Striking difference in response to expanding brood parasites by birds in western and eastern Beringia

Two species of obligate brood‐parasitic Cuculus cuckoos are expanding their ranges in Beringia. Both now breed on the Asian side, close to the Bering Strait, and are found in Alaska during the breeding season. From May to July 2017, we used painted 3D‐printed model eggs of two cuckoo host‐races breeding in northeastern Siberia to test behavioral responses of native songbirds on both sides of the Bering Strait, with particular attention to species that are known cuckoo hosts in their Siberian range. Each host nest was tested after the second egg was laid and, if possible, again 4 days later with a model of a different type. Although our Siberian study site was also outside the known breeding ranges of the cuckoos, we found that Siberian birds had strong anti‐parasite responses, with 14 of 22 models rejected. In contrast, birds in Alaska had virtually no detectable anti‐parasite behaviors, with only one of 96 models rejected; the rejecters were Red‐throated Pipits (Anthus cervinus). Such differences suggest that the cuckoos might successfully parasitize naïve hosts and become established in North America whether or not their historic host species are widely available.     

Contributions to the knowledge of the Chinese Primeuchroeus Linsenmaier, 1968 (Hymenoptera,Chrysididae), with a key to species

The genus Primeuchroeus Linsenmaier, 1968 from China is revised and an illustrated identification key is produced for the first time. Three species are recorded from China, with one species, Primeuchroeus yongdaerianus Kim, new to China.     

Further new species of the plant bug genus Campylomma Reuter from the Oriental Region (Heteroptera: Miridae: Phylinae: Nasocorini)

The fauna of the nasocorine plant bug genus Campylomma Reuter from the Oriental Region, including subtropical Japanese Ryukyu Islands (Okinawa Island of Southwest Islands-group) and Taiwan is updated. Three new species are herein described, C. astica n. sp. (from Okinawa and Taoyuan, Taiwan), C. hibiscicola n. sp. (Bangkok, Thailand) and C. nanrenana n. sp. (Pingtung, Taiwan). Of these, C. astica and C. hibiscicola, were observed to have cryptic habitat-preference, inhabiting bracts, stipules or flower buds of the sea (or coastal) hibiscus, Hibiscus tiliaceus (L.) (Malvaceae), planted for landscaping at urbanized zones. An updated checklist of the 22 Oriental Campylomma species is provided.     

Temperature modulation of behavioural thresholds controlling male moth sex pheromone response specificity

ABSTRACT. The response specificity of male Oriental fruit moths, Grapholita molesta (Busck) and pink bollworm moths, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders), to different blends and doses of pheromone is altered dramatically by temperature. When acclimated and tested in a flight tunnel at 20^oC males of both species exhibit a high degree of specificity, with peak response levels occurring to a narrow range of blend-dose combinations close to the natural blend. When tested at 26^oC, however, males exhibit a significantly lower degree of specificity, with peak response occurring to a broader range of treatments. The change in response specificity results from shifts in behavioural threshold effects influencing plume orientation and initiation of upwind flight, as well as from arrestment of upwind flight, occurring later in the flight sequence. The observed changes in male behaviour suggest that the effect of temperature is directly on neural pathways involved in the perception of odour, and not simply the result of an increase in motor activity or a significant change in the release rate of the pheromone. The results support the threshold hypothesis for pheromone perception (Roelofs, 1978) as a general principle in the Lepidoptera, but also show that the degree of response specificity can be significantly affected by temperature.     

北京地区黑鹳越冬期的取食行为

2004年12月至2005年3月在北京十渡地区的二渡和涞水县野三坡两地采用目标取样法对越冬期黑鹳(Ciconia nigra)的取食行为进行了观察。每星期观察一次,累计观察246 h。黑鹳觅食处水深5~40 cm左右,以鱼类和螺类为食,其中鱼类占90%以上;平均每小时进食20次左右,黑鹳在两个研究地点取食的食物没有差别(P=0.439>0.05)。黑鹳取食长度小于4 cm的鱼类最多,占取食总次数的65.0%。成体和亚成体对不同大小鱼类的取食比例无差异(小于4 cm的鱼类,P=0.513>0.05;5~8 cm,P=0.979>0.05;≥9 cm,P=0.657>0.05)。在成体与亚成体对不同体型鱼类的搜寻时间中,成体搜寻较小食物的时间短于亚成体(P=0.008<0.05)。对食物的处理时间随着鱼类大小递增而延长,亚成体在处理较小食物上花费的时间相对较长(小于4 cm的鱼P=0.002<0.05;5~8cm的鱼P=0.001<0.05),表明亚成体的取食经验不足。保护越冬期黑鹳的最佳对策是减少对其取食活动和取食地的人为干扰。     

云南纳帕海湿地越冬黑鹳种群动态和迁徙

掌握种群动态以及迁徙习性对濒危候鸟的保护至关重要。2004~2005、2007~2008、2008~2009年的冬季(10月~次年4月),采用夜栖地直接计数法对云南省纳帕海湿地黑鹳(Ciconia nigra)的种群数量进行了监测。结果表明,在2004~2005、2007~2008、2008~2009年冬季,纳帕海湿地越冬黑鹳种群平均数量分别为39.6、128.6、181.8只,呈逐年增加的趋势;通常黑鹳10月下旬迁来,至次年3月中下旬迁离;纳帕海同时也是繁殖于蒙古国的黑鹳迁往印度越冬地的重要停歇地,过境时间集中在 11月中上旬。纳帕海湿地已经成为国内最为重要的黑鹳越冬地和迁徙停歇地,建议当地管理部门加强湿地管理,维持适当的浅水区域作为黑鹳的觅食地,另外需加强旅游管理,减少游客对黑鹳的干扰。     

Revision of the genus Thermistis Pascoe 1867, with descriptions of three new species (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lamiinae: Saperdini)

The genus Thermistis Pascoe 1867 is revised. T. croceocincta conjunctesignata Rondon & Breuning 1971 is upgraded to a species and newly recorded from China and Myanmar. T. xanthomelas Holzschuh 2007 is newly recorded from Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar. T. sulphureonotata Pu 1984 is newly recorded from Vietnam and Laos. Three new species are described from China: T. hainanensis Lin & Yang n. sp. from Hainan Island, T. kaiyuni Chou & Kurihara n. sp. from Taiwan Island and T. cheni Lin & Chou n. sp. from Yunnan and Sichuan provinces. Photographs of habitus and terminalia and a key to the eleven valid species of Thermistis are presented.     

A New Species of Chelipoda Macquart,with a Key to the Species from China (Diptera: Empididae)

Chelipoda nigraristata sp. n., a new aquatic dance fly of the subfamily Hemerodromiinae (Diptera, Empididae) is described from China. Relationships with other described species are discussed. A key to the species of the genus Chelipoda from China is presented for the first time.