云南华小翅螳属一新种(螳螂目:螳科)

记述采自云南大理苍山的螳螂1新种,即云南华小翅螳Sinomiopteryx yunnanensis sp.nov.,模式标本保存于大理学院生命科学与化学学院。     

中国花螳属一新种记述（螳螂目：花螳科：花螳亚科）

中国花螳属一新种记述（螳螂目：花螳科：花螳亚科）王天齐,刘宪伟,殷海生（中国科学院上海昆虫研究所,上海市２０００２５）关键词中国,螳螂目,花螳科,花螳属,新种花螳属Ｈｙｍｅｎｏｐｕｓ由Ｓｅｒｖｉｌｌｅ建立于１８３１年,隶属于花螳科Ｈｙｍｅｎｏｐｏｄｉ...     

秦岭山区静螳属一新种(螳螂目:螳科)

记述采自陕西的静螳属Statilia Stal,18771新种：杨氏静螳Statilia yangi Niu,Hou et Zheng,sp．nov．。该新种近似黄褐静螳S．flavobrunnea Zhang et Li,1983和顶带静螳S．occipivittata Yang,1997,但后翅前缘红褐色：雄外生殖器形状不同。     

中国原螳属一新种记述（螳螂目：花螳科）

记述采自云南西部螳螂目昆虫1新种,即斑原螳Anaxarcha maculata,sp.mov.。模式标本保存于大理师范高等专科学校生物系。     

滇西横断山区屏顶螳属一新种(螳螂目:长颈螳科)

记述采自滇西地区螳螂1新种,即小屏顶螳Kishinouyeum parvula,sp．nov．。模式标本保存于大理学院生命科学与化学系。     

中国新纪录属——瘤螳蛉属一新组合和澳蜂螳蛉属中国三新纪录种(脉翅目,螳蛉科)

首次报道了瘤螳蛉属Tuberonotha在中国的分布,对原"华安螳蛉Entanoneur asinica Yang,1999"进行了修订和重新描述,建立新组合华瘤螳蛉Tuberonoth asini cacomb.nov.;报道了中国螳蛉另一属——澳蜂螳蛉属Austroclimaciella的中国3新纪录种:吕宋澳蜂螳蛉A.luzonica(Weele)、小褐澳蜂螳蛉A.subfusca(Nakahara)和韦氏澳蜂螳蛉A.weelei Handschin,并对拉氏澳蜂螳蛉A.lacolombierei(Navás)进行了重新描述。编写了中国澳蜂螳蛉属检索表,首次对该两属的外生殖器进行了解剖描述和绘图。研究标本保存在中国农业大学昆虫标本馆(CAU)和中国科学院动物研究所动物标本馆(IOZ)。     

中国大刀螳属研究(螳螂目：螳科)

中国大刀螳属研究（螳螂目：螳科）王天齐（中国科学院上海昆虫研究所上海２０００２５）大刀瞠属Ｔｅｎ。Ｊｅｒａ是较常见的一类螳螂,种类虽少,但种群数量较大,分布较广,是生物防治很有潜力的类群之一,目前在种的鉴定方面存在许多困难和混淆之处。长期以来,由于种...     

光温条件对狭翅大刀螳生长发育的影响及其捕食功能研究

室内条件下饲养狭翅大刀螳(Tenodera angustipennis),研究温度与光照两个因子对狭翅大刀螳生长发育的影响。同时考察狭翅大刀螳若虫对不同密度小菜蛾幼虫与成虫及萝卜蚜的捕食功能反应．结果表明。温度对狭翅大刀螳生长发育的影响显著,随着温度的升高。在设定的温度范围内其历期明显缩短．狭翅大刀螳1～3龄若虫最适生长温度为25℃。而4、5龄若虫的最适生长温度为25～30℃．单因子光照对狭翅大刀螳生长发育无显著影响．捕食功能反应试验所得的数据,按HoUing模型进行模拟,经卡方检验。其理论值与实测值无显著差异。证明建立的模型能较好地模拟狭翅大刀螳的捕食情况．     

广腹螳和中华大刀螳卵块孵化的比较研究

广腹螳平均卵块重和含卵量少于中华大刀螳 ,含卵量与卵块重呈正相关 ,平均孵化率分别是5 8 94%和 91 71 %。恒温条件下 ,广腹螳卵块平均孵化期分别为 5 6 2 2天 (2 0℃ ) ,3 0 71天 (2 5℃ )和 2 6 3 7天 (3 0℃ ) ,发育起始温度 1 2 65℃ ,有效积温 42 9 77日·度 ;中华大刀螳卵块平均孵化期分别为 5 0 9天(2 0℃ ) ,2 8 0 9天 (2 5℃ )和 2 1 77天 (3 0℃ ) ,发育起始温度 1 2 90℃ ,有效积温 3 62 42日·度 ;广腹螳卵块恒温孵化期短于相应变温组 ,中华大刀螳卵块恒温孵化期长于相应变温组。     

云南屏顶螳属一新种(螳螂目:长颈螳科)

记述采自滇西地区螳螂1新种,即苍山屏顶螳Kishinouyeum cangshanensis sp.nov,模标本保存于大理师范高等专科学校生物系。     

Biological Control of Thrips on Ornamental Crops: Interactions Between the Predatory Mite Neoseiulus cucumeris (Acari: Phytoseiidae) and Western Flower Thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), on Cyclamen

Difficulties in controlling outbreaks of Western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis, have obstructed the widespread adoption of biological control in many ornamental crops. The efficacy of the predatory mite, Neoseiulus cucumeris, in controlling F. occidentalis on two cultivars of cyclamen was tested in glasshouse experiments. The establishment and development of F. occidentalis populations was compared in three treatment introductions of N. cucumeris (50, 200 and 350 mites m -2 per week) and an untreated control. F. occidentalis were sampled in the flowers over eight weeks and counted into different life stages. No differences were observed between the two cultivars. All treatments with the predator resulted in a decline in numbers of F. occidentalis compared to the untreated control. Although the proportion of first instar F. occidentalis was similar in all treatments, the level of control varied with the number of N. cucumeris introduced. Lower populations of F. occidentalis, combined with a more rapid decline in their numbers, were observed at the 200 and 350 mites m -2 rates. Numbers of F. occidentalis remained low in the 350 N. cucumeris m -2 rate and the proportion of second instar F. occidentalis in the samples was consistently lower than in the other treatments. Trap counts of adult F. occidentalis were strongly correlated with the numbers of both adult and total F. occidentalis in flower samples. High inoculative releases of N. cucumeris early in the flowering cycle followed by frequent low introductions of predators should provide a strong basis for preventative control of F. occidentalis and other thrips species on cyclamen.     

Screening Isolates of Hirsutella Species for Biocontrol of Heterodera glycines

The fungi, Hirsutella rhossiliensis and Hirsutella minnesotensis, are two endoparasites of second-stage juveniles (J2) of the soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines. The objective of this study was to screen for effective fungal isolates to control the nematode in laboratory and greenhouse assays. A total of 93 isolates of H. rhossiliensis and 25 isolates of H. minnesotensis were evaluated for parasitism of SCN J2 on cornmeal agar. Percentage of SCN J2 parasitized by the fungi varied among the fungal isolates. Most H. rhossiliensis isolates parasitized a high percentage of J2. The isolates of H. rhossiliensis obtained from bacteria-feeding nematodes, however, generally did not parasitize J2 on agar. H. minnesotensis parasitized fewer J2 on agar than did H. rhossiliensis . Forty isolates of H. rhossiliensis and four isolates of H. minnesotensis that parasitized a high percentage of J2 on agar were evaluated for their biocontrol potential in soil treated with microwave heating. Most isolates selected from the agar assay also parasitized a high percentage of J2 in the soil but there was variation among isolates. Pathogenicity of 14 isolates of H. rhossiliensis and four isolates of H. minnesotensis to the SCN was also investigated in the greenhouse using untreated field soil. Most isolates of H. rhossiliensis reduced SCN population density and increased plant growth when compared with 1% corn-grits control (culture media). One isolate (OWVT-1) of H. rhossiliensis reduced the SCN egg density by 95% and J2 density by 98% when compared with the control. Isolates of H. minnesotensis, however, neither reduced SCN density nor increased plant growth in the greenhouse.     

Comparison of in vitro decomposition of bryophytic and tracheophytic plant material

The fossil record of bryophytes is generally poor and infertile plants attributable to liverworts and mosses could also be thalloid vascular plant gametophytes or herbaceous lycophytes respectively. The paucity of the bryophytic record could be the result of relatively rapid degradation of bryophytic material in comparison to that of vascular plants, the absence of lignified cells in bryophytes sustaining this belief. However, certain organs of bryophytes are as robust as those of vascular plants (e.g. spores) and the hydroxybenzofuran polymers produced by some mosses could be of similar preservational resistance to lignins. A simplistic experiment to test the relative resistance to decay of bryophytic material has been undertaken. Its findings suggest that bryophytic plant material has a similar preservational potential to that of a selected vascular plant, particularly in organic rich sediments. This result may be construed to imply that bryophytes were indeed less abundant in the preservational environments of the Coal Measures than might be expected on the basis of current palaeoenvironmental reconstructions.     

Developing Methods for Testing Host Specificity of Phymastichus coffea LaSalle (Hym.: Tetrastichinae), a Potential Biological Control Agent of Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Col.: Scolytidae) in Colombia

In line with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Code of Conduct for the import and release of biological control agents, and taking into consideration the recommendations in the draft IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) Guidelines for the Prevention of Biodiversity Loss Due to Biological Invasion, a procedure was developed to assess the host range of Phymastichus coffea , an endoparasitoid of coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei . Host specificity was tested by exposing a Kenyan biotype of P. coffea to a selection of Scolytidae under quarantine conditions. The results demonstrated that P. coffea can be considered as oligophagous, attacking and developing on other species of the genus of the target borer. In no-choice tests, three species, H. obscurus , H. seriatus and Araptus sp. yielded parasitism. The risk of attack to potential alternative hosts if P. coffea were to be released as a potential biological control agent of coffee berry borer in Colombia is discussed. A quarantine procedure was developed for the importation of P. coffea to Colombia to deal with specific problems of hyperparasitoids and fungal contamination.     

A new genus of filicalean fern from the Lower Permian of China

Recent investigation on the Cathaysian flora of the Lower Permian Taiyuan Formation in Hebei Province, North China has led to the discovery of a new type of fern, Rastropteris pingquanensis gen. et sp. nov. Preserved as a permineralization, the stem, with a mantle of petiole bases and roots, shows a unique combination of anatomical characters. The vascular strand consists of a solid protostele with uniformly elongated tracheids and mesarch maturation of the xylem. In transverse section, the configuration of leaf trace xylem changes from reniform endarch to a tangentially elongated strand adaxially recurved at each end with several adaxial ridges. Stem and petiole cortex contains abundant sclerotic tissue with an interstitial tissue developed within the mantle of petiole bases and roots. A reinvestigation of Grammatopteris rigollotii , from the Permian of France, the type species of the genus allows interpretation of the latter as closer to Rastropteris than any other fern. Both taxa are provisionally reported to an incertae sedis group of filicalean ferns possibly involved in the origin of Osmundaceae.     

Effect of Herbivore Density, Timing of Attack and Plant Community on Performance of Creeping Thistle Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop. (Asteraceae)

Creeping thistle, Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop. (Asteraceae), is one of the most serious weeds in ecological compensation areas (within-field or border refugia) in Europe. Since conventional weed control measures are restricted in compensation areas, augmenting indigenous agents for biological control of the weed may be a feasible alternative. In this paper, we studied the effect of density of the shield beetle, Cassida rubiginosa Muller (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae), and two vegetation types typical for ecological compensation areas, on the performance of creeping thistle plants in an open field experiment. Early-season larval feeding had no measurable effect on creeping thistle growth, while late-season feeding significantly reduced shoot growth. These findings were attributed to higher feeding rates of the herbivores at higher ambient temperatures late in the season. Defoliation had a strong effect on the above-ground performance of C. arvense plants, but not on the below-ground performance. In contrast, the plant community affected all below-ground performance parameters measured, but only some of the above-ground performance parameters of creeping thistle. A combination of high levels of plant competition and herbivory by C. rubiginosa larvae led to 50% mortality in C. arvense plants during the growing season. We conclude that augmentation of indigenous herbivores of C. arvense in combination with breaking up the root system by tillage and the establishment of a highly competitive plant community of beneficial herbs may be a feasible way to control this problematic weed in ecological compensation areas.     

Explanation and prediction in vegetation science

A definition of vegetation science is given, spanning 6 levels of integration and stressing the interrelations among them. The problems of realism are discussed. The selection of levels is related to the adequate correspondence between conceptualization and research aims. Pattern and process are introduced as the central concepts of vegetation science. The perception of reality is dependent on the spatial and temporal scale chosen. The concept of noise is discussed in relation to stochasticity and randomness of events. Traces of essentialism are found both in classification of communities and habitat ecology. Classification is important, particularly the coexistence of alternative classification approaches. Organicism as a basis of vegetation research is rejected because the organismic view is inadequate on higher integration levels. The concept of function is redefined in a non-teleologic way.Present vegetation ecological research is inductivistic. One possible alternative to inductivism is falsificationism. The major domain of this approach is hypothesis testing, which will become more important. Progress can only be reached by a maximum degree of communication among scientific individuals.Predictive ecology is partly based on historic explanation, partly on complementary approaches. Characters of vegetation worthwhile to be predicted are listed and the necessary requirements for vegetation science to become predictive are discussed. A major requirement is the development of succession and life-history theory. A further elaboration of the individualistic concept will be a main task of vegetation science in the near future.     

Next‐generation DNA barcoding: using next‐generation sequencing to enhance and accelerate DNA barcode capture from single specimens

DNA barcoding is an efficient method to identify specimens and to detect undescribed/cryptic species. Sanger sequencing of individual specimens is the standard approach in generating large‐scale DNA barcode libraries and identifying unknowns. However, the Sanger sequencing technology is, in some respects, inferior to next‐generation sequencers, which are capable of producing millions of sequence reads simultaneously. Additionally, direct Sanger sequencing of DNA barcode amplicons, as practiced in most DNA barcoding procedures, is hampered by the need for relatively high‐target amplicon yield, coamplification of nuclear mitochondrial pseudogenes, confusion with sequences from intracellular endosymbiotic bacteria (e.g. Wolbachia) and instances of intraindividual variability (i.e. heteroplasmy). Any of these situations can lead to failed Sanger sequencing attempts or ambiguity of the generated DNA barcodes. Here, we demonstrate the potential application of next‐generation sequencing platforms for parallel acquisition of DNA barcode sequences from hundreds of specimens simultaneously. To facilitate retrieval of sequences obtained from individual specimens, we tag individual specimens during PCR amplification using unique 10‐mer oligonucleotides attached to DNA barcoding PCR primers. We employ 454 pyrosequencing to recover full‐length DNA barcodes of 190 specimens using 12.5% capacity of a 454 sequencing run (i.e. two lanes of a 16 lane run). We obtained an average of 143 sequence reads for each individual specimen. The sequences produced are full‐length DNA barcodes for all but one of the included specimens. In a subset of samples, we also detected Wolbachia, nontarget species, and heteroplasmic sequences. Next‐generation sequencing is of great value because of its protocol simplicity, greatly reduced cost per barcode read, faster throughout and added information content.     

The structure, reproduction and taxonomy of Vidalia and Osmundaria (Rhodophyta, Rhodomelaceae)

Comprises species occurring mostly in subtidal habitats in tropical, subtropical and warm-temperate areas of the world. An analysis of the type species, V. spiralis (Sonder) Lamouroux ex J. Agardh, a species from Australia, establishes basic characters for distinguishing species in the genus. These characters are (1) branching patterns of thalli, (2) flat blades that may be spiralled on their axis, (3) width of the blade, (4) primary or secondary derivation of sterile and fertile branchlets and (5) position of sterile and fertile branchlets on the thalli. Application of the latter two characters provides an important basic method for separation of species into three major groups. Osmundaria , a genus known only in southern Australia, was studied in relation to Vidalia , and its separation from the Vidalia assemblage is not accepted. Species of Vidalia therefore are transferred to the older genus name, Osmundaria. Two new species, Osmundaria papenfussii and Osmundaria oliveae are described from Natal. Confusion in the usage of the epithet, Vidalia fimbriala Brown ex Turner has been clarified, and Vidalia gregaria Falkenberg, described as an epiphyte on Osmundaria pro/ifera Lamouroux, is revealed to be young branches of the host, Osmundaria prolifera.