Impact of Leptoglossus occidentalis (Hemiptera: Coreidae) on Douglas-fir seed production

We investigated the effect of feeding by the western conifer-seed bug, Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann, on seed production in developing cones of coastal Douglas-fir, Pseudostuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco, with respect to seed bug life stage and sex (nymphs, adult females, and adult males) and timing of feeding (early, mid-, and late season cone development). Feeding by females on caged cones for a 2-wk period during late season cone development reduced the proportion of full seeds in cones by approximately 70% compared with caged control cones. There was no significant difference among nymphs, adult females, and adult males with respect to the proportion of empty or partially fed-upon seeds produced during the same feeding period. Feeding by nymphs for 2 wk early in the season resulted in a threefold increase in the number of unextractable seeds fused to cones compared with the control. Weight measurements of harvested seeds indicated that radiography is an accurate tool to distinguish among Douglas-fir seeds that have sustained light, moderate, or severe damage. Determining the full impact of L. occidentalis on conifer seed production will require the development of a reliable method to distinguish between naturally aborted seeds and seeds emptied through feeding by seed bugs.     

Measuring the impact of Leptoglossus occidentalis (Heteroptera: Coreidae) on seed production in lodgepole pine using an antibody-based assay

We measured the impact of Leptoglossus occidentalis on seed production in lodgepole pine, Pinus contorta variety latifolia Engelmann, using an antibody marker developed to detect residual saliva in fed-on seeds. Nymphs, adult females, and adult males were caged on cones during early, mid- and late season cone development. Individual analysis of 12,887 seeds extracted from 365 cones revealed that 37.3% seeds tested positive for seed bug saliva. The antibody assay was 38 times more effective than radiography at detecting seed bug damage. Radiography can detect partially emptied seed but cannot discriminate between aborted seeds and those emptied by seed bugs. The antibody marker was least sensitive in detecting early season damage compared with mid- and late season damage. We hypothesize that residual saliva in seeds fed on early in the season was either absorbed by the damaged seed or degraded over time. Early season feeding resulted in the greatest number of seeds fused to cone scales and the extraction efficiency for cones exposed to feeding during this time was reduced by 64% compared with control cones. Adding fused seeds to antibody-positive seeds raised the proportion of damaged seeds to 48.3%. At all stages of cone development, adult females were the most destructive life stage, damaging up to two seeds per day late in the season. When seed losses were adjusted to damage per degree-day, female damage was greatest early in the season, while males caused the same amount of damage regardless of cone development period. The results of the antibody assay provide baseline data for developing damage prediction formulae, and establish L. occidentalis as a potentially serious pest in lodgepole pine seed orchards.     

Specific biochemical marker-based techniques for the identification of damage to Douglas-fir seed resulting from feeding by the western conifer seed bug, Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann (Hemiptera: Coreidae)

Specific biochemical marker-based techniques were tested for their ability to distinguish between seeds of Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirbel) Franco, that were filled or unfilled (aborted) at maturity and those that were damaged or emptied by the western conifer seed bug, Leptoglossus occidentalis Heidemann. A polyclonal antibody raised against salivary gland extracts from L. occidentalis successfully identified residual salivary proteins on Western blots containing proteins from Douglas-fir seeds that had sustained various degrees of seed bug feeding damage. In a single blind experiment, the polyclonal antibody correctly identified 100% of undamaged control, 97% of unfilled control (aborted), and 98% of seed bug damaged seeds. Polyclonal antibodies raised against insoluble alfalfa crystalloid storage protein (11S globulin) detected the depletion of 11S globulin and the subsequent appearance of its hydrolyzed fragments in the soluble protein fraction of Douglas-fir seeds that were fed-upon by the seed bug. Feeding by L. occidentalis nymphs caused ca. 98% depletion of insoluble protein, but only ca. 53% reduction in the amount of soluble protein in seeds that appeared empty on radiographs. By comparison, unfilled (aborted) seeds contained significantly less insoluble and soluble protein than empty seeds that were fed-upon by L. occidentalis; moreover, no crystalloid (11S globulin) breakdown products were generated. The biochemical markers described in this study are reliable tools that can be used to identify conifer seeds that have sustained light to severe damage from L. occidentalis feeding.     

The population ecology of Amorbus Dallas (Hemiptera: Coreidae) species in Australia

Species of Amorbus Dallas (Hemiptera: Coreidae) appear to exhibit a tight link between oviposition preference and nymphal performance: females apparently select vigorous plant modules to facilitate the development of their offspring. Such behaviour suggests that these insects should exhibit population dynamics consistent with the latent classification proposed by Price et al. (1990). While this empirical hypothesis is intuitively appealing it does not appear to incorporate current population dynamics theory. Berryman's ecodynamics (1992) offers the potential to describe a species' population dynamics which is grounded in a quantitative theoretical framework. The population ecology of Amorbus species from Australia is considered in relation to these hypotheses.     

喙副黛缘蝽初步研究

副黛缘蝽Paradasynus longirostris Hsiao隶半翅目缘蝽科,是莆田龙眼一种重要害虫。该虫50-60年代经调查已见发生危害．但迄未对其进行研究。本是首欢报道。喙副黛缘蝽成虫、若虫刺吸危害龙眼果穗、幼果及叶片。一年发生2代．以成虫越冬;翌年4月下旬出蛰,产卵于叶片上;每雌产卵约60粒,1-2卵块;卵期6-10天。若虫5龄．若虫期20-40天。     

New record of Orthotylus pallen (Matsumura) (Hemiptera: Miridae) from Korea, with a key to and checklist of Korean species

Orthotylus pallen (Mastumura, 1911) is recorded for the first time from Korea and is diagnosed. An image of its dorsal habitus as well as illustrations of the male and female genitalia are provided. A key to and checklist of Korean Orthotylus species are given.     

Revision of the Neotropical genus Nyttum (Hemiptera: Coreidae)

Abstract The Neotropical genus Nyttum, belonging to the wholly New World tribe Acanthocephalini of the plant-feeding heteropterous family Coreidae, is redescribed. Its distribution is shown to extend from Mexico to Uruguay. Nyttum limbatum Spinola, from Brazil, and N.punctatum (Dallas), widespread in South and Central America, are redescribed; Anasa perfusa Distant is synonymized with N.punctatum. Seven new species are described: Nyttum amaralae, from Uruguay; N.beckeri, from Brazil and 'West Indies' N.nigrum, from Venezuela; N.pallens, from Mexico; N.pulchrum, from Peru; N.rubrum, from Brazil; and N.spinolai from Brazil and Guyana. A key to the species is included. Placoscelis is regarded as the genus most closely related to Nyttum and it is shown that the same two types of paramere and the same two types of aedaegus occur in both genera.  

Resumen

. Se redescribe el género neotropical Nyttum, perteneciente a la tribu Acanthocephalini que se encuentra exclusivamente en el Nuevo Mundo, dentro de la familia Coreidae (Hemiptera-Heteroptera) que se alimenta exclusivamente de vegetales. Se indica que la distribución de este género se extiende desde Mexico al Uruguay. Se redescriben Nyttum limbatum Spinola del Brasil y N.punctatum (Dallas), de amplia distribución en América del Sur y Central. Anasa perfusa Distant es sinonimizada con N.punctatum. Se describen siete neuvas especies: Nyttum amaralae, del Uruguay; N.beckeri, del Brasil e 'Indias Occindentales' N.nigrum, de Venezuela; N.pallens, de Mexico; N.pulchrum, de Perú; N.rubrum, de Brasil; y N.spinolai, de Brasil y Guyana. Se incluye una clava para la separation de las especies. Se considera que Placoscelis es el género mas cercano a Nyttum, y se indica que los mismos dos tipos de parameros y los mismos dos tipos de aedeagus se encuentran en ambos.     

New record of Compsidolon elaegnicola Yasunaga (Hemiptera: Miridae) from Korea

In this paper, two Korean Compsidolon species, C. salicellum (Herrich-Schaeffer) and C. elaegnicola Yasunaga, were treated. Of these, C. elaegnicola Yasunaga, 1999, which was previously known only from Japan, is reported from Korea for the first time and diagnosed. A dorsal habitus image and illustrations of the male genitalia are 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.     

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.     

Two new species of Acizzia Crawford (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) from the Solanaceae with a potential new economic pest of eggplant, Solanum melongena

Two new species of Acizzia Heslop-Harrison (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) from the plant family Solanaceae in eastern Australia are described. Acizzia solanicola sp. n. can damage eggplant, Solanum melongena (Solanaceae), in commercial crops and gardens in eastern Australia. It is a new, potentially serious commercial pest species, of which the nymphs induce malformation of leaves, produce copious amounts of viscous waste and cause leaf wilting, premature leaf senescence and crop loss. These psyllids have a unique and characteristic method of disposing of honeydew and this is illustrated for the first time. Acizzia alternata sp. n. is recorded from the weed, wild tobacco bush, Solanum mauritianum , but appears to cause little damage. These comprise the first record of a pest psyllid on eggplant and the first record of Acizzia from the Solanaceae. The parasitoid, Psyllaephagus sp. (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), is recorded parasitising nymphs of A. solanicola sp. n., and is here proposed as a potential biological control agent against it.     

Historical use of substrate-borne acoustic production within the Hemiptera: first record for an Australian Lophopid (Hemiptera, Lophopidae)

Abstract  Here the first record of communication through substrate-borne vibrations for the Lophopidae family is reported. The signals from Magia subocellata that the authors recorded were short calls with a decreasing frequency modulation. Acoustic vibrations have been observed for other families within the Hemiptera and a scenario concerning the historical use of vibrational communication within the Hemiptera is tested using a phylogenetic inference. The most parsimonious hypothesis suggests that substrate-borne communication is ancestral for the hemipteran order and highlights the groups for which future acoustic research should be undertaken.     

Functional anatomy of the vagina muscles in the adult western conifer seed bug,Leptoglossus occidentalis (Heteroptera: Coreidae), and its implication for the egg laying behaviour in insects

The anatomy of the female reproductive tract and the nerve-evoked contractions of the vagina muscles and their association with the ovipositor in the western conifer seed bug, Leptoglossus occidentalis (Heidemann) are investigated for the first time. The reproductive tract consists of a set of paired telotrophic ovaries, each containing seven ovarioles, located in the anterior lateral regions of the abdomen. Each ovary is attached to a lateral oviduct which spans most of the abdomen to attach to a relatively short common oviduct that joins the vagina near the rear of the animal. The vagina is associated with a pair of bilaterally symmetrical muscles attached at their posterior ends to lateral extensions of sternite VIII, the valvifer of the Type II ovipositor. From this attachment site, the muscles fan out medially and anteriorly to converge along the dorsal midline of the vagina up to the base of the common oviduct. Vagina muscles respond to a single stimulation of their motor nerves by producing a smooth contraction lasting approximately 1 s. With increasing frequencies of stimulation, the muscle contractions summate to create a tetanic response. The muscles are fatigue resistant being able to maintain the same degree of tension for up to 10 min at 10 Hz stimulation. Visual observation shows that other muscles associated with the valves of the ovipositor behave in a similar fashion to that of the vagina muscles from which the tension recordings were obtained. Fatigue-resistant vagina muscles are discussed in relation to copulation, sperm transport and this insect's ability to deposit a series of eggs directly onto the surface of a conifer needle in a manner by which eight or more blunt-ended eggs are packed end-to-end in a single row.     

First record for the genus Baeochila Drake and Poor, 1937 (Hemiptera: Tingidae) in South Korea

New distributional record from South Korea is presented for Baeochila scitula. Diagnosis and images are presented and a key to species of the genus is provided for distinguishing included taxa.     

First record of the genus Adelphocorisella Miyamoto and Yasunaga (Hemiptera: Miridae) from Korea

Adelphocorisella lespedezae Miyamoto and Yasunaga, 1993 , which was previously known only from Japan, is reported from Korea for the first time and diagnosed. An image of its dorsal habitus as well as illustrations of the male genitalia are provided. The discovery of the mirid species also represents the first distributional record in Korea as well as the continental Palaearctic Region for the genus Adelphocorisella Miyamoto and Yasunaga, 1993 .     

New records of some potential pest mealybugs (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae) in Japan

Four species of mealybugs, Dysmicoccus neobrevipes, Phenacoccus defectus, Ph. parvus, and Ph. solenopsis (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Pseudococcidae) are recorded for the first time from Japan in the Ry?ky? (Ryukyu) Archipelago, with brief biological notes. We discuss some features of these species compared with those of related species, D. brevipes and Ph. solani, and we consider their potential risks to Japanese agriculture and/or horticulture.