Effect of larval brain extracts derived from three swallowtail butterflies,Papilio helenus L., P. machaon L. and P. memnon L., on seasonal morph development of P. xuthus L. (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae)

Adults of the three papilionid butterflies, Papilio helenus L., Papilio machaon L. and Papilio memnon L., exhibit seasonal diphenism comprising spring and summer morphs. To elucidate the physiological mechanism underlying seasonal morph development in papilionid butterflies, we investigated whether a cerebral factor showing summer‐morph‐producing hormone (SMPH) activity is present in the brain of three Papilio species using an assay system with chilled male short‐day pupae of P. xuthus L. When 2% NaCl extracts derived from 20 larval brains of the three species were injected into abdomens of chilled male short‐day pupae of P. xuthus, all recipients destined to develop into spring‐morph adults developed into summer‐ and intermediate‐morph adults. On the other hand, all recipients injected with distilled water as a control developed into spring‐morph adults. These results indicate that a cerebral factor showing SMPH activity is present in the larval brain of the three Papilio species. Additionally, all recipients injected with 2% NaCl extracts derived from 20 adult brains of Bombyx mori L. also developed into summer‐ and intermediate‐morph adults. The results revealed that SMPH or a cerebral factor showing SMPH activity is widely distributed among lepidopteran insects.     

Development of species‐specific primers for rapid diagnosis of Tetranychus urticae,T. kanzawai,T. phaselus and T. truncatus (Acari: Tetranychidae)

Species diagnosis is of the utmost importance to both pest management and plant quarantine services. Because of difficulties in the morphological diagnosis of spider mites, molecular techniques are of great value to rapidly and accurately diagnose closely related species. We examined four species of genus Tetranychus (the green and red forms of T. urticae, and T. kanzawai, T. phaselus and T. truncatus), which are found in Korea and are of significance to plant quarantine services. DNA samples isolated from a single egg, larva or adult weighed 64–188 ng. We designed species‐specific primers by performing sequence alignment for 107 sequences of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region, which we obtained from GenBank, and sequences generated in this study. Specific nucleotides of each species were selected for designing primers specific for each species. Each species‐specific primer pair, when used to perform PCR analyses, detected only the species from which it originated. However, a T. urticae‐specific primer pair did not discriminate between the green and red forms of this species. These species‐specific primers can be applied in practice for the rapid and accurate diagnosis of spider mite species in plant quarantine and in agricultural fields.     

A new species of the shore-fly genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Notiphila</Emphasis> (Diptera,Ephydridae) from Thailand

A new shore-fly species, Notiphila thaica sp. n. from Thailand, is described. The species is characterized by the following features: antennae yellow, eye-to-gena index equal to 7: 1, all tibiae and tarsi yellow, and setae on abdominal segments III and IV long and pointing posteriorly. The species is similar to Notiphila puncta de Meijere in the presence of numerous brown stripes on the thorax, but differs in the absence of velvety-black spots on the frons, the presence of two strong facial setae, and in the one-color wings. The new species is also very similar to N. phaea Hendel in the structure of the genitalia, but differs in the striped coloration, larger body, and apically widened surstyli. A key to the Oriental species of Notiphila is given.     

New record of the butterfly Euchrysops cnejus (Fabricius) from Oman,with notes about phylogeographic patterns of E. cnejus and E. osiris (Hopffer) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

We document the occurrence of the Oriental butterfly species Euchrysops cnejus in northern Oman. It is very similar to E. osiris whose distribution extends from the Afrotropical region into Dhofar, southern Oman. Oman is thus the only country where both species co-occur. The two species differ in genitalia and in molecular data. We show that based on the COI marker, E. cnejus and E. osiris are sister species and the Oman populations of E. osiris are closely related to the population from continental Africa. Haplotype diversity is lower in E. cnejus, than in E. osiris. Genetic differences were found between the Australian, Oriental and Oman populations of E. cnejus but available data were not sufficient to clarify the origin of the Oman population.     

Molecular identification of four Panonychus species (Acari: Tetranychidae) in Korea,including new records of P. caglei and P. mori

Four species of the genus Panonychus are identified in Korea including two previously known species P. citri (McGregor) and P. ulmi (Koch) and two newly identified species P. mori Yokoyama and P. caglei Mellot. Morphological diagnostics were observed among the four species in the color of dorsal tubercles and in the shape of male aedeagus. The dorsal tubercles of P. citri, P. ulmi, P. mori and P. caglei are red, white, whitish red and light red, respectively. The aedeagi of male adults are diagnostic in sigmoid‐shaped at the distal end and its shape and length was different among four species. Molecular comparison of the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) sequence of nuclear DNA and cytochrome‐c oxidase subunit I (COI) nucleotide sequence of mitochondrial DNA among the four species showed divergences 8–12% and 9–12%, respectively. Molecular analysis of the ITS2 and COI sequences revealed their divergences were slightly different among four species. In addition, species‐specific primer sets were designed at the base on ITS2 sequences to precisely diagnose these four species at the molecular level.     

Stempellina and Zavrelia from China (Diptera,Chironomidae, Tanytarsini)

The first records of the Tanytarsini genera Stempellina and Zavrelia in the Oriental Region based on adult males are presented. Two species, Stempellina clavata sp. n. and Zavrelia clinovolsella sp. n. from southern China, are described, and the generic diagnoses of the two genera are emended to accommodate the new species. A key to the male imagines of the genus Zavrelia is given.     

中国象蜡蝉科一新属新种（半翅目：蜡蝉总科）

记述中国象蜡蝉科(半翅目:蜡蝉总科)1新属:滕象蜡蝉属 Dictyotenguna gen. n.,其模式种为周氏滕象蜡蝉 Dictyotenguna choui sp. nov..简要介绍了东洋界和东古北界象蜡蝉系统学发展概况。模式标本保存于中国科学院动物研究所国家动物博物馆。     

PHYTOALEXIN DEFICIENT 4 affects reactive oxygen species metabolism,cell wall and wood properties in hybrid aspen (Populus tremula L. × tremuloides)

The PHYTOALEXIN DEFICIENT 4 (PAD4) gene in Arabidopsis thaliana (AtPAD4) is involved in the regulation of plant – pathogen interactions. The role of PAD4 in woody plants is not known; therefore, we characterized its function in hybrid aspen and its role in reactive oxygen species (ROS)‐dependent signalling and wood development. Three independent transgenic lines with different suppression levels of poplar PAD expression were generated. All these lines displayed deregulated ROS metabolism, which was manifested by an increased H₂O₂ level in the leaves and shoots, and higher activities of manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) and catalase (CAT) in the leaves in comparison to the wild‐type plants. However, no changes in non‐photochemical quenching (NPQ) between the transgenic lines and wild type were observed in the leaves. Moreover, changes in the ROS metabolism in the pad4 transgenic lines positively correlated with wood formation. A higher rate of cell division, decreased tracheid average size and numbers, and increased cell wall thickness were observed. The results presented here suggest that the Populus tremula × tremuloides PAD gene might be involved in the regulation of cellular ROS homeostasis and in the cell division – cell death balance that is associated with wood development.     

Taxonomic review of Afrotropical Watshamia Bouček (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), with description of a new species

Watshamia Bou?ek, 1974 (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) has three known world species described by Bou?ek: W. versicolor and W. turneri (Afrotropical), and W. malaica (Oriental). In this paper, Watshamia gero sp. nov. is described from Kenya. It is the only known species in which females have hyaline fore wings. Wing interference pattern (WIP) is used for the first time in the taxonomy of Pteromalidae as a differential feature. An illustrated key to females and males of Afrotropical Watshamia is given and the first indications of the biology of the Afrotropical species are presented. Watshamia versicolor is newly reported from the Democratic Republic of Congo.     

First discovery of Stephanus Jurine (Hymenoptera: Stephanidae) in Japan,with description of a new species from Anijima Island of Ogasawara Islands

The genus Stephanus Jurine (in Panzer) is newly recorded from Japan and is represented by a new species. S. anijimensis sp. nov. from Anijima Island of the Ogasawara Islands. This species resembles S. tridentatus van Achterberg & Yang from the Oriental part of China, but can be distinguished by the combination of following characters: pronotum with a cavity under pronotal fold (cavity absent in S. tridentatus); hind femur comparatively slender, 4.8–5.1 times as long as maximum width (about 4.1 times in S. tridentatus); apical 0.5 of hind femur black or blackish‐brown (more or less yellowish in S. tridentatus). This new species was not found from other islands of the Ogasawara Islands, in which fauna is being severely endangered mainly due to predation by the introduced green anoles. Recently, it was introduced into Anijima Island in March 2013 and thus the extinction risk of this species is very high on this island.     

784. SALVIA × WESTERAE

Salvia × westerae is described and illustrated, its floral characteristics being contrasted with those of its parents. The characteristics and distribution of the parent species, Salvia haenkei and S. orbignaei, are discussed and short biographies of their eponymous discoverers, Haenke and D'Orbigny are provided. Pollination syndromes in American Salvia are briefly discussed and the rare occurrence of natural hybrids in the Americas is noted.     

A taxonomic review of Rhabdocosma Meyrick (Lepidoptera,Ypsolophidae) with description of a new species from Japan

The Ypsolophid genus Rhabdocosma Meyrick is reviewed. It comprises two known species: R. aglaophanes Meyrick and R. dolini Gershenson, and one new species from Japan, R. nematopogonites Sohn, sp. nov. Photos of imagoes and male genitalia are provided for all three species of Rhadocosma. A close relationship between R. dolini and the new species, and its significance in the biogeography and world species diversity of Rhabdocosma, are discussed.     

New species and records of the genera Milichia Meigen and Milichiella Giglio‐Tos (Diptera,Milichiidae) from the Oriental region and Seram Island

The species of the genera Milichia and Milichiella in the Oriental region and Seram Is. are taxonomically investigated. Three new species, Milichia linealis sp. nov. from the Philippines, Milichiella sulawesiensis sp. nov. and Milichiella nigella sp. nov. from Indonesia, are described. New distributional data of Milichiella bakeri Aldrich from Indonesia and M. spinthera Hendel from Indonesia, Nepal and Thailand are given. Keys to the species of Milichia and Milichiella in the Oriental region and Seram Is. are provided.     

A review of the genus Cassianeura Ramakrishnan & Menon (Hemiptera,Cicadellidae, Typhlocybinae), with two new records from Thailand

The Oriental leafhopper genus Cassianeura Ramakrishnan & Menon is reviewed with two new species records from Thailand: C. cassiae (Ahmed, 1970) and C. bimaculata Dworakowska, 1984. The three species of the genus are redescribed and illustrated including details of the female ovipositor for the first time. A key to distinguish the three species of the genus is provided.     

Experimental management control of Opuntia dillenii Haw. and Agave americana L. in Teno Rural Park,Canary Islands

Invasion biology is an important element of global environmental change and represents one of the main threats to biodiversity. American species were introduced to Tenerife after the Spanish conquest during the eighteenth century, as is the case for Agave americana and Opuntia dillenii. The long period of naturalization and adaptation of these species has led them to become two of the most dispersed introduced species of the archipelago. We analyzed several eradication management processes in an area intensively invaded by both O. dillenii and A. americana. Three treatments were randomly applied: mechanical removal, use of herbicide (glyphosate at 10% volume), and mechanical and herbicide applied together. Both the effectiveness of the treatments to remove the target exotic species biovolume and the impact of the eradication methods on species richness and species composition of the area were analyzed. We found that the treatments had an impact on species composition but not on species richness. Species composition was mainly affected by mechanical treatment. The effect caused by the mechanical removal of the exotic target species in species composition is minor after 4 years, and is related to a higher dominance of shrub species typical of coastal shrubland and of annual or pioneer species. The control of O. dillenii and A. americana is evident from insignificant recovery 4 years after treatment application. A mechanical and herbicide treatment together, allowed not only the immediate removal of large individuals but also the herbicidal control of smaller ones.     

A new species of Chiroptella Vercammen-Grandjean, 1960 (Acari: Trombiculidae) from diadem leaf-nosed bat Hipposideros diadema (Geoffroy) (Chiroptera: Hipposideridae) in Bali Island (Indonesia) with distribution records,hosts, and a key to the species of the genus

A new chigger mite Chiroptella baliensis n. sp. is described based on material from the diadem leaf-nosed bat Hipposideros diadema (Geoffroy) (Hipposideridae) in Bali Island (Lesser Sunda Islands, East Indonesia). With this newly described species, the genus Chiroptella includes 22 species, 13 in the subgenus Chiroptella Vercammen-Grandjean, 1960 (sensu stricto), and 9 in the subgenus Neosomia Vercammen-Grandjean, 1968. Species of Chiroptella are distributed throughout the Ethiopian region, the Oriental region, and the Australian region (and only marginally throughout the Palaearctic region) and are all associated with several families of bats. The paper also provides a key to all members of the genus and the new combinations for two species originally described as Chiroptella.

     

A new species of Dysmicoccus Ferris (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae) from India

Dysmicoccus williamsi sp.n. is described and illustrated. A key is provided for the indentification of Oriental species of Dysmicoccus Ferris.     

Hecabolomorpha n. gen., a new Asian genus from the tribe Hecabolini (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Doryctinae)

A new Oriental genus Hecabolomorpha n. gen. with the type species H. asiatica n. sp. is described and illustrated from India and Central China. The position of this genus in the tribe Hecabolini and its relations with hecaboline genera are discussed.     

The Arhopala butterflies described by Fabricius: A. centaurus is from Java, A. democritus from Phuket (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

The origins and identities of two Fabrician butterfly species now included in the genus Arhopala Boisduval, 1832, are examined; the species are Papilio centaurus Fabricius, 1775, and Hesperia democritus Fabricius, 1793 (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). To dispel recent confusion, complete taxonomic histories are presented for both. The type locality of Arhopala centaurus is established as near Jakarta, Java, and that of Arhopala democritus as Phuket Island, south‐western peninsular Thailand. Amblypodia pseudocentaurus Doubleday, 1847, described from Java, is re‐established as a subjective synonym of Arhopala centaurus sensu stricto. The subspecies of centaurus that flies in the Malay Peninsula is re‐established as A. centaurus nakula (Felder & Felder, 1860). The distinct Australian species misidentified in recent literature as Arhopala centaurus should be known as Arhopala eupolis (Miskin, 1890). Lectotype designations are made for the nominal species Papilio centaurus, Hesperia democritus, Amblypodia pseudocentaurus and Amblypodia nakula.