Blatticola monandros n.sp. (Nematoda: Thelastomatidae) from the blattellid cockroach Parellipsidion pachycercum

Abstract

Blatticola monandros n.sp. occurs in the hind gut of nymphs and adults of the endemic New Zealand cockroach Parellipsidion pachycercum. It is distinguished from all other species of Blatticola in morphology — both sexes are smaller, the oesophagus is proportionately longer, and the spicule is shorter. The size of the nematode increases with the size of the host.     

Female German cockroaches join conspecific groups based on the incidence of auditory cues

Insects deciding whether to approach and join a group of conspecifics may utilize olfactory and auditory signals, or cues, from that group as indicators of its size or the suitability of its shelter. Here we show (1) that German cockroaches, Blattella germanica L. (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae), in groups wing‐fan; (2) that the incidence of wing‐fanning (WF) increases proportionately to group size; and (3) that gravid females utilize auditory cues associated with WF behaviour when they decide whether or not to enter a shelter. In binary choice arena bioassays, proportionately more gravid females avoided shelters associated with play‐back of high‐incidence male‐ or female‐produced WF sound, indicating a high‐density group of conspecifics, but sought shelters associated with play‐back of low‐incidence WF sound, indicating a low‐density group of conspecifics. These auditory cues seem to convey information on group size or density, avoid sensory fatigue in enclosed environments, and allow sonotactic orientation to the group's location.     

中国毡蠊属二新种和一纪录种记述(蜚蠊目,姬蠊科)

1弧毡蠊,新种 facobsonina arce sp.nov.本种与简毡蠊 facobsonina simples Hebard,1929相似,可从以下特征区分:1)腹部第7背板不特化,后者特化,具1对圆形凹陷;2)中阳茎粗壮,呈棒状具1刷状附属阳茎,后者细长无刷状附属阳茎;3)下生殖板的后端部弧状突出,后缘波状弯曲,后者后端部略弧状突出,后缘近平截.正模♂,湖北秭归九头岭,100 m,1993-06-12,李文柱采.副模:1♂,湖北秭归九头岭,150 m,1993-07-13,姚建采;3♂♂,1♀,同正模;1♂,湖北秭归九头岭,150 m,1993-06-13,黄润质采;1♂,湖北秭归九头岭,150 m,1993-06-12,姚建采;1♂,广西龙胜花绑林区,1963-06-7,刘思孔采.2扭毡蠊,新种,Jacobsonina tortuosa sp.nov.本种与特毡蠊 Jacobsonina aliena(Brunner,1893)相似,但可从以下特征区分:1)下生殖板左侧角呈倒"L"形缺刻,右侧角圆滑呈指状,左侧缘波状弯曲,右侧缘明显弧状突出,但后者的侧缘微凹入,端部窄且平截;2)中阳茎粗壮,呈棒状无附属阳茎,后者中阳茎弯曲且其下具1粗壮的骨片.正模♂,云南西双版纳景洪,650 m,1958-07-5,孟绪武采.副模:2♂♂,云南西双版纳大勐龙,650 m,1957-06-17,王书永采;1♂,同正模;1♂,云南西双版纳大勐龙,650 m,1957-07-10,洪淳培采.     

中国拟截尾蠊属二新种和三新纪录种(蜚蠊目,姬蠊科)

记述中国拟截尾蠊属Hemithyrsocera Saussure 2新种和3新纪录种:二叉拟截尾蠊Hemithyrsocera bifurcata Che,sp.nov.,多突拟截尾蠊Hemithyrsocera multicuspidata Wang,sp.nov.,缘拟截尾蠊H.marginalis(Hanitsch)(中国新纪录种,国内分布:云南,广东),刺突拟截尾蠊H.macifera(Roth)(中国新纪录种,国内分布:云南,广西)和福拟截尾蠊 H.fulmeki Hanitsch(中国新纪录种,国内分布:福建,云南).文中给出了所有中国种类的检索表.模式标本保存在西南大学标本室和中国科学院动物研究所.     

中国伪姬蠊亚科一新纪录属和一新种记述(蜚蠊目,姬蠊科)(英文)

报道了中国伪姬蠊亚科1新纪录属,拟刺蠊属Shelfordina Hebard(国外分布:东洋区;国内分布:福建),1新种绕茎拟刺蠊Shelfordina volubilis Wang,sp.nov..模式标本保存在西南大学标本室.     

中国一新纪录属和一新种记述(蜚蠊目,姬蠊科,伪姬蠊亚科)

锯爪蠊属Chorisoserrata Roth全世界共记载2种,分布于苏门答腊岛和越南,在中国尚属首次报道,并描述1新种.双叉锯爪蠊,新种Chorisoserrata biceps sp.nov.(图1～9)本种与Chorisoserrata npicalis(Hanitsch)相似,但可以从以下特征区分:1)前者头部无斑纹,后者头部复眼间具2条黑色条带;2)下生殖板尾刺之间突出部分后缘凹入并且侧缘明显上卷呈筒状,后者后缘呈圆弧状突出;3)体形较大,前翅长11.5～12.0 mm,总长13.5～14.0 mm;后者较小,前翅长8.6～9.3 mm,总长9.6 mm.正模♂,海南吊罗山,1985-04-29,李伟华采.副模1♂,1♀,海南吊罗山,1985-04-28/29,李伟华,张京红采;1♀,广西扶隆平龙山,1998-03-14,武春生采;1♂,海南尖峰岭,1983-07-28,华立中采;1♂,海南尖峰岭,1981-12-26,刘元福采.     

锯爪蠊属一新种记述(蜚蠊目,姬蠊科,伪姬蠊亚科)(英文)

记述我国锯爪蠊属Chorisoserrata1新种,即短尾锯爪蠊Chorisoserrata brevicaudata sp.nov.,补充了该属的属征,提供该属分种检索表。短尾锯爪蠊,新种Chorisoserrata brevicaudata sp.nov.(图1~13)新种与Chorisoserrata jendekiVidlika相似,主要区别特征为:1)左阳茎指状凸起短且末端钝圆,后者长且末端尖锐;2)中阳茎端部钝圆,后者端部尖锐;3)中阳茎附属骨片刷状,端部具刺,后者端部钝圆无刺;4)腹部第7背板不特化,后者特化,中部具不明显的腺体。正模♂,云南勐腊勐仑,海拔800m,1981-04-10,李法圣采。副模1♀,云南勐腊勐仑,海拔800m,1981-04-10,李法圣采。词源:新种种名源于拉丁词brevi(短)和cauda(尾),表示该种左阳茎指状凸起短小。     

Distribution of faeces of the German cockroach, Blattella germanica, in a new refuge

The patterns of faeces deposition in glass arenas with three groups of Blattella germanica L. during colonization of new refuges were recorded. The individual positions of more than 17,500 faeces were recorded. The average daily rate of faeces excretion per adult was 9.6 in males, 9.1 in non-gravid females and 2.7 in gravid females. Significant differences of faeces accumulation at various sites of the arena were found. In all three groups, mean density of faeces decreased in the following order: shelter, edges of arena, area around shelter, remainder of open area. The faeces were not accumulated more significantly at food and water sources than within the remainder of the open area. Low concentrations of faeces around edges were recorded with gravid females. The ratio of numbers of faeces in the shelter and those on the remainder of the arena was nearly identical in all tested groups. The rate of faeces deposition fluctuated during colonization of a new refuge. The role of faeces containing aggregation pheromone and ammonia in the ecology and behaviour of B. germanica is discussed.     

Testing decreasing variabililty of cockroach forewings through time using four Recent species: Blattella germanica,Polyphaga aegyptiaca,Shelfordella lateralis and Blaberus craniifer,with implications for the study of fossil cockroach forewings

Abstract Vr?anský (2000) considered there is decreasing variability in the forewings of cockroaches through time, based on a study of fossil and Recent species. This study tests his theory, based on a study of four Recent species of cockroaches: Blattella germanica (Blattellidae), Polyphaga aegyptiaca (Polyphagidae), Shelfordella lateralis (Blattidae) and Blaberus craniifer (Blaberidae). The new results, based on the coefficient of variation (CV) of the number of veins, indicate that Recent species can be more variable than fossil species and therefore do not support the theory. The results also show that at least 30 complete wings of the same species are required for a reliable CV value that is comparable between species.