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Showing papers in "Journal of The New York Entomological Society in 1991"




Journal Article
TL;DR: An inventory of the Miridae associated with scrub (bear) oak, Quercus ilicifolia Wangenh.
Abstract: -An inventory of the Miridae associated with scrub (bear) oak, Quercus ilicifolia Wangenh., was conducted in northeastern pitch pine-scrub oak barrens and related natural communities from Maine to Virginia, nearly the complete range of this plant. Samples were taken throughout the season in an extensive pine barren near Frackville, northeastern Pennsylvania. Accounts of the 44 species collected (33 at Frackville) include a review of known distribution and biology, new state records obtained during the study, and data on seasonal history and habits on scrub oak. Three patchily distributed, rarely collected antlike (myrmecomorphic) mirids were discovered: Pilophorusfurvus Knight, Schaffneria davisi Knight, and S. schaffneri Knight. These were collected only in or near aphid colonies tended by the ant Dolichoderus taschenbergi (Mayr), and they may be Batesian mimics gaining protection from predators because of their resemblance to ants. The rich fauna of Q. ilicifolia consists of phytophagous and predacious mirids, including early-season specialists on staminate catkins, and appears to be more diverse than that occurring on some larger (canopy) oak species. Faunal composition varied among the communities inventoried and, at a given site, changed with seasonal progression. Species richness was greatest in larger pine barrens; few Miridae were collected in remnant pine barrens or in most ridgetop barrens. Several plant bugs are abundant on (but not restricted to) scrub oak, and may be considered indicator species of pine barrens and similar communities. How much do we know about life on this little-known planet beneath our feet, the planet earth? We have not even approached the end of cataloguing the creatures that share the earth with us: and this should be the very first step in our knowledge. -H. E. Evans, Life on a Little-known Planet, 1966 Oaks, Quercus spp. (Fagaceae), are noted for a rich insect fauna (e.g., Jones, 1959; Southwood, 1960; Elton, 1966; Morris, 1974; Opler, 1974a). Connold (1908), for example, referred to the \"vast concourse of dependents\" inhabiting British oaks. In addition to such explicit statements, insect diversity of oaks is implicit from host lists of various groups, for instance, those ofPatch (1938) for North American aphids and Tietz (1972) for macrolepidoptera. Species richness in North Amnerica is particularly developed among cynipid wasps (Felt, 1940; Houard, 1940) and microlepidoptera (Opler, 1 974a, b). But great insect diversity (used in the context ofnumbers of species or richness, not in a strict statistical sense) probably characterizes oaks in all regions with fagaceous forests: eastern and western North America (oaks reach maximum concentration in the Sierra Madres ofMexico), Europe, and Asia (including tropical montane forests). 406 JOURNAL OF THE NEW YORK ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Vol. 99(3) Among Heteroptera, or true bugs, the diverse mind fauna associated with oaks in Great Britain and continental Europe is well known (Butler, 1923; Southwood and Leston, 1959; Ehanno, 1965, 1987; Strawinski, 1974; Goula, 1986). Including several plant bugs of presumed accidental occurrence, the fauna collected on Q. robur L. in France numbered 36 species; 19 minds occurred regularly on this plant (Ehanno, 1965). Miridae associated with North American oaks have received less attention than in Europe, although the number ofspecies known to occur on Quercus is considerable (Knight, 1941, 1968; Kelton, 1980). Information on oak plant bugs in North America is mainly limited to lists of species from particular regions, e.g., Illinois (Knight, 1941), and accompanying biological notes; host data cited in taxonomic works treating genera that contain oak-associated species, e.g., Atractotomus (Stonedahl, 1990), Ceratocapsus (Henry, 1979), Phytocoris (Stonedahl, 1988), Pilophorus (Schuh and Schwartz, 1988), and Reuteria (Henry, 1976); and ecological studies ofoak specialists such as Pseudoxenetus regalis (Uhler) (Blinn, 1988). In addition, Bray and Triplehom's (1953) study of insects found on pin oak (Quercus palustris Muenchh.) and northern red oak (Q. rubra L.) in Delaware includes records ofmore than 20 minds, although about halfthe species should be considered merely incidental on oak. Studies of the plant bug fauna on particular oak species are lacking for North America. In the midto late 1 970s, collections from Q. ihicifolia Wangenh. in the pine barrens near Frackville, Pennsylvania, suggested that scrub oak harbored a richer plant bug fauna than many tree oaks. Presented here are the results of several years' sampling at this site and an inventory of the mirid fauna of this plant in other areas, mainly northeastern pitch pine-scrub oak barrens. A diverse biota, including endemic rare, threatened, or endangered Lepidoptera, characterizes this globally threatened community type. The requisite conditions of strongly acidic, nutrient-poor soils and natural wildfires rarely occur (Cryan, 1985). Because of fire suppression, housing and industrial development, and other threats, fewer than 20 major pine barrens remain from once extensive occurrences (Cryan, 1985; Schweitzer and Rawinski, 1986). Habitat deterioration is evident in extant barrens (Kerlinger and Doremus, 1981a, b; Schweitzer and Rawinski, 1986; Widoff, 1987). I am pleased to dedicate this paper to Dr. James A. Slater, world authority on the Heteroptera and respected researcher, teacher, and administrator. Although he became a specialist in the Lygaeidae, he intended to concentrate on Miridae (see Slater, 1978). His early work thus includes several important studies on this group. His encouragement ofmy biological work on mirids and other Heteroptera, dating from my graduate student years at Cornell University, is genuinely appreciated. In addition, it seems appropriate here to acknowledge the exemplary efforts ofThe Nature Conservancy in protecting rare natural communities and species and in helping preserve biodiversity. This paper also is dedicated to TNC and its network of State Natural Heritage Programs, especially to those Heritage and Conservancy staff members who have encouraged and facilitated my faunal inventory work. STUDY SITES AND METHODS Description ofthe natural community. Pine barrens designates a vegetational pattern consisting of open pitch pine (Pinus rigida Mill.) forests having an understory MIRIDAE OF QUERCUS ILICIFOLIA Fig. 1. Pitch pine-scrub oak barrens at Long Pond, Pennsylvania (courtesy Pennsylvania Science Office of The Nature Conservancy). of heaths and shrubby oaks (Fig. 1). Because the canopy is closed in few places, pine barrens communities technically are woodlands rather than forests (Rawinski, 1987). The name pine barrens, dating from Colonial times, was given to land that would not produce crops and that supported sheep laurel and other plants poisonous to livestock (Cryan, 1985). Sometimes called \"devil's land\" (Cryan, 1985), pine barrens appear to some as \"a sorry collection of small, shrubby, and crowded trees\" (Jorgensen, 1978). To others, these bleak wastelands hold a special attraction: \"Wastelands [pine barrens], to me, oftentimes seem the least of all wasted\" (Teale, 1963). These shrub-savannah communities (Reschke, 1990) are found in the eastern United States from New Jersey to southern Maine (Olsvig et al., 1979). The well-known New Jersey Pine Barrens sometimes are excluded from the northeastern pitch pinescrub oak barrens (synonyms of this community type are oak brush plains and pine bush). Because the New Jersey Pine Barrens have a more southern flora, a mosaic of vegetation types unlike those of northeastern pitch pine-scrub oak barrens, and a richer lepidopteran fauna, they may be considered a somewhat different natural community (Schweitzer and Rawinski, 1986). Although pine barrens is a more general term that includes related communities (Whittaker, 1979) such as pitch pine-heath barrens (which lack scrub oaks), this shortened form will be used occasionally in this paper to refer to northeastern pitch pine-scrub oak barrens. Pine barrens generally occur on sandy, excessively well-drained, nutrient-poor soils. They occur on rolling terrain (but are sometimes flat) ranging from sand dunes to glacial till and outwash plains. Hot by day, barrens experience rapid radiational 407 1991 JOURNAL OF THE NEW YORK ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Vol. 99(3) cooling at night; depressions in the terrain result in frost pockets that in spring may kill partially expanded foliage of scrub oak. Late-season killing frosts may almost eliminate scrub oak from these depressions (Rawinski, 1987). In these multilayered communities, pitch pine usually dominates a sparse, interrupted canopy (about 8-16 m high). Scrub oak, Quercus il1cifolia, and dwarfchestnut (or dwarf chinkapin) oak, Q. prinoides Willd., make up most of the tall shrub layer (about 2-3 m high), often forming a nearly continuous tall shrub canopy. A low shrub layer (0.5 m high or less) consisting of various ericaceous plants (mainly species of Gaylussacia, Kalmia, and Vaccinium), sweetfern [Comptonia peregrina (L.) Coult.], and others is found beneath the tall shrubs and in openings in between. Herbaceous plants account for relatively little biomass but may be present in openings between shrubby thickets. The composition of these grasses and forbs, and their proportion in the community, vary between barrens. Little bluestem [Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash] often is the dominant grass (Schweitzer and Rawinski, 1986; Widoff, 1987). Pine barrens are disclimax, fire-dependent communities. They are prone to fire because the underlying sands are rapidly permeable and because high soil acidity retards microbial decomposition of organic matter, which leads to accumulation of a thick layer of duff (Rawinski, 1987). Fires every 6 to 15 years are typical, and a frequency of at least every 15-20 years may be needed to maintain certain pine barrens, that is,

28 citations








Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The new species Anochetus brevidentatus is described from Dominican Republic amber, possibly deposited 30-40 million years before present, a member of the emarginatus species group and the haytianus superspecies and shows some affinities with the inermis group of the genus.
Abstract: -I describe the new species Anochetus brevidentatus from Dominican Republic amber, possibly deposited 30-40 million years before present. This species is a member of the emarginatus species group and the haytianus superspecies. It is closely related to the extant A. kempfi. I present characters for distinguishing this ant from the others in the haytianus super species. Recently we have seen a rapid growth of knowledge of ants of the Dominican Republic amber, due primarily to the work of Baroni-Urbani and Wilson (see Wilson, 1988 for references). One of these new species, Anochetus corayi, was recently de scribed by Baroni-Urbani (1980). In this paper, I describe a second species in the genus Anochetus from Dominican amber. Anochetus brevidentatus, new species Figs. 1, 2, 3, 8 Diagnosis. This species is closely related to A. kempfi. It differs in that the man dibular teeth are smaller (Figs. 2 and 6), the teeth on the petiolar node are much smaller (Figs. 3 and 4), the mandibles are enlarged in the middle (as in A. haytianus Fig. 7) and it is smaller than A. kempfi. It can be easily distinguished from A. haytianus and A. longispina as the teeth on the node of the petiole are much smaller (Figs. 3 and 5) and it has teeth on the propodeum, which are absent on the latter species. Description of worker: HL 1.34, HW 1.20, SL 1.40, ML 0.90, EL 0.2, WL 2.08 (abbreviations as in Brown, 1978, measurements in mm). Mandibles with three apical teeth (Fig. 8) in addition to six smaller teeth along mesial border (Fig. 2), mandible slightly thickened at one half length of mandible; eye appears to be relatively small (not easily seen in specimen); mesosoma similar to that of A. kempfi, anterior edge of mesonotum higher than level of pronotum; propodeum with pair of well developed spines, directed vertically (Fig. 1); anterior face of petiole almost flat (in profile), posterior face convex, node bidentate, teeth relatively small (Fig. 3). Erect hairs sparse, present on mandibles, dorsum of head, pronotum and gaster. Sculpture fine, parallel striae on most of mesosoma; gaster smooth and shining. Female and male: Unknown. Discussion. This species is a member of the emarginatus species group, defined by Brown (1978) as species of large size and slender build, mandibles serially dentate, and petiole bidentate. It shows some affinities with the inermis group of the genus, as it has relatively small eyes, teeth on the node, and the denticular configeration is This content downloaded from 207.46.13.98 on Fri, 05 Aug 2016 05:59:20 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 1991 NEW FOSSIL ANOCHETUS 139

10 citations



Journal Article
TL;DR: In the austral spring of 1988 detailed observations of this species were made from northwestern Patagonia to the Beagle Channel, leading to the rearing of both northern and far-southern populations and the discovery that Herrera and Field's Group A is even more differentiated from the rest of Tatochila than had been suspected.
Abstract: Tatochila theodice occurs in central Chile and (as three nominal subspecies) in Argentina from northwestern Patagonia to the Beagle Channel. It is unusual in its lineage in feeding on Leguminosae, including native species of Vicia and Lathyrus and probably introduced Trifolium. The early stages are so different from other known Tatochila that generic recognition may be warranted. The unusual distribution of the species can be understood in terms of glacial interglacial vegetation dynamics in southern South America. The evolutionary basis for repeated switching from Cruciferous to Leguminous hosts in the Andean Pierini is not understood. This is the eighth in a series of papers describing the life histories of the Pierini of the Andean region. Because of its alleged Holarctic derivation, this is an important group for reconstructing the historical biogeography of the Andean biota (Brown, 1987; Descimon, 1986; Shapiro, 1989, 1990a). The largest pierine genus of the Andean region is Tatochila Butler, which was monographed by Herrera and Field (1959). They identified five species-groups, based on male genitalic characters and wing patterns. Group A consists only of T. theodice Boisduval and its two subspecies, gymnodice Staudinger from southern Patagonia and northern Fuegia and staudingeri Field from southern Fuegia. The form of the aedeagus in Group A is unique in the Andean Pierini. The wing pattern is complete and invariant in both sexes; the ventral hindwing vein-lines are narrow and sharply defined. Although T. t. theodice occurs in metropolitan Santiago, Chile it has not been previously reared and its biology has remained a mystery. Unlike other Chilean Tatochila, it is restricted to riparian corridors in the Andean and Coast Range foot hills, has no consistent association with normal pierine hosts, and will not oviposit on these plants in captivity (Kellner and Shapiro, 1983). Shapiro (unpubl. data) had by 1988 failed consistently to obtain ova from all three Argentine subspecies, using conventional pierine hosts. In Tierra del Fuego, T. t. staudingeri was found commonly where no such plants occur. In the austral spring of 1988 detailed observations of this species were made from northwestern Patagonia to the Beagle Channel, leading to the rearing of both northern and far-southern populations and the discovery that Herrera and Field's Group A is even more differentiated from the rest of Tatochila than had been suspected. Detailed documentation of the geographic range of T. theodice also led to the recognition of a pattern of probable importance for the interpretation of regional biota in a Qua ternary framework. This content downloaded from 146.155.157.57 on Mon, 13 Apr 2015 18:33:59 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 252 JOURNAL OF THE NEW YORK ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Vol. 99(2) Adult T. theodice from the northern part of its range in Argentina (Loncopue, Neuquen at least to Esquel, Chubut) are indistinguishable from Chilean material. The type locality of theodice is uncertain. No type specimen has been found and no neotype designated, but Herrera and Field (1959, pp. 477-478) restricted the type locality to \"central Chile,\" apparently defined as from Los Andes (metropolitan Santiago) to Victoria, Malleco. The nominate subspecies thus occurs in two segments with almost no latitudinal overlap, separated by the high Andean crest. The subspecies gymnodice was described from Punta Arenas, Magallanes, Chile; staudingeri, from Puerto Harberton in Argentine Tierra del Fuego. Herrera and Field had little material. Examination of over 100 Fuegian specimens reveals unambigu ously that they intergrade completely. Although gymnodice is usual on the southern Patagonian mainland, I have not found any \"pure\" population of either subspecies in Fuegia. Tatochila theodice was the commonest butterfly near Rio Grande, Argen tine Tierra del Fuego in November 1988; both subspecies phenotypes and inter mediates occur abundantly in a series of 56 d 30 9 collected 25 November. In addition, the females are dimorphic (white and yellow), a previously unreported trait. Although this population cannot be characterized as one subspecies or the other, it is one of the southernmost known and offers a good comparison to the Chilean or northwestern Patagonian populations of nominate theodice. It will be referred to here simply as the \"Fuegian population.\" MATERIALS AND METHODS On 13 November 1988 a female was taken flying near watercress at Junin de los Andes, Neuquen, northwest Argentine Patagonia. The following day a large colony was found on a boggy hillside seep near the shore of Lake Nahuel Huapi at San Carlos de Bariloche, Rio Negro. Many males were seen patrolling, and three females observed near but not in patches of watercress. When no ovipositions had been seen in two hours, one of these females was collected. It and the Junin female were confined with watercress and dandelion flowers, both kept fresh with Water-Piks. By 20 No vember both females had died and a total of 18 eggs and one first-instar larva was found. The eggs had been laid on watercress, dandelions and the sides of the container. This was the first oviposition secured from this species in 11 years of trying. As the eggs hatched it became evident that the larvae would (and did) starve to death rather than eat watercress. Recalling the unexpected legume-feeding habit of Tatochila distincta Joergensen (Shapiro, 1986) and the abundance of naturalized white clover (Trifolium repens L.) at both the Junin and Bariloche sites, I added this plant and the surviving larvae accepted it at once. These larvae form the basis for the descrip tions of the early stages of nominate T. theodice below; they were reared on T. repens under uncontrolled conditions in transit, ultimately eclosing in Davis. Observations were made at Rio Grande, Tierra del Fuego from 24-27 November 1988. The vegetation of the Rio Grande site is described in Shapiro (1990b). Two Crucifers were present: Thlaspi magellanicum Comm. ex Poiret and Draba magel lanica Lam. Neither was common; their combined biomass could not possibly sup port so dense a butterfly population. Fortunately, it was realized almost immediately that the host plants were two species of herbaceous vetches (Leguminosae), Vicia bijuga Gillies and V. magellanica Hooker, which trail on the ground and within This content downloaded from 146.155.157.57 on Mon, 13 Apr 2015 18:33:59 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 1991 TATOCHILA THEODICE 253 clumps of bunchgrass. They form an enormous biomass which, however, is incon spicuous when they are not in flower. Numerous ovipositions by at least six different females were observed over three days. Eggs are laid singly on leaves and stems with little consistency in position. Captive females oviposited on both vetches as well as the larger native Fuegian vetch Lathyrus magellanicus Lam., which was not present at this site. Larvae initiated feeding at once on all three plants, but rearing in transit was again on the readily available Trifolium repens. (This plant is naturalized in pastures in Fuegia from which the native vegetation is largely extirpated and also occurs in towns. T. theodice does not occur in its habitats.) Six wild-collected Fuegian females were confined singly for 3-6 days with dan delions and various combinations of other common native plants from the Rio Grande site, none ofwhich elicited any ovipositions. The plants used were: Cruciferae: Thlaspi magellanicum, Draba magellanica, Cardamineglacialis (Forster) D.C.; Prim ulaceae: Primula magellanica Lehm.; Oxalidaceae: Oxalis enneaphylla Cav.; Com positae: Perezia pilifera (D. Don.) Hooker & Am., P. magellanica Lag., P. recurvata (Vahl.) Less., Hypochaeris incana (Hooker & Am.) Hoffman & Dusen, and Senecio magellanicus Hooker & Am. Failure of these females to lay under identical conditions to those eliciting abundant oviposition on legumes was treated as significant. Over 50 Rio Grande larvae were reared, and matings and a second lab generation (on T. repens in Davis) secured. During a brief stay in Buenos Aires a number of Legumes and non-Leguminous weeds were collected from urban vacant lots and offered to secondand early third-instar Rio Grande larvae which had been eating Trifolium repens. Cuttings were presented in groups of 2-3 species, always including one Legume; larvae had been starved for at least 3 hr. The plants used were: Leguminosae: Vicia benghalensis L., V. angustifolia L., Medicago lupulina L., Medicago hispida Gaert., Medicago arabica (L.) Huds., Melilotus alba Desr. ex Lam.; Cruciferae: Sisymbrium officinale (L.) Scop., Brassica campestris L., Lepidium bonariense L.; Polygonaceae: Polygonum aviculare L.; and Chenopodiaceae: Atriplex hastata L. (=A. patula var. hastata). No feeding was observed after 12 hr and the larvae were returned to T. repens. Descriptions of the Fuegian population are based on notes from life and preserved material of the first generation from Rio Grande.


Journal Article
TL;DR: Two new species of Caliothrips, C. floridensis and C. multistriatus, are described from the United States and a key is provided for the 10 species in the Nearctic Region.
Abstract: Two new species of Caliothrips, C. floridensis and C. multistriatus, are described from the United States. Caliothrips insularis (Hood) is a new record for the United States. A key is provided for ten Nearctic species. The genus Caliothrips was reviewed by Wilson (1975) in his monograph of the subfamily Panchaetothripinae (Thripidae). He treated 18 species of the world in cluding eight species from the Nearctic Region. Of the eight species, C. fasciatus (Pergande) and C. phaseoli (Hood) are pests of agricultural crops (Ananthakrishnan, 1984; Bailey, 1937). In this paper two new species are described, C. floridensis from Florida, and C. multistriatus, previously misidentified as C. phaseoli from south eastern United States. Caliothrips insularis (Hood) is a new record for the United States and its known distribution and host plants are given. A key is provided for the 10 species in the Nearctic Region.


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The larva of the myrmicine genus Blepharidatta is described for the first time and illustrated and the genus is transferred from the tribe Ochetomyrmecini to a new tribe Blephari-.
Abstract: —The larva of the myrmicine genus Blepharidatta is described for the first time and illustrated. The genus is transferred from the tribe Ochetomyrmecini to a new tribe Blephari-



Journal Article
TL;DR: Both sexes of two new species of Teratembiidae from Argentina, are described and illustrated, including Diradius erba, n.
Abstract: -Both sexes of two new species of Teratembiidae from Argentina, are described and illustrated. Oligembia mini, n. sp. is closest to Oligembia bicolor Ross, 1944. Diradius erba, n. sp. is closest to Oligembia unicolor Ross, 1944 (which seems to belong to Diradius). Embiidina is a group well defined by a series of morphological and behavioral characters (Ross, 1970; Hennig, 1981). Most of the characters considered important for species recognition in this group refer to male characters, mainly terminalia, coloration, form and size of eyes, wing venation, and size and number of papillae on the hind basitarsus. The only female characters mentioned in the literature to distinguish species are total length, coloration, and number of papillae on the hind basitarsus (Ross, 1944, 1970). However, the hind basitarsus chaetotaxy, and the form and position of papillae in females (previously illustrated for males of some species, in papers by Krauss, 1911; Davis, 1939a, b, 1940a, b, 1942; Ross, 1957, 1971) also present specific differences; in the description of two species of Teratembiidae from Argentina, those characters are used for the first time in females. These characters are also used in the males of the two new species and also in those of 0. unicolor and 0. bicolor. MATERIALS AND METHODS All measurements are given in millimeters. Ocular ratio is defined as the ratio between minimum distance between inner edges of eyes, and maximum distance of outer edges, in dorsal view. The material examined is deposited in the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales Bernardino Rivadavia (MACN) and in the Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales de la Universidad de Buenos Aires (FCEN). Abbreviations used follow Ross (1944 and subsequent papers): 9T, ninth abdom inal tergite; lOT, tenth abdominal tergite; lOL, left hemitergite of tenth abdominal tergite; 1 OR, right hemitergite of tenth abdominal tergite; MS, medial sclerite of tenth abdominal tergite; 1OLP, process of left hemitergite; lORP, process of right hemi tergite; EP, epiproct; LPPT, left paraproct; RPPT, right paraproct; H, hypandrium or ninth abdominal sternite; HP, process of ninth sternite; LCB, left cercus-basipodite; RCB, right cercus-basipodite; LCBP, process of left cercus-basipodite. Descriptions are based on only one specimen; variation observed on other spec imens is pointed out separately, with the mean value followed by standard deviation and range, in parentheses; for proportions, only the range is given. Setae are omitted in the drawings of terminalia. This content downloaded from 207.46.13.118 on Sun, 11 Sep 2016 06:12:46 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 612 JOURNAL OF THE NEW YORK ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Vol. 99(4) Genus Diradius Friederichs, 1934 According to Ross (1984b:45) this genus differs from Oligembia Davis by the following characters of the male terminalia: 1-"... complete absence of fusion lines between lOL, lOR and medial sclerite (MS) . 2-"... outer side of the right hemitergite (1OR) ... at least as long as outer margin of lOL ...." 3-"... usual presence of lobe beneath the "claw"-bearing lobe of the left cercus-basipodite ...." The only character that really distinguishes Diradius from Oligembia (and all the embidiina) is the last one, previously mentioned by Ross (1944:476) as "LCB with two inner lobes, the ventral one usually shorter and broadly pointed, the upper lobe enlongate with a terminal cleft forming rather long "claws" which may at times be fused together ...." Species transferred by Ross (1984a:90) to the genus Diradius lack the former two characters mentioned. Diradius lobatus (Ross, 1944: fig. 128); Diradius excissa (Ross, 1944: fig. 139); Diradius plaumanni (Ross, 1944: fig. 143); Diradius vandikei (Ross, 1944: fig. 152); Diradius nigrina (Ross, 1944: fig. 149), have a "fusion line" between 1 OL and MS. Although some species of Diradius differ from Oligembia in this char acter, the same is not true for all the species in the genus. The situation is similar with regard to the outer margin of the lOR. Diradius chiapae (Ross, 1944: fig. 137), D. excissa (Ross, 1944: fig. 140) and D. nigrina (Ross, 1944: fig. 150), have the outer margin of the 1 OR slightly shorter than the outer margin of the 1 OL, and species as D. plaumanni (Ross, 1944: fig. 143), D. gigantea (Ross, 1944: fig. 146), D. vandykei (Ross, 1944: fig. 152) and D. caribbeana (Ross, 1944: fig. 155), have the outer margin of the lOR clearly shorter than that of the 1 OL. Diradius erba, new species (Figs. 1, 5, 9, 11, 17, 18, 21, 23, 29) Diagnosis. Diradius erba is closest to Oligembia unicolor Ross, 1944. Diradius erba has the apex of LCBP with lateral margins convergent and straight, with two blunt apical spines, the anterior margin of the submentum with two triangular mesial projections, the margin of lOL, lOR and MS with depressions towards the base of 1 ORP, marked by deep lines. Oligembia unicolor, instead, has the apex of LCBP with lateral margins irregular and divergent, forming a circular plate with two projecting spines, the anterior margin of submentum rounded, and the margin of 1 OL, 1 OR and MS without depressions. Types. Holotype male (in alcohol) from Argentina, Entre Rios Prov., Balneario La Lana, 5 6 XII 1987, C. Szumik, P. Goloboff col. (MACN) Paratypes: three males, same data as the holotype (MACN); male and female from Argentina: Buenos Aires Prov., Otamendi, INTA Delta, 14 15 XII 1988, C. Szumik, A. Valverde col. (MACN). Etymology. The specific name is formed with the initials of the provinces where the species has been collected. Male holotype. Total length: 4.90. Head (Fig. 1): rectangular, width/length, 0.68. Eyes very small, ocular ratio: 0.74. Mandibles (Fig. 1): left with three very short, inconspicuous teeth in the tip; inner margins with a very sharp and conspicuous basal tooth. Submentum: anterior margin with two short triangular projections and a small notch between them (Fig. 5). Wing lengths: anterior, 3.40; posterior, 2.75. Wing venation similar to the venation illustrated by Marifio and Marquez (1982: This content downloaded from 207.46.13.118 on Sun, 11 Sep 2016 06:12:46 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 1991 NEW TERATEMBIIDAE 613

Journal Article
TL;DR: Life history data is included for Chlorops certimus Adams and Epichlorops exilis (Coquillett), two stem-boring species that attack sedges belonging to the genus Carex that emerge in northeastern Ohio in early to mid-June.
Abstract: -The life cycles of Chlorops certimus and Epichlorops exilis are described and illustrated. The adults are found in freshwater marshes where their host plants, species of the sedge genus Carex, occur. Eggs are deposited on the sheathing leaves of the host, and the larvae are stem borers. Both species are univoltine, overwintering as nearly mature larvae near the base of the sedge culm. Puparia are formed within the culm, and adults emerge in northeastern Ohio in early to mid-June. The family Chloropidae, containing about 1,300 species in the world, is one of the more intriguing and colorful members of the cyclorrhaphous Diptera. Some 270 species and 55 genera have been recorded from the Nearctic Region (Sabrosky, 1987). Phylogenetically, the Chloropidae are placed in the superfamily Ephydroidea, a size able taxon that includes 9 families of Acalyptratae (McAlpine et al., 1981). The Chloropidae is one of the four major families of Diptera that have largely phytophagous larvae (Oldroyd, 1964), being associated particularly with grasses, sedges, and rushes. A few of the plant-feeding forms, such as the frit fly (Oscinella ftit [L.]) and the wheat stem maggot (Meromyza americana Fitch), have become economically important pests of cereals and pasture grasses. In addition to the nu merous phytophagous species, there are a fair number of chloropid taxa that have saprophagous larvae and even a few that are predaceous (Oldroyd, 1964; Ferrar, 1987; Sabrosky, 1987). Many of the scavenger species are secondary invaders of plant tissue that has been damaged by the feeding of other insect larvae (Valley et al., 1969). A few species of Chloropidae are of some medical significance. For example. eye gnats of the genus Liohippelates (formerly Hippelates) are suspected to be vectors of various eye disorders and yaws (Herms, 1928). Most research on the biology of the family has been restricted to species having agricultural or medical significance, although most chloropids are not thought to be economically important. A few species of Chlorops, Eribolus, Elachiptera, and Os cinella have been reported to be primary or secondary invaders of stems of wetland monocots belonging to the sedge family Cyperaceae (Valley et al., 1969). ' Present address: U.S. Forest Service, Federal Bldg., Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102. 2 Present address: Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521. This content downloaded from 207.46.13.10 on Mon, 12 Sep 2016 04:13:53 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 1991 BIOLOGY AND IMMATURE STAGES 665 This paper includes life history data for Chlorops certimus Adams and Epichlorops exilis (Coquillett), two stem-boring species that attack sedges belonging to the genus Carex. The eggs, 3 larval instars, and puparia for both species are described and illustrated. MATERIALS AND METHODS Collecting Techniques Adults were obtained by sweeping herbaceous vegetation in marshy habitats oc curring in northeastern Ohio. Captured adults were aspirated alive into 8-dram shell vials and transported to the laboratory where they were placed in breeding chambers. The latter consisted of baby food jars (5 x 7 cm) which had their bottoms removed. A piece of fine mesh nylon was placed over the mouth of the jar and held in place by a rubber band. The open end of the jar was then placed in a petri dish that contained a substrate of moist peat moss. A small pellet of a mixture of honey and brewers' yeast, for adult feeding, was pressed against the upper side of the glass wall. Freshly cut stem sections of potential host plants were placed vertically into the peat moss to provide resting and oviposition sites. Stems were replaced every 2 days. The breeding containers were inspected daily for adult behavior and oviposition. When eggs were observed, they were carefully removed with a fine camel's hair brush, counted, measured, and placed in small petri dishes containing a piece of moist filter paper. A portion of the leaf blade was also included as substrate. Newly hatched larvae were either set up for life cycle studies or preserved for illustration purposes. Larval stages were collected in nature by examining potential host plants belonging to the Cyperaceae and other monocot families occurring in the study area. Roots, stems, and inflorescences of suspected host plants were dissected and examined in the field. Immature stages were transferred, along with a portion of the host plant, to an 8-dram shell vial, corked, and held for further investigation. Additional host plants were uprooted, placed in large plastic bags, and taken to the laboratory. Plants brought back to the laboratory were slit open, and data concerning instar, feeding habits, and position of larvae recorded. Larvae were then transferred to fresh stems and placed in 8-dram shell vials which, in turn, were put into a beaker mea suring 9 x 9.5 cm. The beakers (containing as many as six vials) were put into plastic bags (to maintain proper humidity) and placed in a long-day photochamber (16L: 8D) set to promote maximum freshness of the stems (ca. 20?C) without interfering with larval development. Infested stems were checked every 2 days for information concerning feeding habits and duration of larval stadia. Recently formed puparia were maintained in the sedge culms which were cut into 4 cm lengths and held on moist peat moss in petri dishes. Daily observations provided information on the duration of the prepupal and pupal periods and emergence times of the adults. Preservation and Preparation of Specimens Eggs were preserved in 1/4 dram vials containing KAAD, plugged with cotton, and stored in 8-dram vials containing 80% ethanol. Larvae were killed either by dropping them in boiling water or by placing them into a stender dish containing KAAD This content downloaded from 207.46.13.10 on Mon, 12 Sep 2016 04:13:53 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 666 JOURNAL OF THE NEW YORK ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Vol. 99(4) solution. They were stored in 80% ethanol. Gross morphology was studied by placing eggs and larvae in a small stender dish containing 80% ethanol. To study minute morphological structures, larvae were dissected with iridectomy scissors, the soft parts being teased away with sharpened minuten pins embedded in the tips of wooden match sticks. Taxonomically important structures (cephalopharyn geal skeletons and anterior and posterior spiracles) were dissected out of the larvae and/or cast exuviae whenever possible. These structures were transferred to micro scope slides containing a drop of glycerine and stored in large petri dishes. Occa sionally the first and last three segments of the third-instar larvae were dissected away and cleared in hot NaOH or KOH for 5 minutes, after which they were trans ferred to a depression slide containing a drop of glycerine, and stored in petri dishes. Puparia were killed in KAAD, measured, and then preserved in 80% ethanol. Puparia that produced adults were placed in #5 gelatin capsules and pinned below the reared adult. BIOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS


Journal Article
TL;DR: Results of choice tests in the laboratory suggest apple blotch leafminer moths do not discriminate against oviposition sites previously occupied by freshly deposited conspecific eggs, and commercial apple growers may improve control of this pest by applying adulticides just prior to or during the first warm, calm evening in early spring when foliage and leafminers adults are present.
Abstract: -Observations of oviposition by apple blotch leafminer moths, Phyllonorycter cra taegella (Clemens), on apple foliage in the field and in the laboratory indicated oviposition occurred solely on the undersides of leaves, and primarily on the middle third of the leaf (between petiole and apical tip), midway between the mid-vein and margin. A stereotypical sequence of events lasting ca. 1 min was observed prior to egg deposition. This included walking while tapping the leaf underside with the antennae, probing a small area (ca. 1 cm2) of the leaf with the ovipositor, and violent side-to-side shaking of the abdomen at egg deposition. Results of choice tests in the laboratory suggest apple blotch leafminer moths do not discriminate against oviposition sites previously occupied by freshly deposited conspecific eggs. Our results indicate commercial apple growers may improve control of this pest by applying adulticides just prior to or during the first warm, calm evening in early spring when foliage and leafminer adults are present. The apple blotch leafminer, Phyllonorycter crataegella (Clemens) (ABLM), one of several gracillariid species infesting apple in North America, is distributed throughout much of New England, west to the Hudson River Valley, and south to Virginia (Beckham et al., 1950; Weires et al., 1980; Coli and Prokopy, 1982; Maier, 1983; Van Driesche and Taub, 1983). It parasitizes at least 17 host plants in 7 genera in New England (Maier, 1985). The ABLM completes three generations per year, with the first adults emerging in early spring from pupae in the previous season's leaves. Female ABLM deposit eggs singly on the undersides of host leaves from midto late afternoon until dark (Green and Prokopy, 1984). Adult ABLM and larval mines are concentrated in the lower part of apple tree canopies in commercial orchards during the first generation, spreading upwards in succeeding generations (Beckham et al., 1950; Green et al., 1987). ABLM has achieved major pest status in commercial apple orchards in New York and New England over the past 13 years due to its development of resistance to organophosphate insecticides (Weires, 1977; Weires et al., 1982; Van Driesche et al., 1985). Heavy infestations can cause premature fruit ripening and drop, reduced fruit size and reduced fruit set the following season (Reissig et al., 1982). The oviposition behavior of this insect may have important implications for pest management pro grams (Green et al., 1987). Competition for resources could be more important for leaf-mining insects than for species that are more mobile in larval stages (Bultman and Faeth, 1985), as leafminers typically spend their entire larval life within one leaf or portion of a leaf. Intraspecific competition has been demonstrated for other leaf-mining insects (Parel This content downloaded from 207.46.13.156 on Sat, 10 Sep 2016 05:49:16 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 1991 OVIPOSITION BEHAVIOR 655 la, 1983; Quiring and McNeil, 1984; Potter, 1985), including gracillariid species (Martin, 1956; Bultman and Faeth, 1986). If competition is important, evolution may favor the development of mechanisms allowing individuals to detect and avoid resources already occupied by conspecifics (Prokopy, 1972; McNeil and Quiring, 1983; Prokopy et al., 1984). Some of these mechanisms may have potential in pest management programs (Prokopy, 1981; Roitberg and Prokopy, 1987). The objectives of the following study were to describe the oviposition behavior of female ABLM, and examine possible discrimination against host leaves previously occupied by conspecific eggs. MATERIALS AND METHODS All observations of ABLM oviposition in the field (experiment 1) were conducted in commercial apple orchards in New England during 1983 and 1984, as part of a larger study of ABLM behavior (Green and Prokopy, unpubl. data). An area within the canopy of an apple tree was selected at random, and the undersides of leaves were searched until an ABLM adult was located. The activity of the moth was recorded for 5 min, or until the moth flew out of sight of the observer. We recorded the number of ovipositions, leaves visited, repeat visits to the same leaf, and whether a moth arrived on a leaf by flight or by walking. ABLM observed in the laboratory (experiments 2, 3, 4) were collected as pupae in leaves from commercial apple orchards in western Massachusetts. The portions of leaves containing mines were held individually in 30 ml plastic cups until adult emergence. Upon emergence, males and females were placed collectively in a 3.8 1 glass jar, the opening of which was covered with organdy cloth to permit air circu lation. Each morning, mating pairs were removed from the jar and placed in the cups until females were used for experimentation the following day. Throughout, ABLM adults were provided free access to spring-water-soaked dental wicks, and maintained under natural lighting in front of a large screened window. All laboratory experiments, conducted on a table placed in front of this window, occurred from 1600-2100 hours (Eastern Standard Time), the time of peak ABLM oviposition in the field (Green and Prokopy, unpubl. data). Foliage used in laboratory experiments was collected daily from unsprayed apple trees and carefully examined to exclude leaves with leafminer eggs or larval mines. Only basal leaves (or fruit cluster leaves, experiment 4) of growing terminals were selected for use in the choice tests to provide, uniform leaf age and quality. Leaves were maintained on the terminals, held in water-filled vials. Average leaf size in experiments 2 and 3 was 6.2 by 4.2 cm. During the summer of 1984, 23 ABLM were observed individually in the laboratory for 3 hr each (experiment 2). Each moth was held in a vertical cylindrical cage of clear acetate (14 cm diameter, 25 cm height), containing an apple terminal with 8 leaves. The base of the terminal extended through a hole in the floor of the cage (a plastic petri dish bottom) into a vial containing water. The top of the cage was covered with organdy cloth to allow air circulation. ABLM females were placed singly in a stoppered vial within the cage, and were allowed to acclimate for 5 min before the cotton stopper was removed (remotely, by pulling a string) and observations were This content downloaded from 207.46.13.156 on Sat, 10 Sep 2016 05:49:16 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 656 JOURNAL OF THE NEW YORK ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Vol. 99(4) begun. The number and sequence of leaf visits, number and location of ovipositions, and the sequence of behaviors involved in oviposition were timed and recorded. After 3 hours, the moth was removed from the cage. The number of ovipositions was confirmed by examination of leaves under a microscope, and the length and width of each leaf was measured and recorded. The location of the first egg only (to eliminate any influence of previous ovipositions) on each leaf was plotted according to distance from petiole, margin, and midrib. In experiment 3, conducted during the summer of 1984, individual ABLM females (caged as in experiment 2) were provided with a terminal of 2 leaves, one containing 1 or 8 ABLM eggs (oviposited < 30 hr previously) and one without prior ovipositions (=clean). Each female was observed 30 min or until the first oviposition. Each female was pre-tested by being allowed to oviposit freely on a clean leaf until it left the leaf. Only females which oviposited at least once in the pretest were used in the experiment. In experiment 4, conducted in July of 1987, individually-caged ABLM females were provided with 2 small leaves (average size 2.3 by 1.4 cm), one clean and one with 1 or 2 prior ovipositions. The leaf half (right or left of the midvein) containing or receiving eggs was noted. ABLM females were pre-tested by being offered 3 pairs of clean leaves in succession, the next pair being offered after one oviposition. Only females which oviposited three times prior to the assay were used.



Journal Article
TL;DR: Two new species of Nearctic Chloroperlidae are described: Sweltsa voshelli from Virginia and Suwallia wardi from Colorado, and a key is provided for the identification of adult males of the eastern Nearctic species of Sweltinga.
Abstract: -Two new species of Nearctic Chloroperlidae are described: Sweltsa voshelli from Virginia and Suwallia wardi from Colorado. A key is provided for the identification of adult males of the eastern Nearctic species of Sweltsa. There are presently 22 Nearctic Sweltsa species, of which six are eastern in dis tribution (Kirchner and Kondratieff, 1988; Stark et al., 1986; Surdick, 1985). A seventh species has been known from the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern Virginia for some time, and is described below. Sweltsa voshelli Kondratieff and Kirchner, new species Male.-Body length 7.0-7.5 mm; length of forewing 8.5-9.0 mm. General color bright yellow in life (yellow-white in alcohol). Pronotum with black margin, no center stripe. Middorsal region of abdominal terga 1-9 with black dash or mark. Terga 9 with transverse ridge (Figs. 1-2). Epiproct erectile, elongate, inflated, forming a flange dorsally (Fig. 1), in lateral view tapering evenly to a hook (Figs. 2-3). Female.-Body length 8.0-9.0 mm; length of forewing 9.0-10.0. General habitus and coloration similar to male. Subgenital plate rounded, extending to 8th sternum. Types.-Holotype male, allotype female, Patrick Co., Virginia, small spring-fed stream bordering cemetery, Co. Rt. 605, 10 May 1982, B. C. Kondratieff; paratypes: same data as holotype 23 males, 10 females; same data except 10 May 1983, 10 males, 6 females; same data except 24 May 1990, B. C. Kondratieff, R. F. Kirchner and J. L. Welch, 7 males and 26 females; Patrick Co., Big Cherry Creek, Co. Rt. 637, 27 May 1983, B. C. Kondratieff, 1 male. The holotype and 3 paratypes will be deposited in the collection of the United States Museum of Natural History, the remaining paratypes in the Kirchner Collec tion, Colorado State University Insect Collection, Virginia Tech, and Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum, Brigham Young University. Etymology.-This species is named in honor of Dr. J. Reese Voshell, Jr., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University for his many contributions to knowledge of the aquatic insects of Virginia. He also helped stimulate the senior author's interest in aquatic biology. Diagnosis. -Sweltsa voshelli belongs to a group of species which include S. mediana This content downloaded from 157.55.39.78 on Wed, 22 Jun 2016 06:11:32 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 200 JOURNAL OF THE NEW YORK ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Vol. 99(2) Figs. 1-3. Sweltsa voshelli. 1. male terminalia, dorsal view. 2. male terminalia, lateral view. 3. epiproct, lateral view. (Banks), S. onkos (Ricker), S. pocahontas Kirchner and Kondratieff, and S. urticae (Ricker). The male is most similar to S. urticae, but it can be easily distinguished by the even tapering of the epiproct to its hook (in lateral view) (Figs. 2-3), whereas, the epiproct of S. urticae abruptly narrows basally and has a U-shaped, notched hook (Fig. 7). The female of S. voshelli can be usually distinguished from all other eastern species by the combination of the prothorax lacking a brown or black center stripe and the rounded subgenital plate. However, the subgenital plate is similar to S. pocahontas and S. urticae. Other stoneflies collected with S. voshelli were S. lateralis (Banks), Alloperla usa Ricker, Peltoperla tarteri Stark and Kondratieff, Ostrocerca truncata (Claassen), Am phinemura nigritta (Provancher), and Isoperla sp. The following key will separate males of the seven eastern species of Sweltsa. KEY TO THE MALES OF EASTERN NEARCrIC SPECIES OF SWELTSA 1. Epiproct spatulate, flattened dorsoventrally (Fig. 4); head with dark pattern ........ S. naica (Provancher) Epiproct laterally compressed or inflated, terminating in a hook process (Figs. 2, 3, 5 9); head pale, at most with dark ocellar rings 2 2. Prothorax margined with dark brown or black 3 Prothorax not margined brown or black 6 This content downloaded from 157.55.39.78 on Wed, 22 Jun 2016 06:11:32 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 1991 NEARCTIC CHLOROPERLIDAE 201 8 9 Figs. 4-9. 4. Sweltsa naica, epiproct dorsal. 5. Sweltsa lateralis, epiproct lateral. 6. Sweltsa pocahontas, epiproct dorsal. 7. Sweltsa urticae, epiproct lateral. 8. Sweltsa mediana, epiproct lateral. 9. Sweltsa onkos, epiproct lateral. 3. Epiproct in lateral view, long, slender, with hook recurved (Fig. 5) ... S. lateralis (Banks) Epiproct in lateral view, short, expanded basally; hook not recurved (Figs. 2, 3, 6-9) ...... 4 4. In dorsal view, epiproct inflated basally, flanged dorsally before hook (Fig. 1) ........ 5 In dorsal view, epiproct not inflated basally, subparallel before hook (Fig. 6) . I S. pocahontas Kirchner and Kondratieff 5. In lateral view, epiproct evenly tapering to hook (Fig. 1) S. voshelli Kondratieff and Kirchner This content downloaded from 157.55.39.78 on Wed, 22 Jun 2016 06:11:32 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 202 JOURNAL OF THE NEW YORK ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY Vol. 99(2)