The discovery of aeschnidiid nymphs (Aeschnidiidae, Odonata, Insecta)

Aeschnidiid nymphs are here first identified and described, and its phylogenetic relationship and bioecological characteristics are deduced. The nymphs known from China, Mongolia, Russia and Brazil and arranged in the family Aeschnidiidae are, in fact, unrelated to this group. All the known five Chinese species in four genera which were erected based on fossil nymphs and placed in the family Gomphidae may be transferred in Aeschnidiidae and merged into one alone, the Sinaeschnidia cancellosa. It is a geographically widespread species from the 'Jehol biota' of East Asia and appeared in the latest Late Jurassic age.

Comparative Morphology and Morphometry of Six Biotypes of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) from China

Morphology and morphometry of six biotypes （B, Q, Cv, ZHJ-1, ZHJ-2 and ZHJ-3） of Bemisia tabaci （Gennadius） from China on cotton plants were studied by using microscopes. Nymphal body sizes and characters were measured and observed, especially on the 4th instar （pupal case）, including the vasiform orifice, operculum, lingula, length and thickness of anterior and posterior wax margins, width of thoracic tracheal combs. Adult characters of both sexes were investigated including the body size, compound eyes, antennal segments, vasiform orifice, hind tarsi and genitals. The results indicated that differences of some morphological characters or morphometrics were significant among the six biotypes of B. tabaci in China： （1） Pupal sizes of the exotic biotypes （B and Q） were significantly larger than the indigenous biotypes with the following order as B〉Q〉ZHJ-I〉Cv〉ZHJ-3〉ZHJ-2; （2） for both male and female adults, sizes of all characters investigated in the invading biotypes （B and Q）, especially B, were much larger than those of the indigenous ones.

Biological Cycle of Bug Pseudotheraptus devastans Distant (Heteroptera: Coreidae), the Coconut Pest in Côte d’Ivoire

Pseudotheraptus devastans Distant (Heteroptera: Coreidae), is an important coconut pest in C?te d’Ivoire. The stings from Nymph and adult cause not only the falling of immature nuts, but also their deformation. This triggers losses of production in the order can reach 80%. Little information is available about this pest. Those existing are limited to its ecology and damages caused in host-plants. The present investigation is aimed to study the life cycle of this pest. The experiment was carried out in a coconut field of the Marc Delorme Coconut Research Station (MDCRS). On these coconut palms, bunches between 3 and 4 months of age, enclosed in cage were used. Development duration from an egg to adult emergence averaged 28.26 days. The average incubation period was on average 6.63 days and fertility rate of eggs was 98.01%. Nymphal development period was 21.63 days. The sex-ratio is in favour of females which live 112.6 ± 13.45 days. These females laid on average 198.85 ± 36.05 eggs. The males lived on average 131.3 ± 17.7 days. The knowledge of these different parameters could allow the development of a control method based on the breaking of life cycle of this pest.

Bemisia tabaci （Hemiptera： Aleyrodidae） nymphal feeding in cotton （Gossypium hirsutum） leaves

We used brightfield electron microscopy （BEM）, differential interference contrast microscopy （DICM）, scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, transmission electron microscopy （TEM）, and confocal laser scanning microscopy （CLSM） to investigate the stylet pathways of Bemisia tabaci during nymphal feeding behavior in cotton leaves beginning with penetration of the abaxial leaf surface and ending with stylets in sieve tubes in phloem tissues. Most nymphal stylets within salivary sheaths penetrating leaf tissues made complex turns and developed more than one salivary sheath branch before ending in sieve tubes. The external morphology of the salivary sheaths and their routes between and through leaf cells are described during the present study. Results showed the presence of the stylet within the sieve tubes. B. tabaci nymphs may remove stylets and feed in different sieve tubes. Ten short movies showing the progression of the stylet penetrations from adaxial surface to the sieve tubes are attached to Figures 8-15. The report and movies can be viewed from the internet. Download the movies to a local drive in your computer first for fast upload. The movies are posted on the website http：//www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm？docid=14629. The movies can be used as a teaching aid in biology classes.

A new species of ice crawlers from Burmese amber(Insecta:Grylloblattodea)

Modem grylloblattids are one of the least diverse insect orders. The single extant family is contrasted with 46 families described from the fossil records, which extend to the Late Carboniferous. The most ancient grylloblattid nymphs are known from the Lower Permian. Till now, there is no report on grylloblattid from Burmese amber, which is a very old amber locality. Herein, we describe Sylvalitoralis cheni Zhang, Bai ＆ Yang, sp. nov. from Grylloblattina based on a nymph specimen from the mid-Cretaceous Myanmar （Burmese） amber.