The family Ptiliidae, also called featherwing beetle because of their remarkable feather-like hind wings, is group of the smallest beetles, with their body size generally about 1 mm long. Although more than 1,000 valid ptiliids within approximately 100 genera are distributed worldwide, this family remains one of the least understood beetle groups in Korea. In this study, we introduce 13 known Korean ptiliids species within seven genera and additional some unknown species. All available information about Korean ptiliids, including their natural histories, distributional data, and diagnostic characters are provided.

Our study examined a total of 60 dead wood samples (Quercus spp.), collecting 30 samples each in summer and winter, and measured various environmental variables in the field. These samples were classified into three decay classes: fresh, intermediate, well-decayed. We sampled saproxylic beetles within the collected dead wood using emergence traps. Conducted a cluster analysis to explore their relationships of saproxylic beetle and environmental variables. Our results revealed that season and decay class were significant environmental variables affecting saproxylic beetle communities. These results highlight the sensitivity of saproxylic beetles to fluctuations of environment and climate. In summary, our study highlights the intricate relationships between environmental variables and saproxylic beetles and suggests that different types of dead wood should be maintained in forests.

The hyperdiverse beetle family Carabidae is one of the largest families of Coleoptera. Nearly 10% of described carabid species are classified in the tribe Pterostichini or tribes historically closely associated with Pterostichini. Beetles in these groups are found worldwide and in habitats from ocean beaches to high-elevation glacial edges. Pterostichines are often abundant and local species richness can be exceptionally high. I will present an overview of the diversity, biogeography, and current phylogenetic arrangement of the included taxa. I will discuss some of the many amazing aspects of the group’s natural history including cases of mate marking during copulation, secondary sexual characters, mate guarding, burrow construction, maternal care for eggs and larvae, and apparent stridulatory structures. I will introduce the Australian trichosternus group and discuss the conservation status of these imperiled beetles and how fundamental taxonomic science led to gaining protection for some species. I will make the case that taxonomy has a unique role among the life sciences to explore, describe, classify, and provide an understanding of the diversity of life, at and above the species level, focusing on individual characters, and within the context of evolutionary history.

개나무좀과 (Bostrichidae)에 속하는 Lyctoxylon dentatum (Pascoe, 1866)(가슴각진개나무좀; 신칭), Melalgus batillus (Lesne, 1902)(큰머 리개나무좀; 신칭)을 채집하여 한반도에서 처음으로 보고한다. 본 연구는 이들에 대한 간단한 진단형질과 종 정보 및 사진자료를 제공하고자 한다.

장수풍뎅이(Trypoxylus dichotomus)는 오래 전부터 애완·학습용으로 활용되는 정서곤충으로 곤충산업의 씨 앗이 되는 중요한 곤충이다. 2012년 청원군에서 처음 장수풍뎅이 유충이 일제히 사망한 사례가 있고 2014년부터 비슷한 증상의 사례가 전국적으로 발생했다. 2015년에는 이러한 원인이 장수풍뎅이 누디바이러스(Oryctes rhinoceros nudivirus, OrNV)로 인한 것임이 밝혀졌고 2017년에 raw sequencing data가 NCBI에 공개되었지만 추가 분석은 이루어지지 않았다. 따라서, 우리는 국내 장수풍뎅이에서 분리한 누디바이러스(Trypoxylus dichotomus nudivirus, TdNV-KR)로 명명하고, NCBI로부터 수집한 Malaysia, Solomon Islands, Indonesia, Philippines, Palau strain의 OrNV sequence와 비교 분석하였다. 그 결과, TdNV-KR의 genome size는 126,408bp임을 확인하였고 다른 OrNV strain이 비해 가장 적은 open reading frames(ORF)를 가지고 있었으며, 3개의 ORF가 TdNV genome에서만 부재함을 확인했다. 또한, Nudivirus core genes의 아미노산 염기서열 비교에서는 Single-nucleotide polymorphism 과 indels(insertion/deletion)로 인해 highly conserved 한 OrNV strain의 sequence들에 비해 TdNV의 시퀀스는 많은 변이/차이를 보였다. 우리의 연구는 누디바이러스의 종간 전파에 대한 이해도를 높이고, 바이러스 간의 유연관계 를 확인함으로써 유입 경로를 추정하여 산업곤충의 질병을 효과적으로 예방하는 데 기여할 것이다.

In general, trees showing water stress planted in a harsh environment like urban landscapes are weakened and can be easily infested by insect borers, such as cerambycid and curculionid beetles. Prunus × yedoensis constitutes a significant portion of urban street trees in Korea and there has been an increasing incidence of damage caused by red-necked longhorned beetle (RLB), Aromia bungii. When water stress is incresed, the production of resin, a natural defense mechanism against the infestation of Aromia bungii larvae, can be decreased that impact on larval survival rates. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between infestation rate of RLB and water stress of cherry trees. We counted number of larval entrance and adult emergence holes in 50 trees and monitored adult’s behaviors during daytime. In addition, we measured water stress using a pressure chamber for each tree.