Association of aphid life stages using DNA sequences： A case study of tribe Eriosomatini （Hemiptera： Aphididae Pemphiginae）

Association of aphid life stages based on a portion of COI sequence was applied in Eriosomatini. Three aphid specimens, nos. 17496, 19265a, and 19265b collected on Gramineae roots all clustered with Tetraneura chinensis Mordvilko with strong support. The average pairwise p-distance among the four taxa was 0.001 （range, 0.000-0.002）, and that among all the ingroup taxa was 0.065 （range, 0.000-0.141）. This indicated that nos. 17496 and 19265 b were the secondary-host morphs of T. chinensis. In this paper the secondary host morph of T. chinensis is described for the first time. With the identification of more species＇ secondary-host morphs, aphids identification based on this morph will be made easily.     

中国南方稻田螯蜂二新种：膜翅目：螯蜂科

本文描述采自我国南方稻田的双距螯蜂属２新种：南方双距螯蜂ＧｏｎａｔｏｐｕｓａｕｓｔｒａｌｉｓＸｕｅｔＨｅ,ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．和稻栖双距螯蜂ＧｏｎａｔｏｐｕｓｏｒｙｚａｅｔｏｒａｅＸｕｅｔＨｅ,ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．。模式标本藏浙江农业大学植物保护系     

Fine structural description of the compound eye of the Madagascar ＇hissing cockroach＇ Gromphadorhinaportentosa （Dictyoptera： Blaberidae）

The compound eyes of the wingless adults of the Madagascar ＇hissing cockroach＇ Gromphadorhinaportentosa Sachum, 1853 were examined by light and electron microscopy. Each eye contains 2 400-2 500 mostly hexagonal facets. However, irregularities affecting both shape and size of the ommatidia are relatively common, especially towards the margins of the eye. An individual ommatidium of this eucone type of apposition eye contains eight retinula cells, which give rise to a centrally-fused, tiered rhabdom. The distal end of the latter is funnel-shaped and accommodates the proximal end of the cone in its midst, Further below, the rhabdom （then formed by the rhabdomeres of four retinula cells） assumes a squarish profile with microvilli aligned in two directions at right-angle to each other. Cross sections through the proximal regions of the rhabdom display triangular rhabdom outlines and microvilli （belonging to 3-4 retinula cells different from those involved in the squarish more distal rhabdom） that run in three directions inclined to one another by 120°. Overall the organization of the eye conforms to the orthopteroid pattern and particularly closely resembles that of the American cockroach Periplaneta americana. However, since G. portentosa possesses fewer ommatidia, this could be a consequence of its inability to fly. On the other hand, the large size of the facets and the voluminous rhabdoms suggest considerable absolute sensitivity and an ability to detect the plane of linearly polarized light. Based on the pattern of microvillus orientations in combination with the crepuscular lifestyle G. portentosa leads and the habitat it occurs in, the prediction is made that this insect uses its green receptors for e-vector discrimination in the environment of down-welling light that reaches the forest floor.     

Biology and life table studies of the oriental tobacco budworm,Helicoverpa assulta （Lepidoptera： Noctuidae）, influenced by different larval diets

Development, survivorship, pupal weight, oviposition, and life table parameters of the oriental tobacco budworm, Helicoverpa assulta Guenée, were evaluated in the laboratory on an artificial diet, pepper （Capsicumfrutescens L.）, and tobacco （Nicotiana tobacum L.）. We found that the average developmental time of immature stages was longest on tobacco （36.2 d）, intermediate on pepper （34.4 d）, and shortest on artificial diet （33.5 d）. Immature survival from egg to pupa varied from 31% on tobacco, 43% on pepper, and 74% on artificial diet. Pupal weight ranged from 197.4 mg/pupa on tobacco, 233.1 mg/pupa on pepper and 253.4 mg/pupa on artificial diet. The average numbers of eggs laid by adults reared as larvae on the artificial diet, pepper, or tobacco were 614, 421 and 334 eggs/female, respectively. Numbers of remaining eggs in ovaries of the adult females reared as larvae on the artificial diet, pepper, or tobacco were 16, 26, and 42 eggs/female, respectively. The longevity of adult females developed from larvae reared on the three diets was not significantly different, whereas the longevity of male adults from the larvae reared on artificial diet was longer （16.8 d） than that for males reared on tobacco （13.8 d） and pepper （13.3 d）. The intrinsic, finite, gross, and net rates of increase were highest for females reared as larvae on artificial diet, lowest for females emerging from larvae reared on tobacco, and intermediate for females emerging from larvae reared on pepper. Generation times and doubling time of H. assulta were shortest for larvae fed artificial diet, intermediate from larvae reared on pepper, and longest from larvae reared on tobacco. We concluded that the artificial diet was the most suitable larval diet ofH. assulta followed by pepper, and tobacco.     

Daily number of bee louse （Braula coeca） in honey bee （Apis mellifera carnica and A. m. syriaca） colonies maintained under semi-arid conditions

Experimental work was conducted at two apiaries located in Irbid district and in Shuna North, Jordan, during the years 2004-2006. The aims of these investigations were to estimate the seasonal changes in the infestation rates of the bee louse （Braula sp.） and to develop an easy and rapid method of estimating the infestation rate on workers with bee Braula. Two major honey bee subspecies are reared in Jordan; Apis mellifera carnica and Apis mellifera syriaca were used in this study. The results showed that the infestation rate began to increase rapidly in May, reaching the season＇s maximum rate of 16.2%, 15.8% and 17.4% forA. m. carnica and 22.6%, 23.9% and 22.9% forA. m. syriaca in December of 2004, 2005 and 2006, respectively. The maximum adult numbers of bees were found in April and June, whereas the minimum for the year was in January in both honey bee subspecies colonies during the study period. The actual population of the bee louse could be estimated by counting the daily dropped lice and multiplying by a factor of 158. This factor is valid for the experimental colonies of both subspecies kept for 3 years under semi-arid Mediterranean conditions.     

埃及Aphytis黄蚜小蜂属记述附二新种描述（膜翅目：蚜小蜂科）

对埃及的黄蚜小蜂属进行了综述,并描述了2个新种,即Aphytis azai Abd—Rabou和Aphytis matruhi Abd—Rabou。文章对产自埃及的17个种做了简要描述,还提供了寄主和分布信息,以及埃及黄蚜小蜂属的分种检索表。新种A．azai sp．nov．与A．melinus相似,但区别在于触角节的大小。新种A．matruhi sp．nov．区别于A．lepidosaphes之处在于间节、后胸腹板以及小盾片的相对长度不同。     

Male-killer dynamics in the tropical butterfly,Acraea encedana （Lepidoptera： Nymphalidae）

Sex ratio distortion in the tropical butterfly Acraea encedana is caused by infection with a male-killing bacterium of the genus Wolbachia. Previous research on this species has reported extreme female bias, high bacterial prevalences, and full sex role reversal. In this paper, we provide an assessment for the dynamics of the male-killer, based on a survey for sex ratios and Wolbachia prevalences among wild populations of A. encedana in Uganda. The study reveals that Wolbachia infection showed considerable variation over both spatial and temporal scales.     

转基因水稻对土壤微生物群落结构及功能的影响

以非转基因水稻为对照,以变性梯度凝胶电泳(DGGE)和Biolog技术为手段,研究了2种转基因水稻对土壤微生物群落结构及功能的影响。结果显示:转基因水稻仅在生长发育旺盛期对土壤细菌数量有显著影响;且不同品种转基因水稻土壤微生物间的遗传距离大于转基因水稻与对照间土壤微生物的距离,即2个转基因水稻品种对土壤微生物群落遗传多样性的影响均不显著;在水稻抽穗期,2种转基因水稻与其对照的土壤微生物群落在72h时的平均光密度呈现显著差异,而到了成熟期则差异不显著。土壤微生物群落多样性指数和均匀度指数也表现出类似趋势。本试验证明,在水稻生长发育旺盛时期,Mclntosh指数(u)是一个有效区分转基因水稻和非转基因水稻土壤微生物群落多样性的指标。     

Survival of transplanted nests of the red wood ant Formica aquilonia （Hymenoptera： Formicidae）： The effects of intraspecific competition and forest clear-cutting

The fitness and survival of ant colonies depend on the resources near their nests. These resources may be limited due to poor habitat quality or by intra- and interspecific competitions, which in extreme cases may cause the ant colony to perish. We tested the effect of intraspecific competition and habitat degradation （forest clear-cutting） on colony survival by transplanting 26 nests of the red wood ant （Formica aquilonia Yarrow, 1955） in 26 different forest areas that contained 0-11 conspecific alien nests per hectare. F. aquilonia is highly dependent on canopy-dwelling aphids, thus the removal of trees should cause food limitation. During the course of the 4-year experiment, 9 of the forests were partially clear- cut. We found that while forest clear-cutting significantly decreased the colonies＇ survival, intraspecific competition did not. As a highly polygynous and polydomous species, E aquilonia seems to tolerate the presence of alien conspecific colonies to a certain extent.     

Centers of endemism and diversity patterns for typhlocybine leafhoppers （Hemiptera： Cicadellidae： Typhlocybinae） in China

This study identifies ＇centers of endemism＇ for typhlocybine leafhoppers in China, revealing diversity patterns and congruence of patterns between total species rich- ness and endemism. Distribution patterns of 774 Typhlocybinae （607 described and 167 undescribed species） were mapped on a 1.5° × 1.5° latitude/longitude grid. Total species richness, endemic species richness and weighted endemism richness were calculated for each grid cell. Grid cells within the top 5% highest values of weighted endemism richness were considered as ＇centers of endemism＇. Diversity patterns by latitude and altitude were obtained through calculating the gradient richness. A congruence of diversity patterns between total species richness and endemism was confirmed using correlation analysis. To investigate the bioclimatic factors （19 variables） contributing to the congruence be- tween total species richness and endemism, we compared the factor＇s difference between non-endemic and endemic species using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Eleven centers of en- demism, roughly delineated by mountain ranges, were identified in central and southern China, including the south Yunnan, Hengduan Mountains, Qinling Mountains, Hainan Is- land, Taiwan Island and six mountain areas located in western Sichuan, northwest Fujian, southeast Guizhou, southeast Hunan, central and western Guangdong, and north Zhejiang. Total species richness and endemic species richness decreased with increased latitude and had a consistent unimodal response to altitude. The proportions of endemism decreased with increased latitude and increased with rising altitude. Diversity patterns between total species richness and endemism were highly consistent, and ＇Precipitation of Coldest Pe- riod＇ and ＇Temperature of Coldest Period＇ may contribute to the congruence of pattern. Migration ability may play a role in the relationship of endemism and species richness; climate, environment factors and important geologic isolation events can also play crucial effect