One new record of the genus Aulacorthum (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Aphididae) from Korea

Aulacorthum vandenboschi was recognized for the first time in Korea on Cirsium japonicum var. ussuriense in Jeju-do. The apterous viviparous female is redescribed, illustrated, and measured. To date, 15 species of the genus Aulacorthum have been recorded on the Korean Peninsula. A key to species of the genus Aulacorthum from the Korean Peninsula is provided.     

A new record of the Naratettix rubrovittatus () (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) from Korea

Naratettix rubrovittatus (Matsumura, 1920) is recognized for the first time in Korea on Rhododendron indicum, Rhododendron mucronulatum, Rhododendron yedoense var. poukhanense, and Viburnum opulus var. calvescens. The male specimen is redescribed, illustrated, and measured. To date, three Naratettix species have been recorded on the Korean Peninsula. A key to species of the genus Naratettix from the Korean Peninsula is provided.     

Speciation processes within the Korean Peninsula based on the mites from the family Zerconidae (Acari: Mesostigmata)

The mesostigmatid mites speciation of the family Zerconidae in the Korean Peninsula was analysed in relation to the range of this group in the world. The Korean Peninsula is located on the edge of the Holarctic and is characterised by a uniquely diversified climate shaping the longitudinally changing flora. At present, there are altogether 40 genera included in the family Zerconidae. So far, in the Korean Peninsula there have been recognised 18 species of the Zerconidae belonging to 11 genera. The endemic genera within the area include: Metazercon, Eurozer-con, Xenozercon, Koreozercon, Kaikiozercon, Aquilo-nozercon, and cf. Mesozercon gen. nov. A very high level of endemism (over 60%) proves the intensity of the speciation processes within the Zerconidae family on the Korean Peninsula.     

Annotated catalog,biological notes and diagnoses of the flower bugs (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae sensu lato) in the Korean Peninsula

The flower bugs or minute pirate bugs, Anthocoridae sensu lato, are represented by 12 genera and 24 species in the Korean Peninsula. The present catalog includes three newly recorded species to the fauna: Anthocoris confusus Reuter, Bilia japonica Carayon et Miyamoto, and Montandoniola pictipennis (Esaki). Distributional data and bibliographical references of each taxon are included. Biological notes (habitats, prey types, etc.) and diagnoses based on the local materials of the Korean Peninsula are also presented for the field of applied entomology.     

Taxonomie Review of the family Platygastridae (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea) from the Korean Peninsula

A total of 41 species were investigated, including only one species in the check list of Korean insects, which contains five platygastrids. Eleven species of the family Platygastridae are described as new to science from Korea, viz. Allostemma bicolor Buhl & Choi, Amblyaspis koreana Choi & Buhl, Leptacis koreana Buhl & Choi, L. ocellaris Choi & Buhl, Platygaster ciliata Buhl & Choi, P. flavifemorata Buhl & Choi, P. kui Choi & Buhl, P. tripotini Buhl & Choi, Synopeas collinus Choi & Buhl, S. kimi Choi & Buhl, and S. pumilus Buhl & Choi. Further nineteen species are recorded from The Korean Peninsula for the first time, and some new records are added for eleven species, already known from the Peninsula. Keys are given to the genera and species of Platygastridae hitherto recorded from The Korean Peninsula. As a result, platygastrid fauna of The Korean Peninsula is composed of 68 species up to now.     

Taxonomic review of the genus Orius (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) in the Korean Peninsula

A total of five species the genus Orius are revised from the Korean Peninsula, containing four native species, O. minutus (Linnaeus 1758), O. sauteri (Poppius 1909), O. nagaii Yasunaga 1993 and O. strigicollis (Poppius 1914), and an introduced species for biological control, O. laevigatus Fieber 1860. Orius laticollis Reuter 1884, formally recorded in the Korean Peninsula, is deleted from the Korean fauna registry. The preparation of the macerated slide specimen was applied to this group for the first time, which is confirmed to be effective to identify the Orius species, especially the female specimens whose genital structures have been hardly observed in the traditional dissection method. Observing macerated specimens, new taxonomical characters are documented.     

Population genetic structure of endangered Mongolian racerunner (Eremias argus) from the Korean Peninsula

The Mongolian racerunner (Eremias argus) is a small lacertid lizard species, and its distribution range encompasses the Korean Peninsula, Mongolia, China and Russia. Eremias argus is widespread, but populations on the Korean Peninsula are small and declining, provoking concerns that genetic diversity is being lost. This species is currently listed under the Protection of Wild Fauna and Flora Act in South Korea. In this study, nine novel microsatellites for E. argus were developed with a biotin-enrichment method and used to understand its population genetic structure and delineate conservation units on the Korean Peninsula. Overall, low intrapopulation genetic diversity was observed (mean number of alleles per locus = 2.463; mean H _E = 0.398) from 10 populations investigated (n = 110). Two populations (among five with n≥ 10) showed an excess of heterozygosity expected under HWE relative to that expected at mutation-drift equilibrium, indicating severe reduction in population sizes. With only a few exceptions, the overall genetic differentiation among populations was substantial with the high levels of pairwise-F _ST (0.006–0.746) and -R _ST (0.034–0.940) values. The results of Bayesian STRUCTURE analysis showed that E. argus populations on the Korean Peninsula were most likely partitioned into three genetic clusters. Taken all together, such low levels of gene flow and strong genetic structuring have critical implications for the conservation of this endangered species and its management.     

Outbreak of an exotic flatid,Metcalfa pruinosa (Say) (Hemiptera: Flatidae), in the capital region of Korea

The citrus flatid planthopper, Metcalfa pruinosa (Say, 1830) (Hemiptera: Flatidae), has a native distribution in eastern North America, It has recently invaded Italy in 1979 and has since spread to other European countries. In 2009, Metcalfa pruinosa was discovered in Seoul and the Gyeonggi Province, Republic of Korea. This is the first record in the eastern part of Palaearctic. One year after its discovery, in July 2010, we found significant populations and serious damage on many deciduous forest trees, ornamental trees, and agricultural crops in central regions of the Korean Peninsula. In this paper, we report the status of the outbreak and discuss the biology, morphological characters, distribution, host plants, and the importance of M. pruinosa as a potential insect pest in the Korean Peninsula.     

Two species of the subfamily Olethreutinae (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) new to the Korean Peninsula

Two species of the subfamily Olethreutinae, Epinotia maculana Fabricius and Zeiraphera lariciana Kawabe, are reported as new to the Korean Peninsula. Photographs of adults and genitalia are provided, with brief comments on the distribution and biology.     

Taxonomic review of the subgenus Uroleucon (Uromelan) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in the Korean peninsula

Until now, five species of the subgenus Uroleucon (Uromelan) have been recognized in Korea. This is the first report of Uroleucon (Uromelan) adenophorae (Matsumura, 1918) occurring on Adenophora triphylla (Campanulaceae) in Gangwon-do, South Korea. Host plants are reviewed and an identification key to species is presented for six Uroleucon (Uromelan) species from the Korean Peninsula.     

The genus Uroleucon (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in the Korean Peninsula,with descriptions of two new species

The aphid genus Uroleucon Mordvilko (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is recognized from the Korean Peninsula. A total of twenty species of Korean Uroleucon are confirmed including two new species: U. (Uromelan) chrysanthemicola sp. nov., on Chrysanthemum sp. (Asteraceae) from Mt. Oseo, Korea and U. (Uroleucon) jejuni sp. nov., on Echinops setifer Iljin (Asteraceae) from Jeju Island, Korea. Two new species are described with biometric measurements, illustrations, and identification keys to species on host plants.LSID urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:ADBBDD99-6A12-4854-B559-64D5EF1B9CB0.     

Taxonomic review of genus Myzus (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in the Korean peninsula,with descriptions of three new species

The aphid genus Myzus Passerini (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is reviewed from the Korean Peninsula. A total of 19 Korean Myzus species are studied including three new species: M. (Myzus) asterale sp. nov., collected on Aster sp. (Asteraceae); M. (Myzus) prunense sp. nov., collected on Prunus sp. (Rosaceae); and M. (Nectarosiphon) raphanense sp. nov., collected on Raphanus sativus L. (Brassicaceae). Those three new species are described with biometric measurements and illustrations. Host plants, distributions, identification keys to all Korean Myzus species are presented.LSID urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:11DBCB54-E68B-48D2-BC50-915195B67C2A     

Taxonomic review of the genus Amphiareus (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) in the Korean Peninsula

Four species of the genus Amphiareus (Hemiptera: Anthocoreidae) from the Korean Peninsula are reported, including two new records for this region: Amphiareus ruficollaris Yamada & Hirowatari and A. constrictus (Stål). They are redescribed with diagnoses and illustrations. A key to the species is also presented.     

Phylogeography and genetic diversity of East Asian Neolitsea sericea (Lauraceae) based on variations in chloroplast DNA sequences

Neolitsea sericea is an evergreen broad leaved tree in the warm-temperate regions of East Asia. This area is a hotspot for plant species richness and endemism caused by dynamic changes in land configuration during the Quaternary. However, the historical migration of such evergreen tree species is still poorly understood. In an attempt to reconstruct the phylogeographic history of N. sericea during the Quaternary, we identified the chloroplast DNA haplotypes of 287 individuals from 33 populations covering almost all of its geographic range. Analyses were based on sequence data from the trnL–F, psbC–trnS, and rps16 regions. Nine haplotypes were identified. The majority included ancestral types in the southwestern part of the main islands of Japan, with other region-specific haplotypes being found in populations on the Korean Peninsula, Taiwan (Isl. Lanyu), and elsewhere in Japan. A statistical parsimony network revealed two lineages derived from Japanese main islands. One was represented on the Korean Peninsula, the other on Isl. Lanyu. The current distribution of N. sericea has been shaped by colonization via land bridges. During the glacial periods, two primary, but separate migration routes were followed—from the southwestern part of the Japanese main islands to either the Korean Peninsula or Taiwan. In addition, we believe the Zhoushan populations were shaped by post-glacial processes through an ECS land bridge (East China Sea basin) from northern refugia that existed during the late Pleistocene.     

Morphological and genetic characteristics of Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard) (Diptera: Agromyzidae) infesting potato crops in Korea

The pea leafminer fly, Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard), was found infesting and damaging Korean potato crops during a 2012 field survey. Localized outbreaks of L. huidobrensis were observed in Miryang and Goryeong counties in the south of the Korean Peninsula. This paper describes the morphological and genetic characteristics of the Korean population of L. huidobrensis. The dorsal color pattern on the abdomen, and an array of microsetae on the thorax, were the main diagnostic characteristics of this species. On the basis of an analysis of a partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) DNA sequence, we found that intraspecific variation in L. huidobrensis was negligible, and that the distance between L. huidobrensis and a closely related species, L. trifolii, was estimated to be 7.4–7.6 K2P. This is the first report of the infestation of field crops by the invasive leafminer L. huidobrensis in Korea.