Taxonomic review of Mycetophagidae Leach (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea) in Korea with their host fungi

A taxonomic review of the fungivorous Korean Mycetophagidae is presented. Nine species in four genera belonging to two tribes are presented in Korea. Four species, Eulagius ussuriensis Nikitsky, Litargus japonicus Reitter, Mycetophagus irroratus (Reitter), and Mycetophagus pustulosus (Reitter), are newly recorded in Korea. Most species are associated with the fruiting bodies of higher fungi, fungus‐grown bark, and mold contaminated materials. In addition, we provide information on host‐fungi records of Korean mycetophagid species.     

First record of the beetle family Biphyllidae (Coleoptera) in Korea

The Biphyllidae including four species, Biphyllus lewisi (Reitter), B. marmoratus (Reitter), B. rufopictus (Wollaston) and B. throscoides (Wollaston), are discovered for the first time in Korea. A key, habitus photographs and illustrations of diagnostic characters of the species are presented.     

A Taxonomic Note on the Little Known Family Prostomidae in Korea (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea)

A taxonomic study of the Korean Prostomidae is presented. Two species (Prostomis latoris Reitter, P. mordax Reitter) are recognized and P. mordax is reported for the first time in Korea. Comparison with type specimens was made. An illustration of the habitus and line drawings of diagnostic characters are provided.     

First Record of the Family Passandridae in Korea (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea)

A taxonomic study of the Korean Passandridae is presented. The family, genus and species (Ancistria apicalis Reitter) are reported for the first time in Korea. Comparison with a lectotype was made. An illustration of the habitus and line drawings of diagnostic characters are provided.     

Taxonomic Study of Korean Chrysochraontini (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Gomphocerinae)

Five species of Korean Chrysochraontini are recognized through the taxonomic investigation. Among them Chrysochraon dispar major Uvarov, 1925 is newly recorded from North Korea, and Euthystira pavlovskii Bey‐Bienko, 1954 is synonymized under Mongolotettix japonicus (Bolívar, 1898). A key is provided, and morphological variations of M. japonicus are discussed.     

Phylogeny of a new supertribe Cephenniitae with generic review of Eutheiini and description of a new tribe Marcepaniini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae)

Genera of Eutheiini are reviewed and Eutheimorphus is removed from this tribe of ant‐like stone beetles (Scydmaeninae) and transferred to Cephenniini. A monogeneric Marcepaniini trib.n. is described to accommodate Marcepania gen.n. from Malaysia, with five species: M. semengohensis sp.n. (the type species of Marcepania), M. tuberculata sp.n. , M. seramaensis sp.n. , M. minutissima sp.n. and M. elongata sp.n. A phylogenetic analysis of all genera of Cephenniini, Eutheiini and Marcepaniini based on adult morphological characters resulted in recovering a well‐supported monophyletic clade Eutheiini + (Marcepaniini + Cephenniini) and these tribes are included in Cephenniitae stat.n. (Eutheiini and Cephenniini are therefore removed from Scydmaenitae). Only a weak support for monophyly of Eutheiini was found, but morphological characters allow for maintaining this presumably relic group as a separate tribe. Previously proposed monophyletic groups within Cephenniini were recovered as such, but after inclusion of Eutheimorphus, a sister taxon to the ‘Cephennomicrus group’, the latter lineage gained weak statistical support. The evolutionary history of Cephenniitae is discussed, with focus on known northern hemisphere fossils classified in Scydmaenitae and Hapsomelitae, but possibly closely allied to Cephenniitae. Establishing the supertribe Cephenniitae is the first step toward a profound reclassification of Scydmaeninae on a robust phylogenetic basis. This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B0E1B12D-9587-4C4F-A908-A12A0C424A8C .     

Morphological and genetic relationship of two closely‐related giant water bugs: Appasus japonicus Vuillefroy and Appasus major Esaki (Heteroptera: Belostomatidae)

The East Asian giant water bug species Appasus japonicus Vuillefroy and Appasus major Esaki are aquatic hemipteran insects whose ranges overlap, particularly in the Japanese Archipelago and on the Korean Peninsula. In rare cases, the two species co‐occur. Furthermore, they are very similar ecologically and also morphologically, making their identification extremely difficult, and the possibility of hybridization has also been suggested. In the present study, we re‐examined their taxonomic validity, and the characteristics useful for identifying them. To re‐examine the morphological traits useful for distinguishing these two species, 222 specimens of A. japonicus collected from Japan, Korea, and China, and 132 specimens of A. major from Japan and Korea, were examined. We also performed molecular phylogenetic analyses based on the mitochondrial DNA 16S rRNA and cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) regions and the nuclear DNA Histone 3 region. Although the two species are very similar ecologically and also morphologically, they showed significant genetic differentiation. Thus, there is likely some form of reproductive isolation acting between them. Major morphological characteristics overlap extensively between A. japonicus and A. major, and no particular trait was identified as being effective for differentiating these species. All the morphological characteristics examined overlapped between A. japonicus and A. major. However, a principal component analysis based on all of the morphological characteristics revealed that, despite the overlap between these species, it was possible to morphologically distinguish them. Therefore, a more accurate identification becomes possible using multiple characteristics rather than a single characteristic. The male genital paralobes, evaluated as the most useful morphological characteristic, was effective with 100% probability for the Japanese Appasus species. However, for the Asian (i.e. Korean) specimens, this characteristic was not useful. On the other hand, the results of molecular phylogenetic analyses based on the mitochondrial DNA 16S rRNA and COI regions and the nuclear DNA Histone 3 region clearly showed significant genetic differentiation between the two species. Notably, the results for the mitochondrial COI region strongly supported the independence of each monophyletic group (i.e. validity of each species). Therefore, DNA barcoding based on the mitochondrial DNA COI region is also considered useful for the identification of A. japonicus and A. major. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2013, 110 , 615–643.     

Beetles with ‘trochantelli’: phylogeny of Cephenniini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae) focussing on Neotropical genera

Neotropical genera of Cephenniini characterized by an additional leg ‘segment’ (‘trochantellus’) are revised, and the following new taxa are described: Shyri gen.n. , Shyri pichincha sp.n. (type species of Shyri) (Ecuador), Shyri perversus sp.n. (Ecuador), Shyri quitu sp.n. (Ecuador), Shyri microphthalmus sp.n. (Ecuador), Monstrophennium gen.n. (type species: Cephennium spinicolle Schaufuss), Furcodes gen.n. , Furcodes apicalis sp.n. (type species of Furcodes) (Mexico), Furcodes tutule sp.n. (Honduras), Paracephennium pumilio sp.n. (Costa Rica), Pseudocephennium iwokramanum sp.n. (Guyana), Pseudocephennium trilineatum sp.n. (Guyana), Pseudocephennium araguanum sp.n. (Venezuela), Pseudocephennium maximum sp.n. (Venezuela), Pseudocephennium peruvianum sp.n. (Peru), Pseudocephennium cochabambanum sp.n. (Bolivia), Pseudocephennium saramaccanum sp.n. (Suriname) and Pseudocephennium brokopondonum sp.n. (Suriname). Pseudocephennium spinicolle (Schaufuss) is transferred to Monstrophennium. Cladistic analysis of characters from adult morphology of all genera of Cephenniini and a large outgroup sample from Cyrtoscydmini, Eutheiini, Scydmaenini, Clidicini and Mastigini strongly supported the monophyly of Cephenniini. However, only the Cephennomicrus group comprising nine genera was strongly supported as a monophyletic clade, while only weak support was found for the previously suggested Cephennodes group and Cephennium group. Two alternative hypotheses concerning the phylogeny of Cephenniini are put forward and discussed: (i) the Cephennium group is sister to all remaining Cephenniini; or (ii) the Cephennomicrus group is sister to all remaining Cephenniini. The Neotropical genera with ‘trochantellus’ form a well‐supported clade derived from the ancestral lineage of the Cephennodes group.     

Taxonomic Review on the Far Eastern Species of the Genus Discoelius Latreille (Hymenoptera: Eumeninae, Vespidae)

Far eastern species of the genus Discoelius Latreille are taxonomically reviewed. Two species are confirmed: Discoelius zonalis (Panzer) and D. dufourii Lepeletier. Discoelius japonicus originally described from Japan is synonymized under D. zonalis. Discoelius dufourii is newly recorded in Manchuria and Korea. The taxonomic status of D. manchurianus is briefly discussed.     

New record of subfamily Prometopinae (Coleoptera: Cucujoidea: Nitidulidae) in Korea

The subfamily Prometopinae Böving and Craighead, 1931 is recorded from Korea for the first time. Two species from different genera are recognized; Prometopia unidentata Hisamatsu, 1959 and Paramatopia x-rubrum Reitter, 1884. Morphological comments, biology, illustrations of habitus with genitalia of both sexes and a key to species from Korea are provided.     

The subfamily Pselaphinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) of Southwestern Bulgaria II: Belasitsa Mts

New data about the Pselaphinae fauna of South-Western Bulgaria (Belasitsa Mts) are presented. Bythinus angustioculus sp. n. is described. The genus Protamaurops Müller, 1944 and the species Plectophloeus nubigena (Reitter, 1877) and Bryaxis leonhardi Reitter, 1902 are reported for the first time in Bulgaria.     

A comparison of the effects of light intensity on movement and growth of albino and normal sea cucumbers (Apostichopus japonicus Selenka)

Albinism in the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus (Selenka) may be a significant biomarker that can be used to obtain information about behaviors and growth of this species. The goal of this study was to compare the behaviors and growth rate between albino and normal A. japonicus. Total light intensity and specific growth rate were used as statistical indices. Diverse light intensities were tested in the laboratory and in the field to identify ecological characteristics of albino A. japonicus. Experimental results revealed that: (1) both albino and normal specimens had negative phototaxis; (2) normal A. japonicus were more responsive to intense light than albino species, and the latter could withstand longer periods of exposure to intense light; (3) normal A. japonicus grew faster than albino specimens; and (4) both normal and albino A. japonicus grew faster in natural light than in the other light intensities tested.     

Identification of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris' (16SrI‐B) Causing Witches' Broom Disease of Mallotus japonicus in Korea

Mallotus japonicus with witches' broom disease were observed in Jeollabuk‐do, Korea. A phytoplasma from the infected leaves was identified, based on the 16S rDNA, 16S‐23S intergenic spacer region, and fragment of rp operon and tuf gene sequences. The 16S rDNA sequences exhibited maximum (99.7%) similarity with Iranian lettuce phytoplasma, the rp operon sequences exhibited 100% similarity with Goldenrain stunt phytoplasma, and the tuf gene sequences exhibited 99.8% similarity with Japanese spurge yellows phytoplasma. Results of the sequence analysis and phylogenetic studies confirmed that the phytoplasma associated with M. japonicus in Korea was an isolate of Aster Yellows group (subgroup16SrI‐B).     

The marine splash midge Telmatogon japonicus (Diptera; Chironomidae)—extreme and alien?

We found all developmental stages of the midge Telmatogeton japonicus (Chironomidae) on offshore windmills near the major Swedish seaport Kalmar in the southern Baltic Sea. This might be the first record of an insect species really inhabiting the offshore areas of the Baltic Sea. A thorough analysis of previous findings of the species, its history in Europe and its ecology indicates that T. japonicus quite likely is an alien species in Europe introduced from the Pacific Ocean. Shipping is probably the vector, as all records in the Baltic Sea and several from the Eastern Atlantic Sea are near major seaports. Our analysis further suggests that T. japonicus might be both advantageous and disadvantageous to native species in the Baltic Sea. T. japonicus should be kept under observation within monitoring programmes as it might expand its distribution as a result of the construction of new windmills in the Baltic Sea and elsewhere in European marine and brackish water habitats.