Chalcididae Latreille, 1817 currently include 1,464 extant species in 87 genera in the world. This family is probably easy to define taxonomically. Body robust with coarse puncture, prepectus extremely narrow, hind femur typically swollen and on inner margin with one or more teeth. Members of this family are primary endoparasitoids on pupa of Diptera and Lepidoptera. Up to date, only 12 species of 6 genera belonging to three subfamilies have been recorded from South Korea. As a result of this study, six species (Chalcis sp. 1, Conura sp. 1, Haltichella cf. nipponensis Habu, Hockeria cf. bifasciata Walker, Proconura sp. 1 and Steninvreia cf. petiolata Bouček) in Chalcididae are recorded for the first time in South Korea. Among them four genera (Haltichella Spinola, Hockeria Walker, Proconura Dodd and Steninvreia Bouček) are recorded for the first time in South Korea. Therefore, 18 species of 10 genera in Chalcididae are recorded from South Korea.
South Korean species of the genus Eusterinx Förster are reviewed here. Nine species of the genus Eusterinx are found to occur in South Korea, and five species, Eusterinx (Eusterinx) sp. nov. 1, E. (Holomeristus) sp. nov. 2, E. (Ischyracis) sp. nov. 3, E. (Ischyracis) sp. nov. 4, and E. (Ischyracis) sp. nov. 5, are described as new. A key to all known species of the genus Eusterinx occurring in South Korea is provided.
The Banchinae are a large cosmopolitan subfamily that includes approximately 1,800 species in 67 genera. The number of species in South Korea is still pooly known and only 18 of the 312 Eastern Palaearctic species have been reported (Yu et al., 2016). Most species are koinobiont endoparasitoids of lepidopteran larvae and pupae. Teleutaea is a moderately sized genus, comprises 20 described species from Palaearctic, Neotropic and Oriental regions. One species has been described from Mexico. The data of the species from the neighbor countries was summarized as follow: 10 species from Russia (Kuslitzky, 2007); 10 species from Japan (Momoi, 1978; Watanabe & Maeto 2014); 15 species from China continental (Sheng, 2014); three species from Taiwan (Chiu, 1965). Until now the genus was not known from South Korea. Members of this genus parasitize on lepidopterous larvae and pupae living in different kinds of hideaways after than, they emerge from the pupa as adult. As a result, we newly recorded seven species from South Korea including a new species. The key for identification of the South Korean species of Teleutaea and description of a new species are provided.
Three new species of the subgenus Bessobates of the genus Netelia Gray, 1860 are described. Two new species, Netelia (Bessobates) sp. nov. 1 and N. (B.) sp. nov. 2, are described and illustrated from South Korea and Japan. N. (B.) sp. nov. 3 is reported from Brunei. Descriptions of three new species, photos and illustrations of male genitalia are provided. This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (NRF-2016R1A6A3A03007788).
The subgenus Parabates Förster, 1869 is one of 12 subgenera of the genus Netelia belonging to the subfamily Tryphoninae. Parabates of the genus Netelia is a small subgenus with only six species worldwide. In South Korea, Lee & Cha (1996, 2000) reported N. (P.) fusca Konishi and N. (P.) ishiharai Uchida. In the present study, an additional species, N. (P.) nigricarpus, is recorded for the first time from South Korea. Diagnoses and photographs of the diagnostic characteristics of known species are provided. This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (NRF-2016R1A6A3A03007788).
The genus Glyphodes Guenée, 1854 reported over 150 species in the world. They are widely distributed throughout tropical regions, with some species penetrating into subtropical and warm temperate areas. Five species of the genus Glyphodes Guenée are reported for the first time in Laos: Glyphodes actorionalis Walker, G. bivitralis Guenée, G. caesalis Walker, G. extorris Dognin, and G. stolalis Guenée. Photographs of adult, male and female genitalia, with short description
The genus Argyresthia Hübner, 1826, belongs to the family Argyresthiidae, with over 150 described species worldwide. Among them, over 70 species are distributed in Palearctic Region. In Korea, a total of four species have been reported from Korea. In 1968, the apple fruit moth, Argyresthia conjugella Zeller is reported by The Zoological Society of Korea. Sohn (2007) reported three known species of this genus: Argyresthia ivella Haworth, A. laevigatella, Herrich-Schäffer and A. magna Moriuti. In the present study, five species of the genus Argyresthia are reported from Korea for the first time, including adult, male and female genitalia photographs and short description.
Two sibling species of the genus Monopis Hübner are collected in Jeju Island, with one of them reported for the first time from Korea. The genus currently comprises approximately 100 named species, which are widespread and diverse throughout the Old World, but poorly represented in the New World. Many species of the genus Monopis have been reported in bird nests, feces, and wool products. The larvae of these moths feed on keratin and chitin sources, such as feather, pellet and guano. The adults are briefly described, illustrated and compared, including the male and female genitalia.
We sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Vespa velutina nigrithorax and V. ducalis (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). The genomes were 16,475-bp and 15,779-bp long and contained typical sets of genes. The V. velutina and V. ducalis A+T-rich region was 132-bp long and 166-bp long and was the shortest of all sequenced Vespoidea genomes. Start and stop codons in several Vespa species—including V. velutina and V. ducalis—were diversified, despite these species belonging to the same genus. In comparison with the ancestral mitogenomes, Vespa mitogenomes showed substantial gene rearrangement; however, we detected no gene rearrangement among Vespa species. We conducted phylogenetic reconstruction based on concatenated sequences of 13 PCGs and two rRNAs in available species of Vespoidea—22 species in six subfamilies in two families (Vespidae and Formicidae). The Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood (ML) methods revealed that each family formed strong monophyletic groups.
Despite of a substantial effort, the phylogeny of Lepidoptera still has unstable taxa and unresolved relationships particularly form Apoditrysia to Ditrysia (e.g. phylogenetic position and familial relationships of Gelechioidea, the monophylies of Tineoidea and Zygaenoidea and so on). We performed phylogenetic analysis using ~13,000-bp length of mitogenome sequences form 50 species (with seven species in two superfamilies form this study) representing 13 superfamilies to improve the lepidopteran phylogeny from Apoditrysia to Ditrysia. A close relationship of Gelechioidea to Obtectomera than to apoditrysian taxa was noteworthy, although the nodal support is very weak (ML, 23%; BI, BPP = 0.94). Monophyly of Zygaenoidea without Epipyropidae (Epipomponia nawai) was also noteworthy in spite of weak nodal support (ML, 64%; BI, 1.0). Scrutinized analysis is currently underway.
Dendrolimus superans (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) has long been acknowledged to present in South Korea under the circumstance of a substantial change in species names of Dendrolimus. In the present study, we found that specimens of D. superans collected from South Korea were D. sibiricus, rather than D. superans. Comparison of Korean specimens to the D. superans from Japan and the D. sibiricus from Russia in terms of wing morphology, female and male genitalia, a partial COI gene sequence, and a partial internal spacer sequence 2 (ITS2) consistently supported the presence of D. sibiricus in South Korea. Phylogenetic analyses using concatenated sequences of COI and ITS2 from available individuals of D. sibiricus and D. superans both by Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood methods the Korea samples to be D. sibiricus.
Tyrosine-mediated cuticle tanning (pigmentation and sclerotization) is a vital process for insect growth and development. In this metabolism, dopamine and N-β-alanyldopamine (NBAD) are major precursors to black melanin-like and yellowish quinonoid pigments, respectively. NBAD synthase (Ebony) catalyzes the synthesis NBAD by conjugation of dopamine and β-alanine, while NBAD hydrolase (Tan) dose a reverse reaction of NBAD synthesis catalyzed by Ebony. In this work, we cloned cDNAs of ebony and tan from two beetle species, Tribolium castaneum and Tenebrio molitor. Loss of function phenotypes produced by RNAi for these genes indicate that Ebony, but not Tan, is required for cuticle pigmentation in both beetles. This work was supported by NRFs (NRF-2015R1A2A2A01006614).
The eggs of Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, possess high desiccation resistance, which could lead rapidly spreading this mosquito across the world. Melanization and/or hardening of mosquito eggshell are critical for desiccation resistance to protect embryo from adverse environment. Dopachrome-conversion enzymes (Yellows) catalyze melanin synthesis in insects. Here we report functional importance of two ovary-specific yellow genes, AalY-g and AalY-g2, in desiccation resistance of Ae. albopictus egg. Loss of function of these genes by RNAi causes the fragile exochorion and delay initial melanization of the endochorion. Furthermore, eggs from control females exhibit high desiccation resistance under the air-dry condition, whereas those from AalY-g- or AalY-g2-deficient females are collapsed. TEM analysis reveals ultrastructural defects in the endochorion and serosal cuticle in these eggs. The results indicate that AalY-g and AalY-g2 are critical for integrity and desiccation resistance of the Ae. albopictus egg.
솔수염하늘소(Monochamus alternatus)는 소나무재선충병을 유발하는 소나무재선충(Bursaphelenchus xylophilus)의 주요 매개충으로 알려져 있다. 본 연구에서는 제주도에서 서식하며 소나무림에 큰 위협을 가하고 있는 솔수염하늘소를 대상으로 온도 의존적 산란모형을 개발하였다. 산란모형 개발에 필요한 실내실험은 총 5개 온도(15,20,25,30,35)에서 수행되었고 산란모형은 성충 수명모형, 생존률모형, 산란율모형, 총 산란수 모형으로 총 4개의 단위모형으로 구성되어 있으며 솔수염 하늘소 성충의 온도 의존적 산란능력을 평가하였다.
The adult activity of M. alternatus caught in a pheromone trap showed a bimodal form consisted of the first peak in mid to late June and the second peak in mid to late September in Jeju area, Korea. The two peaks were separated apparently between mid and late August, showing a valley. The pine trees without oleoresin flow were abundant during early July to early August, and declined thereafter, which did not match with the valley of adult activity curve. Thus, the hypothesis that dying pine trees attract much strongly M. alternatus adults than that of pheromone lures may not fully explain the bimodal pattern, because the first adult activity peak occurred during the peak period of dying pine trees and it declined with decreasing dying pine trees. The accumulated degree-days showed that the emergence of the 2nd generation adults could occur before the second peak when the diapause ecology of M. alternatus was not considered. The voltinism of M. alternatus can affect basically the control strategy of this pest. Consequently, further studies are required to find out clearly the voltinism of M. alternatus in Korea.
Even with the tiny body size, Coniopterygidae is the fourth largest group of Neuroptera. There are currently 23 genera and 560 species recorded in the world. They have a tiny-sized body, and their wings are covered with whitish wax powder and they are fairly well-known natural predators of small insects such as scale insects, aphids, and mites. Genus Cowentzia is one of the characteristic groups of Coniopteryginae; they have conspicuously reduced hind wings than other groups have. The genus contain about 14 species in the world. Here we present Conwentzia, a new genus record, with Conwentzia pineticola in Korea. We provide a brief description, photos of adult and male genitalia, and 16S rRNA sequence based the specimen examined.
Chrysopidae is a cosmopolitan group of Neuroptera, with 85 genera and 1,200 species recorded in the world. Genus Nineta is a small group of the family, with almost 20 species recorded worldwide. They can be recognized by large sized body than that of other genera. In Korea, only one species, Nineta vittata (Wesmael, 1841) has been recorded so far. Here we present Nineta itoi, another new record, in Korea. Here we provide a brief description, photos of adult and male genitalia, COI barcode sequence, and a key based on diagnostic characters.
This study was conducted to present the preliminary list of the genus Archips in Korea. The genus Archips is a large group of the family Tortricidae, which includes 102 species in the world. In Korea, 18 species of the genus Archips have been reported up to date. The genus has difficulty in morphological classification with the species because of the sexual dimorphism between male and female. However, the study of the genus Archips with the morphological differences of both sexes has not been studied in Korea. In this study, the preliminary list including the synonymic list, host plants and distributional ranges was provided for the further study of the genus Archips in Korea.
Berothidae is one of the uncommon group of Neuroptera. The family currently include about 22 genera and 100 species in the world. The genus Isoscelipteron include about 20 species in the world, with the distribution covering Eurasia. Several species of this family are known to be a termite predator during larval stage. We collected Isoscelipteron pectinatum adult, which is a new species record in Korea, which is in fact a new family record as well. Here we provide a brief description, photos of adult and male genitalia, and DNA barcode sequence based the specimen examined.
The genus Aridelus Marshall is a cosmopolitan genus of the subfamily Euphorinae. The genus comprises about 50 species worldwide, including 11 species in the East Palaearctic Region. Korean species of the genus have been investigated by several researchers (Papp, 1992; Belokobylskij, 2000; Ku et al., 2001). The members of the genus Aridelus parasites on nymphs and adults of Pentatomid species (Shaw, 1985). In this study, Aridelus aulacocentrum is reported for the first time from Korea. Diagnosis and photographs are provided. A key to the Korean species of genus Aridelus is also given.