We synthesize data on all known extant and fossil Coleoptera family-group names for the first time. A catalogue of 4887 family-group names (124 fossil, 4763 ext

Summary: Quantitative host–parasitoid food webs are descriptions of community structure that include data on the abundance of hosts and parasitoids, and the frequency of links between them, all expressed in the same units. Quantitative host–parasitoid food webs were constructed describing the community of leaf‐mining insects (Diptera, Coleoptera and Lepidoptera) and their parasitoids (Hymenoptera) in an 8500‐m²area of moist tropical forest in Belize, Central America, over a 1‐year period. The summary food web, containing data for the whole year, is we believe the most diverse quantitative host–parasitoid web yet described. It contains 93 species of leaf‐miner, 84 species of parasitoid and 196 links between hosts and parasitoids. Most parasitoids were generalists, with individual parasitoid species recorded as parasitizing up to 21 host species. In contrast, most leaf‐miners were specialists, with 114 links documented between leaf‐miners and their host plants. A robustness analysis was used to reveal the effects of different sampling intensities on food web statistics. The results suggest that the sampling had revealed most of the species of host and parasitoid in the community, but further interactions among species would continue to be detected with additional sampling. Measures of the ratio of hosts to parasitoids and of realized connectance were relatively insensitive to sampling intensity. Three seasonal webs were constructed, revealing temporal changes in the structure of the community. There was greater turnover in host species composition than parasitoid species composition among seasons, but most web statistics remained relatively constant across seasons. Both the summary web and the seasonal webs show low levels of compartmentalization, suggesting that the host–parasitoid community is not divided into relatively discrete subwebs with largely independent dynamics. The extent of potential indirect interactions between pairs of hosts was assessed by constructing quantitative parasitoid overlap graphs. These suggest that abundant species are likely to have greater indirect effects on less abundant species thanvice versa, and that species in the same taxonomic order are more likely to interact indirectly. The graphs do not support the hypothesis that species sharing the same host plant are more likely to interact via shared parasitoids.

Open access to sequence data is a cornerstone of biology and biodiversity research, but has created tension under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Policy decisions could compromise research and development, unless a practical multilateral solution is implemented. Ensuring international benefit-sharing from sequence data without jeopardising open sharing is a major obstacle for the Convention on Biological Diversity and other UN negotiations. Here, the authors propose a solution to address the concerns of both developing countries and life scientists.

Many Curculionidae, Scolytidae and Platypodidae stridulate by rubbing a plectrum on tergite VII against a subapical file on the elytral underside. The file on the right elytron may be smaller than that on the left, or absent; on either elytron it usually comprises a series of parallel ridges. The plectrum generally consists of one or more pair of setiferous tubercles, although other structures are sometimes employed. This stridulatory system (‘type 1’) is found in members of 14 curculionid subfamilies and in Scolytidae. Platypodidae have a similar and probably homologous organ, although the morphology of the file differs somewhat from that found elsewhere and the plectrum is a simple flange. Within Curculionidae three other elytro-tergal stridulatory systems have been found. Firstly, in some Cossoninae and Molytinae, the file is a row of tubercles on tergite VII and the plectrum is a ridge on the elytron (‘type 2’); this is newly reported here. Secondly, females of Ithyporini, some Camptorhinini and some Cryptorhynchini have part of the wing binding patch on tergite VII modified to act as a file, with a plectrum on the elytra (‘type 3’). Thirdly, some Amycterinae have a file of ridges on tergite VII and a plectrum on the elytra (‘type 4’), apparently an autapomorphy of a restricted group of species. In addition, some Curculionidae have a plectrum on the hind femur and a file on the abdominal sternum (some Cryptorhynchinae) or elytron (some Otidocephalinae). Scolytidae have at least three other stridulatory organs: two on the head and one involving the elytra and sternum VIII. Some systematic conclusions are drawn: the clear homology of the type 1 structures in Scolytidae and the majority of the stridulating Curculionidae indicates that the Curculionidae is paraphyletic with respect to the Scolytidae; Scolytidae should therefore be treated as a subfamily of Curculionidae. The structure of the platypodid file and plectrum provide equivocal information and do not aid resolution of the phylogenetic placement of this family. Monophyly of some Ithyporini and Camptorhinini is suggested by the distribution of type 3, but there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate paraphyly of the Cryptorhynchini. The distribution of type 2 does not indicate monophyly of the Cossoninae and Molytinae since the structures in the two are almost certainly homoplastic. All known records of elytro-tergal stridulatory organs in the Scolytidae, Platypodidae and Curculionidae are listed.