Van Roie M., Clark S., Konstantinov A., Furth D., Linzmeier A. 2023. A paradox indeed: description of genitalia and clarification of the subtribal classification of Pachyonychis paradoxus Clark and Pachyonychus paradoxus Melsheimer (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini). Zootaxa, vol. 5227, no. 1, pp. 127-136, doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.5227.1.6.

The flea beetles (Chrysomelidae – Alticini) Pachyonychis paradoxus Clark and Pachyonychus paradoxus Melsheimer are two separate species which share the same species epithet and nearly the same genus name. The subtribal classification of P. paradoxus Clark raised doubts because of the species rather unusual morphological shape. In this study, we dissected and describe genitalia of both species, which in fact validated their current subtribal classification. This serves as a small piece of the puzzle in solving the taxonomy of the subtribe Oedionychina.

 Konstantinov A., Van Roie M., Furth D., Clark S.M., Riley E.D. 2022. Flea beetles of the West Indies: Subtribe Oedionychina Chapuis 1875, key to genera, new combinations, synonymy, checklist, and description of new genera and species (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini). Journal of Insect Biodiversity, vol. 33, no. 1, doi: 10.12976/jib/2022.33.1.1.

Oedionychina is a subtribe of flea beetles (Chrysomelidae – Alticini) of which the members are easily recognizable by their relatively large body, confused punctuation of their elytra and globosely swollen hind tarsomeres. Especially in the Neotropical region, this is a very diverse group and in need of revision. This study provides a first step in disentangling this interesting group.

 Santos-Silva A., Van Roie M. & Jocqué M. 2021. Longhorned woodboring beetles (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) from Cusuco National Park, Honduras: new species, new records, and revalidation. European Journal of Taxonomy  764: 37–61.

During our surveys in the cloud forests of Cusuco National Park, Honduras, we found four new species of longhorn beetles. We described these species and named them after four Honduran environmental activists to raise awareness for the environmental challenges in the country.

Notes on a small collection of Prioninae from North-East Madagascar with the description of a new Schizodontus Quentin & Villiers, 1974 (Cerambycidae, Closterini) During a rapid biodiversity assessment in an isolated forest fragment in northern Madagascar a new species of Schizodontus was collected at the light trap and described here. Forest habitats are under serious pressure in Madagascar and in dire need of protection.

 Van Roie M., De Wint F., Güngor A., Huyghe C., Dekoninck W. & Sekerka L. 2019. An annotated checklist of the leaf beetles (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) from El Salvador, with additions from the Bechyné collection in the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences. ZooKeys 856: 137-196.

The RBINS collection includes leaf beetle specimens from El Salvador which were identified by J. Bechyné. As an expert in entomology, Bechyné studied numerous (Neotropical) Chrysomelidae between 1942 and 1978. This valuable reference collection will help compile a preliminary checklist of El Salvador’s Chrysomelidae, a poorly known species group in the region.

 Santos-Silva A., Mal N., Van Roie M. & Jocqué M. 2018. A new species of Derobrachus Audinet-Serville, 1832 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Prioninae) from a cloud forest in Honduras. Zootaxa 4422(3): 395–402.

A new species of prionid longhorn beetle was discovered during our surveys in Cusuco National Park, Honduras. This species was abundant on light traps in the cloud forests. It was aptly named after its location of discovery. The frequent discoveries of new species in cloud forests call for better protection of these highly endangered habitats.

 Merckx J., Van Roie M., Gomèz-Zurita J. & Dekoninck W. 2018. From theory to practice: using a photographic inventory of museum collections to facilitate species identifications. Biodiversity Informatics 13: 38–48.

A pilot study was set up to test our digitization method by digitizing one specific genus: Calligrapha (Coleoptera – Chrysomelidae). Most species within this genus can be identified by the markings on their elytra, which made it possible for Dr. Gomèz-Zurita to identify all specimens based on photographic material alone. This allowed for more efficient and correct sorting of the museum specimens and showed how our method could also improve collaboration with experts abroad by reducing costs and the ability to plan taxonomic research more.