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Abstract Super black plumage has been observed across the avian phylogeny, yet few studies have examined the prevalence of super black plumage at the species and subspecies levels. One group where additional super black taxa likely exist is manakins in the genus Lepidothrix. Previous work on these sexually dichromatic taxa showed that male Lepidothrix velutina (Velvety Manakins) have super black plumage, and we observed that males of several other Lepidothrix taxa have black plumage with a velvety appearance that is often associated with super black barbule morphologies. Here, we combine spectrophotometry with scanning electron microscopy to examine the occurrence of super black plumage throughout Lepidothrix. We determine how the barbules of super black taxa differ structurally from barbules of black taxa that lack super black plumage. Our results show that 5 species and 7 subspecies of Lepidothrix have super black plumage, that barbules of back feathers are wider and closer together in super black taxa than in black taxa, and that the super black plumage trait appears to have evolved multiple times independently in the genus. We also show that olive-green immature males of super black taxa exhibit wider barbules that are closer together than their counterparts, suggesting the development of super black plumage begins before males molt into their definitive adult plumage. 

Two new species of Bohayella Belokobylskij, 1987 from Costa Rica are described: Bohayella geraldinae Kang, sp. nov . and Bohayella hansoni Kang, sp. nov. These are new distribution records for the genus in the Neotropical region. In addition, a key to species of the genus Bohayella of Costa Rica is presented. The current work elevates the number of species included in Bohayella from nine to eleven. 

For the first time in 21 years, a new genus of cardiochiline braconid wasp, Orientocardiochiles Kang & Long, gen. nov. (type species Orientocardiochiles joeburrowi Kang, sp. nov. ), is discovered and described. This genus represents the ninth genus in the Oriental region. Two new species ( O. joeburrowi Kang, sp. nov. and O. nigrofasciatus Long, sp. nov. ) are described and illustrated, and a key to species of the genus, with detailed images, is added. Diagnostic characters of the new genus are analyzed and compared with several other cardiochiline genera to allow the genus to key out properly using an existing generic treatment. The scientific names validated by this paper and morphological data obtained from this project will be utilized and tested in the upcoming genus-level revision of the subfamily based on combined morphological and molecular data.