i.e. literature records rather than specimens). Ideally, best practices make use of dynamic database platforms such as Symbiota to assess occurrence records based both on literature citations and voucher specimens. Using modern data management tools comes with a learning curve. Systems like Symbiota are not necessarily intuitive and their functionality can still be improved, especially when handling literature records. However, online biodiversity data platforms have much potential in more efficiently managing and assessing large biodiversity data sets, particularly when investigating the lichen biota of megadiverse countries such as Ecuador.

Representatives of the Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha, Fulgoromorpha, Cicadomorpha and Heteroptera from the Late Eocene of the Isle of Wight, UK, are analysed and discussed. Psylloidea were reviewed and a key to the described taxa is given. Aphidoidea were studied, previously described taxa revised and new taxa described. New taxa of Aphidoidea are Hormaphididae: Hormaphis? longistigma Wegierek sp. nov.; Eriosomatidae: Eriosoma gratshevi Wegierek sp. nov. and Colopha? incognita Wegierek sp. nov.; Drepanosiphidae: Panfossilis anglicus Wegierek gen. et sp. nov. and Betulaphis kozlovi Wegierek sp. nov. Previously described Fulgoromorpha were revised and new taxa are described. The homonym Hastites Cockerell, 1922 (Cixiidae) preoccupied by Hastites Mayer-Eymar, 1883 is replaced by Catulliastites Szwedo nom. nov. for Catulliastites muiri (Cockerell) comb. nov. New taxa described are Cixiidae: Klugga gnawa Szwedo gen. et sp. nov., Klugga regoa Szwedo sp. nov., Liwakka gelloa Szwedo gen et sp. nov., Delwa morikwa Szwedo gen. et sp. nov., Kommanosyne wrikkua Szwedo gen. et sp. nov., Kernastiridius nephlajeus Szwedo gen. et sp. nov., Margaxius angosus Szwedo gen. et sp. nov., Dweivera reikea Szwedo gen. et sp. nov., Samaliverus bikkanus Szwedo gen. et sp. nov., Komsitija tuberculata Szwedo gen. et sp. nov., Langsmaniko marous Szwedo gen. et sp. nov., Komnixta jarzembowskii Szwedo gen. et sp. nov. and Worodbera nimakka gen. et sp. nov.; Tropiduchidae: Reteotissus hooleyi Szwedo gen. et sp. nov., Phatanako gen. nov. for Phatanako wilmattae (Cockerell) comb. nov., Senogaetulia kwalea Szwedo gen. et sp. nov., Dakrutulia mikhailkozlovi Szwedo gen. et sp. nov., Keriophettus atibenus Szwedo gen. et sp. nov. and Sognotela emeljanovi Szwedo gen. et sp. nov.; Issidae: Krundia korba Szwedo gen. et sp. nov., Breukoscelis vadimgratshevi Szwedo gen. et sp. nov., Breukoscelis phrikkosus Szwedo sp. nov. and Uphodato garwoterus Szwedo gen. et sp. nov.; Nogodinidae: Ambitaktoinae Szwedo subfam. nov., Ambitaktoa stoumma Szwedo gen. et sp. nov., Phariberea gurdonika Szwedo gen. et sp. nov., Wixskimoa torxsea Szwedo gen. et sp. nov., and Nadrimini trib. nov. with Niadrima yulei Szwedo gen. et sp. nov.; Lophopidae: Ankomwarius brodiei Szwedo gen. et sp. nov.; Ricaniidae: Ankwlanno bluga Szwedo gen. et sp. nov. Previously described Cicadomorpha were revised and new taxa are described: Cicadidae: Kintusamo boulardi Szwedo gen. et sp. nov; Aphrophoridae: Blenniphora Szwedo gen. nov. for Blenniphora woodwardi (Cockerell) comb. nov., Blenniphora skaka Szwedo sp. nov. and Blenniphora bikkanoa Szwedo sp. nov.; Luisphantyelus briwus Szwedo gen. et sp. nov., Natajephora lijanka Szwedo gen. et sp. nov.; Cercopidae: Berro enissuextaensis Szwedo gen. et sp. nov.; Cicadellidae: Mileewinae: Teniwitta andrewrossi Szwedo gen. et sp. nov. Formerly described true bugs (Heteroptera) are revised and several new taxa are described – Nepomorpha: Corixidae: Diacorixites szwedoi Popov gen. et sp. nov.; Cimicomorpha: Tingidae: Parasinalda wappleri Popov sp. nov., Viktorgolubia Popov gen. nov. for Viktorgolubia seposita (Cockerell) comb. nov.; Miridae: Gurnardinia herczeki Popov gen. et sp. nov.; Pentatomomorpha: Lygaeidae: Gurnardobayini Popov trib. nov., Gurnardobaya rossi Popov gen. et sp. nov.; Cydnidae: Eocenocydnus lisi Popov gen. et sp. nov.; Pentatomidae: Podopinites coloratus Popov gen. et sp. nov. and Podopinites acourti (Cockerell) comb. nov. An overview of the Late Eocene fauna of the Hemiptera is presented. Ecological and biogeographical patterns of the Hemiptera from the Isle of Wight deposits are discussed.

Following recent molecular phylogenetic studies in Old World Gesneriaceae the nomenclatural implications for names in Henckelia are examined. New combinations are made in Codonoboea and Loxocarpus to account for species now excluded from Henckelia. A list is presented in which the current position of all species hitherto assigned to Henckelia is given, including the new combination Henckelia rotundata (Barnett) D.J.Middleton & Mich.Möller. A new combination in Oreocharis is made.

The types and undescribed material of the hymenopteran fossils of the Insect Bed of the Bembridge Marls from the Isle of Wight (UK) are critically revised and studied. A total of 1460 fossils are recorded and attributed to 20 families: Gasteruptiidae s.l. (1); Proctotrupidae (3); Diapriidae (24); Cynipidae (7); Figitidae (6); Pteromalidae (1); Agaonidae (3); Scelionidae (12); Platygastridae (2); Ichneumonidae (32); Braconidae (75); Bethylidae (3); Crabronidae (2); Sphecidae (1); Apidae (2); Scoliidae (1); Tiphiidae (2); Vespidae (4); and Formicidae (1220). Described as new are 51 species, 13 genera, two tribes and two subfamilies. Minimum number of species recorded (either as described species or representing higher taxa with no described species in the assemblage) is 118. The composition of the hymenopteran assemblage is most similar to that of Baltic amber and indicative of a well forested territory, as well as of a humid, equable (aseasonal but not very hot) climate, more typically equable than in the Baltic amber source area, judging from the absence of Aphidiinae and scarcity of aphids.

New combinations are proposed in Phanera (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae) for two varieties of Bauhinia glabrifolia (Benth.) Baker.

The genus Stubendorffia (Brassicaceae) is distinguished from Lepidium solely by the dehiscent vs. indehiscent angustiseptate fruits. By contrast, Winklera is separated from Lepidium by a combination of perennial habit, pinnatisect leaves, yellow flowers, and wingless fruits, characters all of which occur individually and in various combinations within Lepidium. Extensive molecular studies strongly show that Winklera and polyphyletic Stubendorffia are nested within the earlier-published Lepidium and, therefore, the three genera are herein formally united. The new name Lepidium pavlovii and 10 new combinations, L. afghanicum, L. apterum, L. botschantzevii, L. curvinervium, L. lipskyi, L. olgae, L. orientalis, L. patrinoides, L. pterocarpum, and L. silaifolium, are proposed. Lepidium apterum is lectotypified. A complete generic synonymy of Lepidium and an expanded generic description are presented.

In the course of an ongoing systematic and taxonomic revision of the lichen family Graphidaceae (including Thelotremataceae), we present world-wide keys to the currently accepted thelotremoid genera and species, excluding the columellate taxa and their relatives of the Ocellularia-Myriotrema-Stegobolus clade (Melanotrema, Myriotrema, Ocellularia, Ocellularia clandestina group, Redingeria, Stegobolus), which will be treated in a forthcoming paper. The keys include all genera and species with chroodiscoid, lepadinoid, and topeliopsidoid apothecia and other taxa featuring periphysoids or fibrils, and their relatives. Taxa keyed out to genus and species level are Acanthotrema, Chapsa, Chroodiscus, Diploschistes, Fibrillithecis, Gyrotrema, Leptotrema, Leucodecton, Melanotopelia, the ‘Ocellularia’ cruentata group, Pseudoramonia, Reimnitzia, Schizotrema, Thelotrema, Topeliopsis and Wirthiotrema. Over 260 species are treated, including a few yet unnamed taxa. The following taxonomic and nomenclatural novelties are introduced: Acanthotrema frischii Lücking sp. nov., Chapsa aggregata (Hale) Sipman & Lücking comb. nov., C. albida (Nyl.) Lücking & Sipman comb. nov.; C. albomaculata (Sipman) Sipman & Lücking comb. nov., C. boninensis (Tat. Matsumoto) Rivas Plata & Mangold comb. nov., C. elabens (Müll. Arg.) Rivas Plata & Mangold comb. nov., C. imperfecta (Hale) Rivas Plata & Lücking comb. nov., C. laceratula (Müll. Arg.) Rivas Plata & Lücking comb. nov., C. magnifica (Berk. & Broome) Rivas Plata & Lücking comb. nov., C. meghalayensis (Patw. & Nagarkar) Lumbsch & Divakar comb. nov., C. meridensis (Kalb & Frisch) Lücking, Lumbsch & Rivas Plata comb. nov., C. mirabilis (Zahlbr.) Lücking comb. nov., C. neei (Hale) Mangold & Lücking comb. nov., C. paralbida (Riddle) Rivas Plata & Lücking comb. nov., C. pseudoexanthismocarpa (Patw. & C. R. Kulk.) Rivas Plata & Lücking comb. nov., C. pulvereodisca (Hale) Rivas Plata & Mangold comb. nov., C. scabiomarginata (Hale) Rivas Plata & Lücking comb. nov., C. waasii (Hale) Sipman & Lücking comb. nov., Fibrillithecis argentea (Müll. Arg.) Rivas Plata & Lücking comb. nov., F. carneodisca (Hale) Rivas Plata & Lücking comb. nov., F. confusa Lücking, Kalb & Rivas Plata spec. nov., F. diminita (Hale) Rivas Plata & Lücking comb. nov., F. eximia (R. C. Harris) Rivas Plata & Lücking comb. nov., F. fissurata (Nagarkar & Hale) Rivas Plata & Lücking comb. nov., F. gibbosa (H. Magn.) Rivas Plata & Lücking comb. nov., Leucodecton desquamescens (Vain.) Lücking comb. nov., L. oxysporum (Redinger) Lücking comb. nov., Schizotrema cryptotrema (Nyl.) Rivas Plata & Mangold comb. nov., Thelotrema patwardhanii (Hale) Rivas Plata & Mangold comb. nov., Topeliopsis guaiquinimae (Sipman) Rivas Plata & Mangold comb. nov., and T. tuberculifera (Vain.) Rivas Plata & Mangold comb. nov. Using the examples of Fibrillithecis halei s. lat., Leucodecton compunctellum s. lat., and Thelotrema monosporum s. lat., we show how difficult species complexes can be flexibly treated in a key, allowing for either a broad concept or the distinction of several individual taxa.

The species of the genus Fuscidea occurring in North America are revised. Two new species, Fuscidea appalachensis Fryday and F. texana Fryday, are described from eastern North America and southern Texas, respectively. Three new combinations are also made in Fuscidea: Lecidea aleutica Degel. is shown to be a distinct species and not a synonym of Fuscidea lowensis (H. Magn.) R. Anderson & Hertel as previously suggested and is here recognized as F. aleutica (Degel.) Fryday; non-sorediate, apotheciate specimens from eastern North America previously referred to F. recensa (Stirt.) Hertel, V. Wirth & Vězda are recognized as Fuscidea recensa var. arcuatula (Arnold) Fryday; and Fuscidea scrupulosa (Eckf.) Fryday is shown to be the correct name for Fuscidea subreagens (H. Magn.) Oberholl. & V. Wirth. Fuscidea subfilamentosa (Zahlbr.) Brako is shown to be a member of the Lecidea hypnorum group and the new combination Lecidea subfilamentosa (Zahlbr.) Fryday is made, and Lecidea gyrodes H. Magn., described from Tennessee, is shown to be a synonym of F. recensa var. arcuatula. Fuscidea cyathoides (Ach.) V. Wirth & Vězda, F. kochiana (Hepp) V. Wirth & Vězda and F. lightfootii (Sm.) Coppins & P. James are considered not to have been correctly reported from North America.

Two Psoroma species, P. calophyllum and P. contortum, described from southern South America have been studied. The morphology, anatomy and chemistry of the two species are described together with notes on their ecology and taxonomy. The placing of these taxa in Pannaria is discussed, and the new combinations Pannaria calophylla and Pannaria contorta are proposed.

The taxonomy and/or natural history of 33 species of scincid lizards from Madagascar are reviewed. Most of the material, consisting of 187 specimens now housed in the Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali, Turin, Italy, has been collected recently, but some dates to the 19th century. Nine new species are described in three genera: Amphiglossus mandady, A. nanus, A. spilostichus, A. stylu, A. tanysoma, Paracontias manify, P. hafa, P. tsararano and Pseudoacontias menamainty, increasing the known skink fauna of Madagascar (62 species) by 14.5%. All the new species come from the closed forests of north-eastern Madagascar. Additionally, Amphiglossus praeornatus is resurrected from the synonymy of A. frontoparietalis, and Androngo alluaudi, A. crenni and A. elongatus are transferred to the genus Amphiglossus. There is also a key to the species of Paracontias and a new interspecifically variable character for Mabuya. Information on morphological variation, basic reproductive biology, habits and habitats is provided, as available, for all species. Perhaps most interestingly, Amphiglossus nanus n. sp. represents the eighth skink lineage in which an oviduct has been lost and Amphiglossus melanopleura decreases the number of longitudinal scale rows at mid-body and the number of subdigital lamellae with altitude.

The terrestrial orchid genus Bhutanthera Renz (subfamily Orchidoideae, tribe Orchideae), comprising five species, three newly described here, is established. A new species, Herminium pygmaeum Renz, and three new varieties, Bulbophyllum cauliflorum Hook.f. var. sikkimense N. Pearce & P. J. Cribb, Cephalanthera erecta (Thunb.) Bl. var. oblanceolata N. Pearce & P. J. Cribb, and Gymnadenia orchidis Lindl. var. pantlingii Renz, are here newly described. Five new combinations and one new name are proposed. Four new sections of Bulbophyllum are also established and their relationships discussed.

Hylodesmum H. Ohashi & R.R. Mill (Leguminosae or Fabaceae, tribe Desmodieae), based on Desmodium sect. Podocarpium Benth. (=D. subgen. Podocarpium (Benth.) H. Ohashi), is a replacement name proposed here for Podocarpium (Benth.) Y.C. Yang & P.H. Huang published in 1979 for Chinese species belonging to the genus. The name it replaces, Podocarpium (Benth.) Y.C. Yang & P.H. Huang, is a later homonym of two earlier names, Podocarpium A. Braun ex Stizenb. (fossil Leguminosae or Fabaceae) and Podocarpium Unger (fossil Podocarpaceae) and it is also inadmissible under Art. 20.2. New combinations in Hylodesmum are proposed for 14 species and nine infraspecific taxa. A description of the genus is given as well as brief notes on the distribution of each taxon. Shuteria longipes Franch. and Desmodium duclouxii Pamp. are newly regarded as conspecific; the correct name for these in Hylodesmum is H. longipes. Notes on typification are given for several names.

A re-examination of the status of the monotypic genus Saniella Hilliard & Burtt (Hypoxidaceae) was inspired by the rediscovery of Empodium occidentale on Hantam Mountain in Calvinia Division, SW Cape. This plant does not belong to Empodium, and has critical features that show that it is better placed as a second species of Saniella, but at the same time it lessens the gap between Saniella and Spiloxene. It is concluded that the whole question of the interrelations of Saniella, Spiloxene and Pauridia needs to be studied in depth. In the interim these three genera should all be maintained. Empodium occidentale is accordingly transferred to Saniella.

South American species of small minnow mayflies (Insecta : Ephemeroptera : Baetidae) that have been previously placed in Baetis Leach or Pseudocloeon Klapálek are revised. Species that resided in Baetis are shown to include Camelobaetidius alcyoneus, n. comb., C. coveloae, n. comb., C. dryops, n. comb., C. tantillus, n. comb., Cloeodes nocturnus, n. comb., C. stelzneri, n. comb., Fallceon inops, n. comb., F. murphyae, n. comb., F. yaro, n. comb., Moribaetis aneto, n. comb., M. comes, n. comb., and M. socius, n. comb. Species that resided in Pseudocloeon are shown to include Americabaetis albinervis, n. comb., A. bridarolli, n. comb., A. bruchi, n. comb., A. jorgenseni, n. comb., A. oldendorffi, n. comb., A. peterseni, n. comb., A. weiseri, n. comb., Cloeodes turbinops, n. comb., and C. venezuelensis, n. comb. The bases of the revisions are discussed under each species. The presence of Fallceon and Moribaetis in South America is confirmed for the first time.

The following descriptions of new taxa, new combinations, lectotypifications, and nomenclatural notes are required for the forthcoming volume of the Flora of Bhutan (volume 3, part 2, Gramineae). New species: Agrostis ushae Noltie from India (Sikkim), Arundinella dagana Noltie and Cymbopogon bhutanicus Noltie from Bhutan. New subspecies: Deschampsia cespitosa subsp. sikkimensis Noltie from India (Sikkim) and China (Tibet). New combinations: Agrostis petelotii (Hitchc.) Noltie, Urochloa supervacua (C.B. Clarke) Noltie, Cymbopogon munroi (C.B. Clarke) Noltie, Urochloa villosa var. barbata (Bor) Noltie, Themeda triandra var. laxa (Andersson) Noltie. The following species are reported here for the first time from the following countries. Bhutan: Neyraudia curvipes Ohwi, Tripogon purpurascens Duthie, Elymus duthiei (Melderis) G. Singh, Urochloa panicoides P. Beauv., Spodiopogon lacei Hole, Microstegium falconeri (Hook.f.) Clayton. China (Yunnan): Agrostis zenkeri Trin. Bangladesh: Panicum laxum Sw.

I. Lenbrassia G.W. Gillett, which has a zygomorphic corolla and four didynamous stamens with anthers joined, is reduced to Fieldia A. Cunn., which has an actinomorphic corolla and four equal stamens with anthers free; the new combination, F. australiana, is made. II. Boea wallichii R.Br. is distinguished from B. hygrometrica (Bunge) R.Br. with which it has been confused. III. Cyrtandra oblongifolia sensu Kraenzlin is described as a new species, C. kalimantana, allied to C. oblongifolia (Blume) C.B.C1. but distinguished by its hairy leaves, fruits, calyx and corolla; the sterile specimens from Borneo quoted under Cyrtandra rufa Bakh.f. are tentatively referred to C. kalimantana. IV. A specimen of Cyrtandra from the Natuna Islands is identified with C. suffruticosa Ridley from Pulau Tioman and the Malay Peninsula; in contrast two other Gesneriaceae from these islands are of Bornean affinity. V. Didymocarpus pteronema is a new species from Tenasserim province of Burma (= Myanmar): it is anomalous in its campanulate corolla and filaments with unilateral membranous wing. VI. Streptocarpus huamboensis is a new species from Angola allied to S. rhodesianus S. Moore.

Laurencia Lamouroux subgenus Chondrophycus Tokida et Saito was recently raised to generic status as Chondrophycus (Tokida et Saito) Garbary et Harper (Ceramiales, Rhodophyta). The previously unknown morphology and anatomy of two Chondrophycus species, C. undulata (Yamada) Garbary et Harper and C. parvipapillata (C.K. Tseng) Garbary et Harper, were studied in specimens from Korea, Japan and Hawaii. These species share some features, such as a strongly compressed thallus, vegetative axes with two pericentral cells, tetrasporangial production from pericentral cells and spermatangial development of the trichoblast type. However, they differ from each other in the position of the first pericentral cell relative to the trichoblast in axial segments and in the position of the tetrasporangial pericentral cell. In C. undulata, the first pericentral cell is always produced at one side of the basal cell of a trichoblast, whereas in C. parvipapillata it is formed underneath this cell. While tetrasporangia in C. undulata are produced only from three (occasionally four) additional pericentral cells, in C. parvipapillata they are formed by the existing second pericentral cell and two (occasionally three) additional pericentral cells, so the resulting tetrasporangial axial segment has only one sterile pericentral cell rather than two as in C. undulata. C. undulata produces spermatangial branches from two laterals on the suprabasal cell of trichoblasts but one of the two remains partly sterile, whereas in C. parvipapillata a spermatangial branch develops from only one of the two laterals. These two species also differ distinctly from each other in some vegetative features, such as presence or absence of (1) secondary pit connections between epidermal cells, (2) a palisade structure of epidermal cells with conical projections and (3) corps en cerise. The taxonomic implications of these vegetative and reproductive features of Chondrophycus and those of other genera of the Laurencia complex necessitate changes to the generic delineations of Osmundea Stackhouse, Laurencia and Chondrophycus. The required new combinations in Chondrophycus are made, mainly for species from the western Pacific. An infrageneric classification scheme is also proposed for Chondrophycus including Kangjaewonia subgen. nov., Palisada (Yamada) subgen. stat. nov., Yuzurua subgen. nov. and Parvipapillatae sect. nov.

Tanytarsus bukavus Lehmann, 1979 and Tanytarsus congolensis Lehmann, 1979 are transferred to the genus CladotanytarsusKieffer. Adult males as well as pupae of both species are redescribed and the female of T. bukavus is described as new to science.An emended diagnosis to include the presence or absence of pedes spurii B for Cladotanytarsus pupae is given.

Twenty-six species and one subspecies are newly described (mainly from South Africa, two from Namibia, one species and one subspecies from Zimbabwe) and two new combinations are made (Zimbabwe).

A recent study of Pinus subgen. Pinus for the Flora of China project recognized 10 native species with four new combinations, all at subspecies rank, and determined one new homonym, and six new synonyms. A neotype is designated for P. kesiya. Doubtful or little-known species are listed.