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Wetland biodiversity is currently declining on a global scale. Wetland biodiversity understanding is critical for determining the wetlands' conservation value. In this study, Macroplea Samouelle, 1819 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) was discovered in Aomori Prefecture, Honshu Island, Japan. Only two Macroplea species have been recorded in Japan, M. japana (Jacoby, 1885) and M. mutica (Fabricius, 1792). Macroplea japana had been unrecorded for 60 years before being rediscovered in Honshu Island in 2022, and a single adult M. mutica female was discovered in Hokkaido Prefecture in 2003. The discovered individuals were concluded to be M. mutica based on morphological and molecular analyses. Although morphological differences were observed with the Eurasian M. mutica individuals, the male genitalia was nearly identical to M. mutica. For the molecular phylogenetic analysis based on COI and 28S sequences, Macroplea individuals in Japan were clustered with M. mutica on the Eurasian Continent. This is the first record of this species on Honshu Island (and the second in Japan), as well as the first record of adult males. This species would require conservation policies and additional distributional surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cymbella janischii, an invasive species of diatom, has been broadening its geographical range in Japan since 2004, flourishing in substantial colonies in river beds. As thick and mucilaginous colonies of this diatom often cover large areas of river beds, this elicits concerns regarding the potential alteration of sedimentary bottom structures and resultant effects on the native ecosystems. The presence of the diatoms growing on the body surface of two aquatic beetles, Grouvellinus nitidus (Elmidae) and Ectopria opaca (Psephenidae) in a Japanese river was confirmed. This constitutes the inaugural documentation of invasive diatoms having a specific relationship with native aquatic insects at an individual level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The population of the diving beetle Cybister rugosus (Macleay, 1825) has been declining in recent years, and it is designated as "Vulnerable" (VU) in the Red List of Japan. However, there have been no quantitative studies on the feeding habits of the larval stage of this beetle. Revealing the feeding habits is indispensable for understanding the life history of C. rugosus. In the current study, we reared C. rugosus larvae on different prey taxa (Odonata nymph, fish, tadpole, and shrimp) and evaluated their growth and survival rates. Previous studies have shown that three congeneric Cybister species larvae feed mainly on invertebrates. However, all larval instars of C. rugosus were able to feed on invertebrates and vertebrates and grow. Thus, we considered C. rugosus to be a generalist compared to the other Cybister species. The larval periods were shorter for C. rugosus that fed on Odonata nymphs than on any other prey. Feeding different prey taxa had no significant effect on the body length of newly emerged adult males. However, the body length of newly emerged adult females was larger when the larvae fed on Odonata nymphs than when the larvae fed on fish. As in other Cybister species, we concluded that the Odonata nymph is an appropriate food from the viewpoint of increased growth rate in C. rugosus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of landscape and local environmental factors on the community structure of carrion beetles (silphid and dung beetles) and the abundance of major species in artificial (agricultural and urban landscapes) and forest landscapes in northeastern Japan. Eight study sites were set up in forest landscapes, six in agricultural landscapes, and six in urban landscapes. From June to October 2019, we collected carrion beetles using 385 pitfall traps. A total of 2,119 carrion beetles belonging to 15 species were captured. This included six species of silphid beetles and nine species of dung beetles. The non‐metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) for carrion beetle community showed that carrion beetles have different community structures in forest landscapes compared to other landscapes. Generalized dissimilarity modeling (GDM) showed that canopy openness and a landscape factor had the large influence on the community structure. The generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) showed that the abundance of the major species was low in open environments. This study indicates that the community structure of carrion beetles differs depending on the landscape in northeastern Japan. The local environment, especially the canopy openness, had a great influence on the community structure and abundance of carrion beetles. Anthropogenic changes at the landscape scale may alter carrion beetle community by significantly changing the local and surrounding environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cheilomenes sexmaculata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is widely distributed from intermediate latitude to equatorial regions. Here, we examined its genetic structure and diversity based on a 627 bp region of the mitochondrial COI gene. We then estimated its demographic changes over the past 30 000 years. We observed 22 haplotypes in 339 individuals from 29 sites in Japan and Taiwan. The 22 haplotypes were integrated into two haplotype groups: one group exists at higher frequencies in lower latitudes (22-26°N), whereas the other group appears at higher frequencies in higher latitudes (30-37°N). The effective population size of the group that predominates in higher latitudes increased from 15 000 to 10 000 years before present. In contrast, the size of the lower-latitude group has remained constant for 30 000 years. These data suggest that C. sexmaculata might have expanded its distribution northwards and could be increasing its population size since the last glacial period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In central Japan, Harmonia yedoensis is a specialist ladybird that is confined to pine tree habitats, whereas its sibling species Harmonia axyridis is a generalist that feeds on a wide range of aphid species in nature. Interestingly, H. axyridis is not distributed in the Ryukyu Archipelago, southern Japan. We hypothesized that the ecological niche of H. yedoensis should be wider in the Ryukyu Archipelago, where its competitor species in central Japan, H. axyridis, is absent. We undertook fieldwork and a survey of published works to examine habitat utilization by H. yedoensis in the Ryukyu Archipelago. We found that H. yedoensis adults in the Ryukyu Archipelago visited several kinds of deciduous trees, including wild tamarind, Chinese hibiscus, Taiwan cherry and Malayan banyan, as well as pine trees. These observations suggest that habitat generalization has occurred in H. yedoensis in the Ryukyu Archipelago, where it does not compete with H. axyridis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study quantified the numbers and sex ratio of adult Sericania hidana (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in a subalpine forest in 2017. Data from an area littered with coarse woody debris (CWD) created by a typhoon in 1959 were compared with those from an area where CWD had been cleared by salvage logging. Three types of traps were used: flight interception traps (FITs) with a black light, pitfall traps (PITs), and soil emergence traps (SETs). Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes were analyzed to evaluate S. hidana diets and habitats. Overall, there were more S. hidana in the unsalvaged sites than in the salvaged sites. The FITs captured only males but SETs captured both males and females. The SETs on CWD captured more S. hidana than did SETs on soil in both the salvaged and unsalvaged sites. The PITs captured only a few individuals; thus, PITs are not suitable for studying this insect, although such traps were previously reported to capture S. hidana adults. Stable isotope analyses suggested that S. hidana feeds on a variety of plant materials, including living plants and CWD. These results suggest that CWD has long-term effects on insect populations. Soil emergence traps provide an effective method to quantitatively evaluate insect ecology, and FITs can effectively screen for the existence of insects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Japanese species of the genus Agraphydrus are revised. Five species are recognized, including Agraphydrus ogatai sp. nov. from Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu. The new species can be distinguished by the coarse ground punctures on the pronotum and elytra, and by the shape of parameres. All species except A. luteilateralis are redescribed. All species are diagnosed, relevant morphological characters are illustrated, distributional records are summarized and an updated key is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rutaraphes shikokuensis gen. et sp. nov. is described from Shikoku, Japan. The new taxon belongs to a group of genera characterized by the lateral sutures demarcating the submentum and is most similar to Neuraphes and Scydmoraphes. Morphological structures of Rutaraphes are illustrated and possible affinities with other genera of Cyrtoscydmini are discussed. Keys to identification of Palearctic and Japanese genera of Cyrtoscydmini are given. Including Rutaraphes, 14 genera of Scydmaeninae are currently known to occur in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Japanese horned beetle Trypoxylus dichotomus septentrionalis and the Japanese stag beetles Lucanus maculifemoratus maculifemoratus and Prosopocoilus inclinatus inclinatus generally occur syntopically and aggregate on oak tree surfaces that exude sap. Securement of these sap sites might be directly linked to male reproductive success. Among the three species, it is likely that males of T. d. septentrionalis are dominant in occupation of feeding sites because of their larger body size. However, there is no clear evidence of this superiority. Moreover, if T. d. septentrionalis is dominant, the mechanism by which the two stag beetle species secure the feeding sites remains unclear. In the present study, I used body mass to compare the body size among males of T. d. septentrionalis, L. m. maculifemoratus and P. i. inclinatus. Further, to clarify the interspecific relationship between the horned beetle and the two stag beetles, I investigated the seasonality of emergence pattern of males at the feeding sites in the field. Comparison of body mass and observation of fighting behavior revealed that males of T. d. septentrionalis have an apparent superiority over males of the two stag beetle species. The seasonal emergence patterns of the two stag beetle species at the feeding sites showed bimodal distributions, and avoided the peak of emergence in T. d. septentrionalis. My results suggest that the two stag beetle species exhibit mate-securing tactics by emerging at the feeding sites early and late during the breeding season, in order to avoid encountering T. d. septentrionalis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many paddy fields in the mountainous rural areas of Japan have been abandoned since the 1960s, and forests have regenerated on these sites. In a mountainous area on Sado Island, a large number of abandoned paddies were converted into wetlands and open terrestrial vegetation. In this study, we used pitfall traps to examine the effects of the creation of open vegetation on carabid beetle assemblages by investigating 14 sites spanning five vegetation types: six sites in secondary forests (three coppice forests and three 40-year-old regenerating forests on abandoned paddies), three each in clear-cuts and paddy levees, and two in grasslands. The 14 study sites were clearly separated into two groups different in the species composition of carabid beetles: secondary forest and grassland-levee groups. The species composition of two clear-cut sites was similar to that of secondary forests, whereas that of the remaining one clear-cut site was similar to that of grasslands. Analyses of species responses showed various habitat preferences, e.g., for only coppice forests, for two types of secondary forests, for secondary forests and clear-cuts, for clear-cuts and grasslands, and for grasslands or levees, or no clear preference. There were no characteristic species in the regenerating forests. These results suggest that the 40-year-old regenerating forests may sustain only a limited subset of the carabid fauna found in coppice forests and that the creation of open vegetation in the abandoned paddies enhances carabid diversity at the landscape level by raising β diversity among the different vegetation types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phylogenetic relationships among the Japanese members of the genus Eubrianax (Coleoptera: Psephenidae) were examined using the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I ( COI) gene and nuclear 28S rRNA gene sequences. Based on the molecular phylogeny as well as morphological features, the species status of Eubrianax brunneicornisNakane, 1952 was proposed. The phylogenetic analyses recovered monophyly of the previously proposed pellucidus species group with four Japanese species, whereas a single Japanese species of the granicollis group was included in the lineage of the ramicornis group with five Japanese species. The divergence times of the species were estimated by dating the phylogenetic tree against the fossil record and a molecular clock based on the COI gene. The divergence of the Japanese species was inferred to have occurred during the Pliocene epoch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coconut hispine beetle Brontispa longissima has been causing serious damage to the coconut palm Cocos nucifera in the Pacific, and Southeast and East Asia. This beetle also attacks Satakentia liukiuensis, an endemic palm on Ishigaki and Iriomote Islands, Japan. To assess the potential impact of B. longissima on S. liukiuensis, we examined the development period, survival rate, egg production and body size of B. longissima on S. liukiuensis at 22-31°C and consumption of S. liukiuensis leaf at 28°C. We also examined these life history traits on C. nucifera at 28°C to compare with those on S. liukiuensis. Brontispa longissima completed their development and reproduced on S. liukiuensis at 22-30°C. Linear regression analysis was used to estimate the effective cumulative temperature ( k) as 891.2 degree-days, and the lower developmental threshold as 13.3°C. On the basis of these values and monthly average temperatures on Ishigaki Island, it was estimated that B. longissima has four generations per year on the island. Satakentia liukiuensis was less suitable for B. longissima than C. nucifera in terms of immature survival, development time, resultant adult size and reproduction. The low quality of S. liukiuensis as a host-plant may prevent the outbreak of B. longissima, which has not occurred yet on Ishigaki and Iriomote Islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to determine factors influencing ambrosia beetle guilds on Quercus serrata, we investigated ambrosia beetles guilds by using Q. serrata bait logs in three locations in the Central Japan. Timing of cutting trees and timing of exposure were artificially controlled. Influences of location, timing of cutting, timing of exposure and wood oldness on species richness, abundances and guild structure were analyzed. Species richness and abundance peaked on bolts prepared in April-May, on bolts exposed in July, and on 2-3-month-old bolts. Eliminating greatest influences of location on abundance, results of hierarchical partitioning showed that timing of cutting trees had a strong influence on both species richness and abundance. LOC-A (Aichi), in which Japanese oak wilt disease incidence occurred, showed the greatest species richness and the smallest value of Pielou's evenness. Abundance of the most major species was more than twice that of the second major species, which was a likely cause of the smallest evenness in LOC-A. Trees killed by the Japanese oak wilt disease may have increased the abundance of the major species. On the contrary, in LOC-C (Chichibu), alpha and beta diversity both given by Shannon index and Pielou's evenness were greatest among the three locations although species richness was smallest. High similarity between guilds in LOC-A and LOC-B (Chiba) was probably caused by similarity in vegetation. The location had the greatest effect on determining guild structure. Effect of timing of exposure was greater than timing of cutting. The effect of wood oldness was negligible. A hierarchical structure among the three factors was a likely cause of their relative importance determining guild structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular phylogenies of the genus Platycerus in Japan were characterized based on the nuclear 28S ribosomal RNA and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I ( COI) genes. These analyses, combined with our previous morphological information, revealed a detailed diversification process of Platycerus in Japan, as well as estimates of their divergence times. Japanese species were monophyletic and were inferred to have diverged to the acuticollis species group and all other species ca 1.69 Mya. The acuticollis species group then appeared to split into P. viridicuprus and a group including P. takakuwai, P. albisomni and P. acuticollis ca 1.26 Mya. Other specific divergences have occurred primarily since ca 0.33 Mya. Comparing the molecular trees and the morphological tree, we also found introgression of the COI gene in some species. Genetic divergence of Platycerus has occurred intensely in southwestern Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper discusses three Japanese species of Pteromalidae reared from cocoons of the rice beetle Oulema oryzae (Kuwayama, 1929) (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae). Pteromalus cyclostomus Ishizaki sp. nov. is described. Spaniopus monospilus (Thomson, 1878) and Usubaia liparae Kamijo, 1983 are newly recognized as parasitoid wasps of O. oryzae, and the former is also recorded from Japan for the first time. Pteromalus bifoveolatus Förster, 1861 is also newly recorded from Japan, with a new host record from Samia cynthia pryeri (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fourteen mite species in three genera of the family Macrochelidae were collected from the body surface of dung beetles (Scarabaeidae) in Mt Merapi National Park, Jogyakarta, Indonesia. Of these, three species, Macrocheles turgoensis n. sp., M. pumilus n. sp. and Glyptholaspis merapiensis n. sp., were described as new to science. The remaining 11 species were Glyptholaspis fimicola (Sellnick, 1931), Neopodocinum spinirostris (Berlese, 1910), M. dispar (Berlese, 1910), M. entetiensis Hartini and Takaku, 2005, M. hallidayi Walter and Krantz, 1986, M. jabarensis Hartini and Takaku, 2003, M. merdarius (Berlese, 1889), M. muscaedomesticae (Scopoli, 1772), M. oigru Walter and Krantz, 1986, M. sukaramiensis Takaku, 2001 and M. sp. aff. glaber (Müller, 1860). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two species of the subgenus Lyrothorax Chaudoir (Coleoptera: Carabidae; genus Pterostichus), Pterostichus amagisanus Tanaka and Ishida and Pterostichus fujitai Tanaka and Ishida, were revised based on the male endophallus (inner sac everted from aedeagus). P. amagisanus was newly recorded based on a single male from Kyushu, southwest Japan, far from its known distribution (Honshu; the Fuji-Hakone-Izu volcano area), although additional materials are necessary to confirm this record. Despite a highly disjunct distribution, no conspicuous difference was recognized in either external or genital characters between the materials from Honshu and Kyushu. The nominal species P. fujitai was separated into two species, P. fujitai (Honshu) and Pterostichus eoyoritomus sp. nov. (Shikoku; type locality: Mount Jingayama); these two species have some significant differences in the endophallic structures. Character states in male genitalia suggest a sister relationship between P. eoyoritomus sp. nov. and Pterostichus yoritomus Bates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated geographic color variation of the beetle Phelotrupes auratus in the Kinki region of central Japan using a spectrophotometer. The reflectance spectrum of the dorsal surface of the elytron was measured for beetles collected from 23 sites. We focused on λmax(α), the wavelength at the peak (α peak) between 400 and 700 nm (human visual sensitivity range), for analyses of color variation. In populations distributed on the Kii Peninsula, in the southern part of the Kinki region, average λmax(α) values were lower (480–497 nm) than in populations distributed in the area west of Lake Biwa, the western part of the Kinki region (618–633 nm). For populations distributed in the areas south and southeast of Lake Biwa, a geographic cline of λmax(α) was observed approximately along an east–west transect, with average λmax values varying continuously from 624 to 557 nm. The easternmost populations along this cline had almost the same λmax(α) values as the populations distributed west of Lake Biwa. The coefficient of variation for λmax(α) tended to be larger in populations with intermediate averages than those with lower or higher average values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two psephenid beetles, Eubrianax granicollis Lewis and E. ramicornis Kiesenwetter, are common species on the main islands of Japan (i.e. Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu), but diagnostic characters for larval identification are unknown. Two types of field-collected Eubrianax larvae from Honshu and Kyushu were discriminated based on the distributions of granules on the dorsal surface. These larvae were assigned to E. granicollis and E. ramicornis by comparing them with larvae of the two species obtained via laboratory rearing. The two species were also identified unambiguously on the basis of their mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequences. Larval and pupal morphology are described based on laboratory-reared specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the genetic structures of 13 Japanese populations of an ambrosia beetle, Xylosandrus germanus (Curculionidae: Scolytinae), to understand the effects of geographical barriers on the colonization dynamics of this species. The genetic structure was studied using portions of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I ( COI) gene. A phylogenetic analysis revealed three distinct lineages (clades A, B and C) within X. germanus. Clade A contained 21 haplotypes from all 13 populations; whereas clade B contained eight haplotypes from Hokkaido (Sapporo and Furano), Iwate and Nagano populations; and clade C contained only a single a haplotype from the Hokkaido (Furano) population. In the analysis of molecular variance (amova), the greatest amount of genetic variation was detected between populations in Hokkaido and those in Honshu and other southern islands. Between these two groups of populations, all the values of the coefficient of gene differentiation were significantly larger than zero, except for the Hokkaido (Sapporo) versus Nagano comparison. Our results confirm that for X. germanus, gene flow has been interrupted between Hokkaido and Honshu since the last glacial maximum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skunk vine, Paederia foetida (Rubiaceae), is native to Asia and has been recognized as an invasive weedy vine of natural areas in Florida and Hawaii. Two insects, Trachyaphthona sordida and Trachyaphthona nigrita (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) from Japan are being considered as potential biological control agents against skunk vine. To gather fundamental information on their biology, we carried out field surveys and laboratory experiments in Kyushu, southern Japan, between 2003 and 2006. We found that T. sordida is commonly distributed in Kyushu and T. nigrita is restricted to the southern parts of Kagoshima Prefecture on the southern part of Kyushu. These species are fundamentally univoltine and adults appear in late April to early July. Trachyaphthona sordida overwinters as mature larvae and T. nigrita as mature larvae or rarely as adults. Larvae of both species feed on fine roots of P. foetida in the field and Serissa foetida (Rubiaceae) under rearing conditions, and they appear to have tribe-level host specificity in their host range. On the basis of these results, we suggest that both species are suitable as biological control agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To clarify the effects of forest fragmentation in urban landscapes on the abundance, species richness, dominance, and species composition of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae and Brachinidae), we compared the beetles collected in 12 pitfall traps from April to July and from September to November between three continuous suburban forests and eight isolated urban forests (0.06–1.02 ha), most of which were in the precincts of shrines and temples in Hanshin District, Honshu, Japan. A total of 28 species and 4178 individuals of ground beetles were collected. Segregation of urban forests from continuous suburban forests has changed the species composition and resulted in the loss of some large-sized forest species and the addition of some non-forest species. Simpson's index of dominance (λ) also increased in the urban forests. The richness of forest species markedly decreased with the reduction in forest area but not with the distance from continuous forests, although the species richness of non-forest species did not change with them. Also, species composition changed only with forest area. These findings indicate that continuous forests do not necessary serve as a “mainland” for urban forest species and that every urban habitat, however small in size, acts as a temporary reservoir of species. In comparison with populations of small-sized species, populations of large-sized forest species appeared to decline more readily during forest fragmentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term observations of adult populations of the aquatic Genji firefly, Luciola cruciata (Coleoptera: Lampyridae), were conducted using a simple flash counting method from 1975 to 2006 at four locations in Kyoto City, Japan. The relative population sizes of adult L. cruciata at these sites fluctuated almost synchronously, indicating the influence of large-scale environmental phenomena such as weather conditions on population dynamics. Rainfall in September and the latter half of July caused a significant decrease in the population size. The frequent rainfall during these months may have caused considerable drift in the emergence of early instars of firefly larvae and a decrease in their foraging activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of braconid, Bracon yasudai Maeto et Uesato sp. nov., is described here from the south-west islands of Japan. It is a solitary idiobiont ectoparasitoid of the larvae of the West Indian sweetpotato weevil, Euscepes postfasciatus (Curculionidae), and the sweetpotato weevil, Cylas formicarius (Brentidae), both feeding on Ipomoea batatas (L.) (Convolvulaceae). The percentage parasitism of the braconid on E. postfasciatus in the vines of I. batatas was 19.9–40.7% in the field. Bracon cylasovorus (Rohwer) reared from C. formicarius in the Philippines is also described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pterostichus thunbergi Morawitz and its related species of Japan are revised based on the structure of membranous parts of their genitalia for the first time, under the name of the thunbergi species group. This species group is monophyletic and is placed in the subgenus Morphnosoma Lutshnik. The monotypic subgenus Moritapterus Berlov, erected for P. thunbergi, is synonymized with Morphnosoma. Comparative study of the endophallus revealed that P. thunbergi michinoku Nakane is a junior synonym of P. habui and that four species should be recognized in this group. Three of them are sympatric with P. thunbergi and one of them, Pterostichus (Morphnosoma) robustistylis, is described as a new species. Molecular phylogeny based on the COI gene (mitochondrial [mt]DNA) supported its independence as a distinct species. The resultant trees of mtDNA and comparative study of morphology revealed that P. thunbergi is probably non-monophyletic. In the present study we suggest the presence of further cryptic species of Morphnosoma in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From 1988 to 1998, we collected flower heads of 39 thistle taxa (35 taxa ofCirsium, one species each ofBreea,Synurus,SaussureaandArctium; Cardueae; Astaraceae) in Japan, mainly from Hokuriku and other parts of central Honshu, and kept them in the laboratory to breed weevils and tephritid flies, the core fauna. We report the faunal make-up, host plants, geographic distribution and the attack levels of the insects. Results indicated that (i) threeLarinusspecies (Curculionidae) and three species of tephritid flies (Tephritis,UrophoraandXyphosia) comprised the core fauna; (ii) two insect species belonging to the same taxonomic group (either Curculionidae (Larinus) or Tephritidae) tended to use different host plant species; (iii) two sympatricLarinusspecies (L. latissimusandL. meleagris) segregated the host plants seasonally in central Honshu (Cirsiumblooming in spring and autumn, respectively); and (iv) two tephritid fly species,Xyphosia punctigeraandUrophora sachalinensis, segregated geographically (the former on the Japan Sea side and the latter on the Pacific Ocean side). In comparison with their European counterparts, the weevils and tephritids of the JapaneseCirsiumare characterized by a lower species richness and a lower degree of specialization in usage of the thistle flower heads, with gall-formers being distinctly under-represented, and callus tissue-feeders being absent. This reflects the fact that Japanese thistles are so closely related that hybridization frequently occurs, and also that the thistles have had a short history of interaction with the insects since the thistles’ arrival in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coastal tiger beetle Lophyridia angulata (Fabricius) co-occurs with one or two tiger beetle species at any one locality (in a sandy beach habitat) along the Japan Sea coast of Honshu, from eastern to southern Kyushu, and on Tanega-shima, an island south of Kyushu, in Japan. Lophyridia angulata displays sexual dimorphism in mandible length (the mandible is longer in females), and shows large interpopulation differences in mandible size. We analyzed variation in mandible length between L. angulata populations associated with three different sympatric species, and examined morphological differences that may have resulted from interaction with these other species. Lophyridia angulata showed a significant size shift towards larger mandibles in a population that co-occurred with Cicindela lewisii, which has a similar mandible length to that of L. angulata, as compared to a neighboring population of L. angulata that co-occurred with another species. This pattern may be interpreted as a type of character displacement associated with food resource competition. Males in L. angulata populations co-occurring with Chaetodera laetescripta showed little variation in mandible length, as compared to other populations. These males may experience some pressure from C. laetescripta and from conspecific females. We found no significant changes in mandible length or in size variation of L. angulata before and 20 years after the extinction of Abroscelis anchoralis at one site historically co-inhabited by both species; that is, we did not detect a character release over the 20 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Skidmorella Johnson, previously known only from the South Pacific islands, is discovered in Japan. The type species, Skidmorella magnifica Johnson, is confirmed from Japan as the first record of the species other than the type locality. In addition, two new species, Skidmorella amamiana sp. nov. and Skidmorella quadrisulucia sp. nov., are described from the Ryukyus, Japan. Phylogenetic relationships of the genus Skidmorella and its allies are discussed on the basis of their morphological characters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A new species of the pselaphine genus Odontalgus is described from Honshu, Japan, under the name of Odontalgus masaoi . Odontalgus coreanus Löbl known from North Korea is recorded for the first time from Kyushu, Japan. These are the first formal records of the tribe Odontalgini from Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jujiroa estriata Sasakawa (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Platynini) was recently described based on a single male from a mountain in Kyushu, southwest Japan (type locality: Hagi, Gokanoshô). Here we report collection of the species from a new locality, Mount Osuzuyama. We also describe some reproductive traits based on the materials obtained (one male and four females, collected in late May). The male formed sperm bundles in which the head of each spermatozoon was embedded in a rod-shaped structure (spermatodesm). Each spermatodesm was elongate (average length 2.44 mm; cf. male body length 10.8 mm), without a conspicuous spiral structure. Three of the females were dissected, and were found to have 11 or 12 mature eggs in their oviducts. This study provides the first description of sperm bundle morphology for a species of the tribe Platynini and preliminary data on the breeding type of Jujiroa Uéno. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]