Taxonomic review of Mycetophagidae Leach (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea) in Korea with their host fungi

A taxonomic review of the fungivorous Korean Mycetophagidae is presented. Nine species in four genera belonging to two tribes are presented in Korea. Four species, Eulagius ussuriensis Nikitsky, Litargus japonicus Reitter, Mycetophagus irroratus (Reitter), and Mycetophagus pustulosus (Reitter), are newly recorded in Korea. Most species are associated with the fruiting bodies of higher fungi, fungus‐grown bark, and mold contaminated materials. In addition, we provide information on host‐fungi records of Korean mycetophagid species.     

Revision of the family Sphecidae (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) in South Korea

Korean species of the family Sphecidae are reviewed, and seventeen species in nine genera belonging to three subfamilies are confirmed. Among them, Ammophila campestris and Sceliphron caementarium are new to South Korea. Korean occurrence of Sceliphron madraspatanum is confirmed with an actual Korean specimen. This paper provides the first determination keys to higher taxa and species occurring in South Korea. Taxonomic information of each species including original publication of valid name and justifiable references for Korean occurrence is provided. Digital images and line drawings for selective characteristics are also available.     

Taxonomic study of the genus Trichopteryx Hübner (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) in Korea

The larentiine genus Trichopteryx Hübner in Korea is reviewed. Nine species, including one newly recorded species, T. misera (Butler), are recognized. Diagnostic characters of each species with photographs of adults and genitalia are provided. A key to the Korean species is also given.     

Taxonomic Note on Tridrepana crocea (Leech) (Lepidoptera: Drepanidae) in Korea

One species of Drepaninae, Tridrepana crocea (Leech), is added to the Korean fauna. Up to now, 23 species of Drepaninae are known in Korea. Diagnosis and the photographs of male and female genitalia of T. crocea are provided.     

Genetic diversity of genus Vespa including an invaded species of V. velutina (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) in Korea inferred from DNA barcoding data

With about 5000 known species, the Vespidae is a large family belongs to order Hymenoptera. The genus Vespa with 22 species is one of the four genera of the subfamily Vespinae. In Korea, 10 species and subspecies are recognized. Because of their social behavior, their treat to human health and their impact in apiculture, the reliable and sometimes automated identification of these insects to species level are important. To test the efficacy of DNA barcoding method for identification of species of the genus Vespa in Korea, 30 samples of eight Korean species of genus Vespa were collected and mitochondrial DNAs of 658 bp fragment cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) region were sequenced. A Bayesian Inference based on COI gene of the Korean Vespa species was constructed. The phylogenetic tree shoed that identification of all specimens is possible based on COI gene and we found strong relation between the sequences of the collected species from different localities in South Korea which clustered together with 100% support with sequences of the same species in GenBank. The results demonstrate that DNA barcoding is a useful technique for rapid and accurate species recognition in Korean Vespa species. The DNA barcode part of COI for V. binghami is provided for the first time that can help for identification of this species through DNA barcoding. Also, the genetic diversity among Korean Vespa velutina was zero suggests that the invasion might have occurred in a single event with small number of founders.     

Taxonomic revision of the tribe Zoraidini (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Derbidae) from Korea

The Korean planthopper tribe Zoraidini is revised taxonomically. Five genera are recognized in the Korean fauna: Diostrombus Uhler, 1896, Losbanosia Muir, 1917, Pamendanga Distant, 1906, Shirakiana Metcalf, 1945, Zoraida Kirkaldy, 1900. Among them, the genus Shirakiana is recorded for the first time in Korea. Nine species, four of which are recognized new to Korea: S. infumata (Matsumura), Z. koannania Matsumura, Z. hubeiensis Chou et Huang, and Z. kuwayamae (Matsumura). Previous record of one species, Z. pterophoroides (Westwood, 1851), is removed from the list of Korean fauna because it was erroneously reported, based on a misidentification. All species are described and illustrated, and identification keys to genera and species are provided.     

A taxonomic review of Korean Hydroglyphus Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Hydroporinae) with a description of new species

A taxonomic study of Hydroglyphus Motschulsky in Korea is presented. Four species are recognized including a new species, Hydroglyphus coreanus sp. nov. Hydroglyphus flammulatus (Sharp) is reported for the first time in the Korean peninsula and H. geminus (Fabricius) is a new addition to the South Korean fauna. Habitus and SEM photographs, distribution maps, and key to the Korean species are provided.     

Morphological and genetic relationship of two closely‐related giant water bugs: Appasus japonicus Vuillefroy and Appasus major Esaki (Heteroptera: Belostomatidae)

The East Asian giant water bug species Appasus japonicus Vuillefroy and Appasus major Esaki are aquatic hemipteran insects whose ranges overlap, particularly in the Japanese Archipelago and on the Korean Peninsula. In rare cases, the two species co‐occur. Furthermore, they are very similar ecologically and also morphologically, making their identification extremely difficult, and the possibility of hybridization has also been suggested. In the present study, we re‐examined their taxonomic validity, and the characteristics useful for identifying them. To re‐examine the morphological traits useful for distinguishing these two species, 222 specimens of A. japonicus collected from Japan, Korea, and China, and 132 specimens of A. major from Japan and Korea, were examined. We also performed molecular phylogenetic analyses based on the mitochondrial DNA 16S rRNA and cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) regions and the nuclear DNA Histone 3 region. Although the two species are very similar ecologically and also morphologically, they showed significant genetic differentiation. Thus, there is likely some form of reproductive isolation acting between them. Major morphological characteristics overlap extensively between A. japonicus and A. major, and no particular trait was identified as being effective for differentiating these species. All the morphological characteristics examined overlapped between A. japonicus and A. major. However, a principal component analysis based on all of the morphological characteristics revealed that, despite the overlap between these species, it was possible to morphologically distinguish them. Therefore, a more accurate identification becomes possible using multiple characteristics rather than a single characteristic. The male genital paralobes, evaluated as the most useful morphological characteristic, was effective with 100% probability for the Japanese Appasus species. However, for the Asian (i.e. Korean) specimens, this characteristic was not useful. On the other hand, the results of molecular phylogenetic analyses based on the mitochondrial DNA 16S rRNA and COI regions and the nuclear DNA Histone 3 region clearly showed significant genetic differentiation between the two species. Notably, the results for the mitochondrial COI region strongly supported the independence of each monophyletic group (i.e. validity of each species). Therefore, DNA barcoding based on the mitochondrial DNA COI region is also considered useful for the identification of A. japonicus and A. major. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2013, 110 , 615–643.     

Taxonomic Note on Littoral Aleochara Gravenhorst Species in Korea (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae)

A taxonomic note of the littoral Aleochara Gravenhorst species in Korea is presented. Five species are recognized from intertidal zone. Aleochara trisulcata Weise and A. fucicola Sharp are reported for the first time in Korea and southern Korea, respectively. A key, a checklist of Korean littoral Aleochara species, and drawings of median lobes and spermathecae are provided.     

Study on two genera,Yasumatsua Togashi and Aproceros Malaise (Hymenoptera: Argidae: Sterictiphorinae), from South Korea with description of a new species

Yasumatsusa Togashi, 1970 and Aproceros Malaise, 1931 are recorded for the first time from South Korea. A new species, Yasumatsua koreana Lee & Lee sp. nov., and newly recorded species, Aproceros pallidicornis (Mocsáry, 1909), are described. Photographs of the new species and a key to genera of Korean Sterictiphorinae are provided.