Two New Records of the Genus Pteroptrix Westwood (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) from Korea

Two species of aphelirid wasps (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), Pteroptrix japonica (Huang) and P. orientalis (Silvestri), are reported for the first time from Korea and a key is given for the females.     

Identification of Armored Scales (Hemiptera: Diaspididae) on Bamboos in Korea

This work provides an identification key to adult females of six species and four genera of armored scales including a new record, Kuwanaspis hikosani (Kuwana) that may be found on bamboos (Poaceae: Arundinaria spp., Phyllostachys spp., Pseudosasa spp., and Sasa spp.) in Korea.     

Deladenus valveus n. sp. (Nematoda: Neotylenchidae) in Dunnage Wood from South Korea Intercepted in Ningbo,China

Deladenus valveus n. sp., isolated from packaging wood originated from South Korea and intercepted in Ningbo, P.R. China, is described and illustrated. Both mycetophagous and infective forms were recovered and are described. The new species D. valveus n. sp. resembles other Deladenus species in which the excretory pore is situated anterior to the hemizonid: in mycetophagous females, the excretory pore is 59 to 74 μm from the anterior end and 37 to 54 μm anterior to the hemizonid. The new species is characterized by the presence of a distinct valve at the esophago-intestinal junction in mycetophagous females and by a degenerate esophagus in mycetophagous males, both of which characters are reported for the first time in a species of Deladenus.     

A review of the Nearctic genus Prostoia (Ricker) (Plecoptera,Nemouridae), with the description of a new species and a surprising range extension for P. hallasi Kondratieff & Kirchner

The Nearctic genus Prostoia (Plecoptera: Nemouridae) is reviewed. Prostoia ozarkensis sp. n. is described from the male and female adult stages mainly from the Interior Highland region encompassing portions of Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Prostoia ozarkensis sp. n. appears most closely related to two species, one distributed broadly across the western Nearctic region, P. besametsa (Ricker), and one found widely throughout the central and eastern Nearctic regions, P. completa (Walker). A surprising range extension is noted for P. hallasi Kondratieff & Kirchner, a species once known only from the Great Dismal Swamp, from small upland streams in southern Illinois. Additional new state records are documented for P. besametsa, P. completa, P. hallasi and P. similis (Hagen). Taxonomic keys to Prostoia males and females are provided, and scanning electron micrographs of adult genitalia of all species are given.     

Taxonomic Review of the Genus Pararrhynchium Saussure (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) from Korea

Korean Pararrhynchium is taxonomically reviewed, resulting in recognition of two species: P. paradoxum paradoxum and P. ornatum bifasciatulum. The latter is new to Korea. Reviewed taxonomic information on the two species is presented, with male characters of P. ornatum bifasciatum hitherto unknown. The past misidentification of P. ornatum in Korea is ascertained.     

Hematological parameters of three freshwater stingray species (Chondrichthyes: Potamotrygonidae) in the middle Rio Negro,Amazonas state

This paper aimed to study and compare the hematology of newborns, young, subadults, adult males, adult females and pregnant females of Potamotrygon wallacei (cururu stingray), Potamotrygon motoro and Paratrygon aiereba. Newborn cururu stingrays had lower red blood parameters than those of other development stages. Thrombograms and leukograms showed a conservative pattern between development stage, sexual dimorphism and pregnancy. In P. motoro and P. aiereba, variables relating to red blood parameters, biochemistry and leukograms showed little variation between the species' biological characteristics, thus showing that these variables are not good criteria for differentiating them within the same species. In conclusion, the development stage is an important factor for differentiating hematological properties in the cururu stingray, while this has not been observed in P. motoro and P. aiereba stingrays.     

A review of Rheocricotopus (Psilocricotopus) chalybeatus species group from China,with the description of three new species (Diptera,Chironomidae)

The Rheocricotopus (Psilocricotopus) chalybeatus species group from China is reviewed. Three new species, R. (P.) brochus sp. n., R. (P.) rotundus sp. n. and R. (P.) serratus sp. n. are described as adult males. R. (P.) imperfectus Makarchenko & Makarchenko, 2005, R. (P.) robacki (Beck & Beck, 1964) and R. (P.) valgus Chaudhuri & Sinharay, 1983 are recorded from China for the first time and annotated. The diagnosis for the species group is emended and a key to adult males of the species group in China is presented.     

Skewed adult sex ratios observed early in the North American invasion of Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae)

The spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula, (Hemiptera Fulgoridae) is an invasive pest in Korea and the United States, but originating from mainland Asia. Both tree of heaven, Ailanthus altissima, and grapevine (Vitis) are known to be preferred hosts of adults. However, much is unknown about its adult behavior with respect to mating or dispersal patterns. In 2015, just after it was discovered in the United States, we performed an observational study to elucidate movement by adults in relation to host plants. We noted weekly changes in their presence and sex ratio on host plants at four sites in a quarantine zone in Berks County, PA. Just after adult emergence, the trunks of large (>15 cm diameter at breast height) A. altissima hosted nearly exclusively females, while smaller A. altissima, Vitis, Salix nigra, and other less commonly inhabited tree species, had high proportions of males. By October 1st, greater proportions of males were observed on the trunks of the larger A. altissima trees. Pairings of males and females were observed most frequently on the smaller A. altissima and Vitis. At the very end of the season, a large mixed-sex population was found on Salix nigra, which was the only deciduous tree species in the area still bearing green leaves.     

Two new records of the genus Cryptaphis Hille Ris Lambers (Hemiptera: Aphididae) from Korea

The genus Cryptaphis Hille Ris Lambers 1947 is described for the first time in Korea with new records of two species, Cryptaphis geranicola (Shinji 1935) and Cryptaphis menthae Takahashi 1961. Cryptaphis geranicola was collected from Geranium thunbergii (Lamiaceae) and C. menthae was collected from Isodon inflexus (Lamiaceae). Important characteristics are re-described, illustrated, and measured in apterous and alate viviparous females.     

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.     

Mate Choice by Chemical Cues in Western Redback (Plethodon vehiculum) and Dunn's (P. dunni) Salamanders

Western redback and Dunn's salamanders (Plethodon vehiculum and Plethodon dunni, respectively) can distinguish between potential mates by using chemical cues. In laboratory choice tests, adult males of both species showed significant discrimination between chemical cues of gravid females over non-gravid females of equal body size. Furthermore, males of both species differentiated the odour of paired gravid females that differed by ? 5 mm snout-vent length (SVL). Given that clutch size is related to female body size in these species, adult males may be able to distinguish between females via cues that signal potentially high female reproductive success. In choice tests, P. vehiculum females did not discriminate between two relatively large males that differed by ? 5 mm SVL. However, females of P. vehiculum did discriminate between two relatively small males that differed by the same amount. Apparently, P. vehiculum females ranked males by both absolute and relative body size using chemical cues. This pattern could reflect a female preference for large males or that females avoid mating with the smallest males.     

Check list of lace bugs (Hemiptera: Tingidae) of Korea

Tingidae (Hemiptera) of Korea are revised based on literature review as well as recently collected material and museum collections. A genus is recorded for the first time from South Korea for Acalpyta marginata. One species, Stephanitis typica, is removed from Korea. As a result, a total of 39 species in 17 genera, two subfamilies are recognized. An updated checklist including known distributions and host plant information in Korea is provided.     

Summer mortality in the hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) and its effect on population dynamics

In the period 2000–2012, 38.3 % of 950 marked overwintered hazel dormice (Muscardinus avellanarius) were not recaptured at a study site in Lithuania in autumn. As adult dormice are sedentary, it is presumed that those dormice not recaptured died between late April and August. The highest total number of dormice captured for the last time was recorded in May and the lowest in August. The total summer mortality was significantly higher in females (42.5 %) than in males (34.6 %), but it did not depend on dormouse age or body weight. Tawny owl (Strix aluco) is the main known dormouse predator in Lithuania, and likely, it has the highest impact on summer mortality of M. avellanarius. Over the years, the total summer mortality of adult dormice ranged from 27 % to 52 %. The increased summer mortality resulted in decreased total dormouse population density and particularly decreased density of adult females in summer. Decreased densities led to more intensive breeding in the dormouse population, specifically breeding by young-of-the-year females, a pattern that is not common for this species. The number of breeding cases by young-of-the-year females was inversely related to the density of adult overwintered females in summer and to the number of breeding cases of these females. Breeding by young-of-the-year females was the main factor in the restoration of decreased population density in summer. Lithuanian populations of M. avellanarius are unique in their high proportion of breeding cases by young-of-the-year females amongst all populations investigated in the entire species distributional range.     

Behavioural and phylogeographic observations on Epipomponia nawai (Dyer, 1904): An East Asian moth (Lepidoptera; Epipyropidae) whose larvae are ectoparasitic on cicadas (Hemiptera; Cicadidae; Sonatini)

The lepidopteran family of the Epipyropidae contains currently 32 known species of moths with larvae that are parasitic on plant and leafhoppers as well as cicadas. This paper focuses on behavioural aspects of the final instar of the cicada parasite Epipomponia nawai (Dyer 1904) on the cicada Hyalessa maculaticollis (de Motschulsky 1866) and represents only the second report of the species from South Korea. This species is a new host for E. nawai in Korea, since in the past it had only been reported once from Meimuna opalifera and Oncotympana fuscata in Korea. Molecular relationships between specimens of E. nawai collected in China, Japan, and Korea were analysed. The Chinese haplotypes fell into two groups: one clearly related to the Korean haplotype, but the other tightly affiliated with the Japanese haplotype. The findings suggest two routes for the occurrence of E. nawai in mainland China. Once the host cicada was dead or too weak to move, the caterpillar crawled away from it, seeking a place to pupate. Very little is known about parasitic Lepidoptera and therefore any information on host species or behavioural aspects is of importance.