Abstract:

Aims: This study aims to compile and update information on China’s newly described taxa of Hemiptera and 28 other orders of Insecta (excluding Coleoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, and Hymenoptera) from 2022 to 2023.

Methods: We summarized the list of type specimens and bibliographies for China’s newly described taxa of Hemiptera and 28 other insect orders during 2022-2023. The preservation locations of type specimens and the journals in which the new species were published were also analyzed.

Results: From 2022 to 2023, a total of 727 new taxa were published for Hemiptera and 28 other insect orders in China, comprising 668 new species/subspecies, 58 new genera and 1 new family. Among these, Hemiptera, Orthoptera, and Plecoptera were the top three orders with the highest number of new taxa. Specifically, Hemiptera had 252 new species, 22 new genera, and 1 new family; Orthoptera had 183 new species and 19 new genera; and Plecoptera included 54 new species and 1 new genus. No new taxa were reported for Mantophasmatodea, Zoraptera, Isoptera, and five other orders during this period. Based on an analysis of provincial administrative regions, hotspots for new taxa discovery were concentrated in Southwest China (Yunnan, Guizhou, Xizang and Sichuan), South China (Guangxi, Hainan and Guangdong), Central China (Hunan and Hubei), and Southeast China (Taiwan, Zhejiang, and Fujian). Yunnan led with 338 new species, representing 50.60% of the total, followed by Guangxi with 115 new species (17.22%), and Guizhou, Xizang, and Sichuan with 90, 88, and 79 new species, respectively. In total, 5,252 type specimens of the 668 new species and subspecies were deposited across 70 preservation facilities. Over 95% of holotypes and paratypes are preserved in 40 universities and 11 research institutions in China, while less than 5% of paratypes are deposited in 3 universities and 12 research institutions abroad. Type specimens are predominantly stored in universities, followed by research institutes and museums. These newly described taxa were published in 320 articles across 35 journals. Over 70% of these articles appeared in Zootaxa, ZooKeys and European Journal of Taxonomy. The Chinese journal Entomotaxonomiaaccounted for 4.69% of the articles, while Systematic Entomology and 24 other journals each published one relevant article.

Conclusion: This study provides a timely update on the biodiversity data of Hemiptera and 28 other insect orders in China for 2022-2023. It plays a crucial role in accelerating the development of data-sharing platforms and enhancing the understanding of insect biodiversity.

Key words: species catalogue, Hemiptera, new taxa, hotspots