Of 39 Central European species of Botanophila the postabdominal structures of 33 females are examined in detail and evaluated. Figures drawn from microscope slide preparations of the female terminalia, including the last four abdominal segments, document some relationships among examined species which enable a compilation of the first identification key to females of the Central European species.

The aim of this study was to describe patterns of seasonal activity, age structure, and reproductive characteristics of a population of the ground beetle Carabus scheidleri inhabiting an abandoned agricultural field in Hungary. Adults used in this investigation were collected by pitfall trapping during the summers of 2000, 2001 and 2002. The activity period overlaps with the reproductive period. Beetles showed two seasonal activity/reproductive peaks: at the end of May, young and immature adults dominated; and the second activity peak occurred in July, when both mature and young adults were caught. Ripe eggs were found in the ovaries from the end of May until the end of August. The mean number of eggs per female was 5.06±4.82 (the maximum number of eggs/gravid female was 22 and the most frequent number of eggs /gravid female was 2). The rate of egg deposition was around 0.067. The seasonal fecundity was 15.79 in 2000, 20.46 in 2001 and 49.06 in 2002. Our results suggest that this species in this area overwinters both as larvae and as adult, it has overlapping generations and several reproductive periods. These characteristics ensure the persistence of the population in human-modified and highly disturbed habitats.

Microkeroplatus gen. n. belonging to the tribe Keroplatini of the subfamily Keroplatinae (Keroplatidae) is described. It comprises three new species, M. longisetosus sp. n. (type species of the genus) from peninsular Malaysia, M. minutus sp. n. from Brunei, and M. sumatrensis sp. n. from Indonesia. A brief analysis of its diagnostic characters in comparison to those of the other genera of the tribe is given. With 19 original figures.

The knowledge of the juvenile stages of the genus Provertex Mihelcic, 1959 is very fragmentary; only one author gave a vague characterization of the developmental instars of two species – Provertex delamarei Travé, 1962 and P. mailloli Travé, 1964. This work provides a detailed description of the juveniles of Provertex kuehnelti Mihelcic, 1959 and shows that spinose and thickened notogastral setae are the only morphological features specific for the juveniles of this genus. Additionally a comparison with the larva and nymphs of two Scutovertex species confirms the systematic position of the genus Provertex within the family of Scutoverticidae.

Chinese species belonging to the tenebrionid genus Morphostenophanes Pic are reviewed. The Chinese fauna is composed of six previously described species-group taxa (M. aenescens Pic, 1925, M. papillatus Kaszab, 1941, M. atavus (Kaszab, 1960), M. tanikadoi Masumoto, 1998, M. jendeki jendeki Masumoto, 1998 and M. jendeki similis Masumoto, 1998) and two newly described species (M. cuproviridis sp. n. and M. tuberculatus sp. n. from Guizhou and Yunnan). The type specimens are deposited in the Museum of Hebei University.

According to known population parameters, we used software Vortex for simulating
long-term population dynamics of white tailed eagles (Haliaeetus
albicilla L.) on fourteen management options. The main purpose of the study
was the assessment of the dispersion rate detection importance (integrating
effects of persecution and permanent dispersion) for the long-term viability of
the population. None of the fourteen management scenarios led the population to
extinction (P(E) < 0.00). Basic scenario, the one that represents the present
knowledge about the population in Croatia, was determined with deterministic
(r_det) and stochastic growth rates
r_stoch of 0.074 and 0.072 respectively. All the
scenarios with assumed dispersion rate of five sub-adult pairs had significantly
lower deterministic and stochastic growth rates. Four of them, all characterised
with degraded conditions for both breeding and non-breeding parts of the
population, resulted in negative stochastic growth rates and led the population
to extinction with probabilities ranged from r_stoch
–0.05 to –0.093. According to the obtained results we gave recommendations for
future monitoring program improvements focusing the field work on dispersion
rate detection as well as on the non-breeding part of the population in general.

The paper discusses some doubts concerning the taxonomic rank of Thrips atratus Haliday, 1836 and Thrips montanus Priesner, 1920 (T. atratus f. montana according to zur Strassen 2003). For these purposes morphological characters of adults and second stage larva of some populations coming from various regions of Poland were compared. They were studied using cluster analysis and principal component analysis for selecting the significant features separately for females and males. For adults the differences most useful for taxa separation include previously described features, such as the colour of the third antennal segment, the number of distal setae on the first vein of the forewing (for females and males) and new features: the shape of the microtrichial comb on the posterior margin of tergum VIII, and the number of discal setae on abdominal sterna V and VII (females); the length of antennal stylus, the sculpture of the tenth sternum, and the width of pore plates on abdominal sterna V and VII (males). For larvae, the main differences pertain to the number and fusion of sclerotized plates on the pronotum, the degree of developing microtrichia on plaques of tergum and sternum VIII and the differences in sclerotisation of abdominal terga IX and X. The earlier known and the new morphological characteristics of females, males and larvae supported by statistic analyses lead us to believe that the previous taxonomic status – as separate species (T. atratus Haliday and T. montanus Priesner) was correct.