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Members of the termitophilous subtribe Termitozyrina (Aleocharinae: Lomechusini) associated with Hodotermopsis sjostedti are taxonomically treated. The genera Hodotermophilus Naomi & Terayama and Termophidoholus Naomi & Hirono, and each type species (monotypic) are redescribed. Termophidoholus formosanus, originally described from Taiwan, and its host termite H. sjostedti are newly recorded from Laos. Yakuus iwatai Kanao & Maruyama gen. & sp. nov. and H. gloriosus were collected sympatrically in the same nests in Yaku-shima, Japan. All of the above species, belonging to the three genera, share the presence of a batch of spurs at the tibial apex of fore and mid legs. Habitus photographs and illustrations of diagnostic features are provided for these species, and their phylogenetic relationships are discussed based on morphological similarities and the extant distribution of the host termite species.

We examined the nematode fauna associated with a species of bark beetle, Dryocoetes uniseriatus Eggers, as part of a biodiversity survey of forest beetle-associated nematodes. Collections were made in a pine stand at an experimental forest station in Ibaraki, Japan, from April to July of 2011; we examined the nematode association in 273 insects collected during this time. In total, 68% of the insects were associated with at least one species of nematode. Six species of nematodes, including two phoretic microbe feeders (Bursaphelenchus rainulfi BraaschBurgermeister and Micoletzkya sp.), one insect parasite and nematode predator (Devibursaphelenchus cf. eproctatus), one insect parasite (Contortylenchus sp.), one insect parasite and potential microbe feeder (unidentified rhabditid parasite), and one potential insect parasite and fungal feeder (B. sinensis) were recovered from the beetles. D. cf. eproctatus was enclosed in nematangia on the backsides of the elytra, B. rainulfi was isolated from the backsides of the elytra or enclosed in nematangia, Micoletzkya sp. was isolated from under the elytra, Contortylenchus sp. and a rhabditid parasite parasitized the body cavity, and B. sinensis was found in the digestive tract of the insect. The association patterns of the nematode species varied seasonally, although definitive interactions among species (e.g., segregation, competition) were not observed.

Estimating the genetic structure of a population is important for the conservation and management of wildlife. In the present study, our aim was to estimate the genetic structure of the brown bear (Ursus arctos) population in eastern Hokkaido by performing a Bayesian clustering analysis. To accomplish this goal, we used 15 microsatellites to generate genotypic data from tissue samples collected from 646 bears between 1996 and 2008. Using this genotypic data and the geographic locations where the bears were captured, GENELAND analysis detected six subpopulations. Based on the genotypic data, the STRUCTURE analysis revealed three subpopulations. As inferred from the GENELAND analysis, the core zones of the subpopulations (G-a through G-f) were located in the Shiranuka Hills (G-a), the northern area of the Shiranuka Hills (G-b), the eastern slope of the Daisetsuzan Mountains (G-c), the northern slope of the Akan Mountain Range (G-d), the Shiretoko Peninsula (G-e), and Akkeshi District (G-f). The STRUCTURE analysis indicated that G-b and G-d were influenced by gene flow from other subpopulations. National routes, towns, and farm fields were considered to have formed the distribution boundaries among the subpopulations. A high level of genetic differentiation was not observed among the six subpopulations, with the exception of G-f (Fst = 1.35–0.176, Ds = 0.246–0.349), which showed a geographically discontinuous distribution. We suggest that the loss of forest areas through future regional development and road building should be avoided to facilitate gene flow in brown bears in Hokkaido.

Male brown bears (Ursus arctos) generally disperse over longer distances than females, which have conservative habitats around their natal areas. Our previous study indicated that the distributions of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) subhaplotypes in females were allopatric in the southern Akan—Shiranuka region of eastern Hokkaido. Dispersal of males from their natal area to another natal area is easily detected from the allopatric distributions of two of the mtDNA subhaplotypes of female bears (HB02a and HB13b). Here, to investigate the effectiveness of gene flow and dispersal of male bears between two natal areas, we assessed the genetic diversity and kinship of 132 brown bears from 1996 and 2008 in this area by analyzing the polymorphisms of mtDNA and microsatellite DNA. Parentage testing revealed that there were 48 potential father—offspring pairs, nine potential mother—offspring pairs, and four potential parent—offspring trios. Among 33 of the 48 father—offspring pairs, the mtDNA subhaplotypes dif...

The termitophilous tribe Termitohospitini was discovered in Japan. Sinophilus yukoaesp.nov. and Japanophilus hojoigen.nov., sp.nov. are described from specimens collected in Nansei-shotô. The genus Sinophilus is redefined. These species are the first-discovered inquilines of Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki in Japan. This suggests that C. formosanus is native to Japan rather than an introduced species, as previously believed.

Beetle samples captured by traps were compared with those captured manually on flowers in a beech forest in Central Japan. Plastic traps (Sankei Chemical Co., Ltd.) equipped with benzyl acetate were set up from the 2nd of June to the 8th of September 1994, and all beetles captured were collected every week. Beetles were also captured on wild flowers blooming along the forest road. The traps captured 21,650 individuals of 169 species in 37 families. On the other hand, 971 individuals of 77 species in 19 families were captured on the flowers. All of the families and 57 (74%) species of the beetles captured on the flowers were also captured by the traps; all of the species with more than five individuals captured on the flowers were also trapped, except for one species. The present trap system is considered to be useful for faunal monitoring of flower-visiting Coleoptera, because the beetle fauna found on wild flowers was virtually covered by the trap capture.