From deception to frankness： Benefits of ontogenetic shift in the anti-predator strategy of alder moth Acronicta alni larvae

Animals can avoid predation by masquerading as objects that are not food to their predators. Alder moth Acronicta alni larvae go through an impressive ontogenetic change from masquerade to highly conspicuous appearance： early larval stages resemble bird droppings but in the last instar the larval coloration changes into striking yellow-and-black stripes. We hypothe- sized that such a change may be driven by differential predation favoring dissimilar anti-predator strategies in different life stages We show with a series of laboratory assays that larvae are distasteful to birds regardless of their developmental stage, suggesting that ontogenetic color change is not driven by the differential chemical defense. Birds showed higher variance in hesitation to- ward conspicuous prey; some individuals hesitated long time before attacking whereas all birds attacked instantly masqueraded prey. We also found that the activity level of the larvae increased with age, which fits to the fact that larvae need to move from foliage to pupation sites. In the field by using artificial larvae resembling the two life-history stages we found predation risk to vary during the season： In early summer larger yellow-and-black larvae were attacked most, whereas later in the summer small ＇bird-dropping-larvae＇ suffered the highest predation. We conclude that the ontogenetic switch from masquerading to aposema- tism is adaptive most likely because actively moving prey cannot mimic immotile objects and thus, aposematism during the ac- tive and vulnerable period when larvae are searching for pupation sites becomes beneficial     

橡胶树在西双版纳引种区的种子捕食与散布

在纯橡胶林、胶-竹复合林、沟谷季节雨林、次生林及毗邻次生林的橡胶林共5种不同生境中释放标记的橡胶树种子,观测种子捕食者以及种子被捕食、埋藏和扩散情况。结果表明:纯橡胶林和沟谷季节雨林内的橡胶树种子大多数都原地存留(80%和98%),而胶-竹复合林内几乎100%的种子均被捕食;次生林内释放的橡胶树种子捕食率也几为100%,而毗邻次生林的橡胶林种子捕食率约50%;卡方检验表明,胶-竹复合林的种子捕食率显著高于沟谷季节雨林和纯橡胶林,次生林内显著高于毗邻的橡胶林(P0.001)。绝大多数橡胶树种子被捕食者原地或搬运后取食,仅有少量种子被埋藏。大多数种子(80%)被搬运距离在10 m以内。红外感应相机拍摄和饲喂实验发现,黄胸鼠(Rattus tanezumi)和红刺鼠(Rattus surifer)为主要的种子捕食者。可见,在西双版纳引种区橡胶树种子主要是被小型鼠类取食,但捕食强度较大,而被埋藏种子比例很低,散布距离较短(10 m)。     

粗股蚱Tetrix grossifemura Zheng & Jiang雌性的首次发现（直翅目：蚱总科）

首次记述粗股蚱Tetrix grossifemura ZhengJiang,1997的雌性,研究标本保存于河池学院化学与生物工程学院标本室。     

中国斜翅蝗属的研究及一新种记述（直翅目：斑腿蝗科）

记述斜翅蝗属Eucoptacra Bolivar的研究历史、在中国分布的种类及1新种,即斑腿斜翅蝗E.maculifemura sp.nov.,该新种近似于秉汉斜翅蝗E.binghami Uvarov及大眼斜翅蝗E.megaocula Wang et al.,主要区别于上2种为颜面隆起在触角之间部分的宽度为眼间距宽的1.5倍;后足第1跗节明显宽于第3跗节;后足股节外侧具3个大黑斑。新种的模式标本保存于陕西师范大学动物研究所昆虫标本室。     

龙州蝗属分类研究及一新种记述（直翅目：斑腿蝗科）

系统研究了龙州蝗属,共记述10种,其中包括1新种,即贵州龙州蝗Longzhouacris guizhouensis sp.nov.,该新种近似于斑角龙州蝗L.annulicornis Lu,LiYou,2000,主要区别为:1)前胸背板沟前区长为沟后区长的2.16倍;2)前翅到达第3腹节背板中部;3)后足跗节爪间中垫长为爪长的1.5倍;4)雄性尾片三角形,顶尖;5)触角基半黄褐色,端半暗褐色;6)前翅前半黑褐色,后半淡褐色;7)后足胫节黄绿色。文中附有分种检索表。新种的模式标本保存于陕西师范大学动物研究所昆虫标本室。     

中国猎舞虻亚属一新种（双翅目：舞虻科）

记述我国猎舞虻亚属1新种：双鬃猎舞虻Rhamphomyia (Rhamphomyia) biseta sp. nov., 编制了中国种类检索表。模式标本保存在中国农业大学昆虫博物馆。     

中国羿小叶蝉属分类研究（半翅目：叶蝉科：小绿叶蝉族）

研究了中国小绿叶蝉族羿小叶蝉属Helionides,提出了4个新组合,报道了采自中国南方的2新纪录种,提供了中国该属已知种的检索表。     

中国细锤角叶蜂属两新种（膜翅目：锤角叶蜂科）

记述采自中国湖南和浙江的锤角叶蜂科Cimbicidae细锤角叶蜂属Leptocimbex 2新种:浅窝细锤角叶蜂L.afoveata WeiYan sp.nov.和凹脊细锤角叶蜂L.concavicarina WeiYan sp.nov.。编制了细锤角叶蜂属分种团检索表和L.terrifica种团以及L.gracilentus种团种类检索表。     

锤角细蜂亚科中国一新纪录属及一新种记述（膜翅目：锤角细蜂科）

记述锤角细蜂科中国及东洋区1新纪录属:扁锤角细蜂属Pentapria Kieffer,1905,并描述采自云南的1新种:中华扁锤角细蜂Pentapria sinica sp.nov.。提供了形态描述、特征图以及新种与分布于古北区相似种类的鉴别检索表。模式标本保存于华南农业大学膜翅目标本室(SCAU)。