Ultrabithorax is required for membranous wing identity in the beetle Tribolium castaneum

The two pairs of wings that are characteristic of ancestral pterygotes (winged insects) have often undergone evolutionary modification. In the fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster, differences between the membranous forewings and the modified hindwings (halteres) depend on the Hox gene Ultrabithorax (Ubx). The Drosophila forewings develop without Hox input, while Ubx represses genes that are important for wing development, promoting haltere identity. However, the idea that Hox input is important to the morphologically specialized wing derivatives such as halteres, and not the more ancestral wings, requires examination in other insect orders. In beetles, such as Tribolium castaneum, it is the forewings that are modified (to form elytra), while the hindwings retain a morphologically more ancestral identity. Here we show that in this beetle Ubx 'de-specializes' the hindwings, which are transformed to elytra when the gene is knocked down. We also show evidence that elytra result from a Hox-free state, despite their diverged morphology. Ubx function in the hindwing seems necessary for a change in the expression of spalt, iroquois and achaete-scute homologues from elytron-like to more typical wing-like patterns. This counteracting effect of Ubx in beetle hindwings represents a previously unknown mode of wing diversification in insects.     

New light shed on the oldest insect

Insects are the most diverse lineage of all life in numbers of species, and ecologically they dominate terrestrial ecosystems. However, how and when this immense radiation of animals originated is unclear. Only a few fossils provide insight into the earliest stages of insect evolution, and among them are specimens in chert from Rhynie, Scotland's Old Red Sandstone (Pragian; about 396-407 million years ago), which is only slightly younger than formations harbouring the earliest terrestrial faunas. The most well-known animal from Rhynie is the springtail Rhyniella praecursor (Entognatha; Collembola), long considered to be the oldest hexapod. For true insects (Ectognatha), the oldest records are two apparent wingless insects from later in the Devonian period of North America. Here we show, however, that a fragmentary fossil from Rhynie, Rhyniognatha hirsti, is not only the earliest true insect but may be relatively derived within basal Ectognatha. In fact, Rhyniognatha has derived characters shared with winged insects, suggesting that the origin of wings may have been earlier than previously believed. Regardless, Rhyniognatha indicates that insects originated in the Silurian period and were members of some of the earliest terrestrial faunas.     

Body plan innovation in treehoppers through the evolution of an extra wing-like appendage

Body plans, which characterize the anatomical organization of animal groups of high taxonomic rank, often evolve by the reduction or loss of appendages (limbs in vertebrates and legs and wings in insects, for example). In contrast, the addition of new features is extremely rare and is thought to be heavily constrained, although the nature of the constraints remains elusive. Here we show that the treehopper (Membracidae) 'helmet' is actually an appendage, a wing serial homologue on the first thoracic segment. This innovation in the insect body plan is an unprecedented situation in 250 Myr of insect evolution. We provide evidence suggesting that the helmet arose by escaping the ancestral repression of wing formation imparted by a member of the Hox gene family, which sculpts the number and pattern of appendages along the body axis. Moreover, we propose that the exceptional morphological diversification of the helmet was possible because, in contrast to the wings, it escaped the stringent functional requirements imposed by flight. This example illustrates how complex morphological structures can arise by the expression of ancestral developmental potentials and fuel the morphological diversification of an evolutionary lineage.     

Spanwise flow and the attachment of the leading-edge vortex on insect wings

The flow structure that is largely responsible for the good performance of insect wings has recently been identified as a leading-edge vortex. But because such vortices become detached from a wing in two-dimensional flow, an unknown mechanism must keep them attached to (three-dimensional) flapping wings. The current explanation, analogous to a mechanism operating on delta-wing aircraft, is that spanwise flow through a spiral vortex drains energy from the vortex core. We have tested this hypothesis by systematically mapping the flow generated by a dynamically scaled model insect while simultaneously measuring the resulting aerodynamic forces. Here we report that, at the Reynolds numbers matching the flows relevant for most insects, flapping wings do not generate a spiral vortex akin to that produced by delta-wing aircraft. We also find that limiting spanwise flow with fences and edge baffles does not cause detachment of the leading-edge vortex. The data support an alternative hypothesis-that downward flow induced by tip vortices limits the growth of the leading-edge vortex.     

Mimicking unfolding motion of a beetle hind wing

This paper presents an experimental research aiming to realize an artificial hind wing that can mimic the wing unfolding motion of AIIomyrina dichotoma, an insect in coleopteran order. Based on the understanding of working principles of beetle wing folding/unfolding mechanisms, the hind wing unfolding motion is mimicked by a combination of creative ideas and state-of-art artificial muscle actuator. In this work, we devise two types of artificial wings and the successfully demonstrate that they can be unfolded by actuation of shape memory alloy wires to provide actuation force at the wing base and along the leading edge vein. The folding/unfolding mechanisms may provide an insight for portable nano/micro air vehicles with morphing wings.     

井冈山资源昆虫调查I—药用昆虫资源

药用昆虫是指虫体全部或局部或其衍生物、分泌物及病理产物可以入药的昆虫，是重要的药用资源，在我国中医药产业中占有重要地位。井冈山具有多样的自然生境和丰富的物种资源，为了进一步摸清井冈山的药用昆虫资源本底信息，通过对井冈山地区药用昆虫资源的种类、分布、药性等开展了系统调查，研究结果发现：井冈山地区共有药用昆虫101种，隶属于12目52科，其中物种多样性最丰富的5个目是鞘翅目（15科26种）、膜翅目（7科15种）、直翅目（6科13种）、鳞翅目（7科12种）和半翅目（6科11种），合计种类占全部种类的76.2%。本研究梳理了井冈山药用昆虫研究现状和存在问题，并对我国药用昆虫开发、利用提出建议。     

金沙江干热河谷人工林地表昆虫群落

为弄清金沙江干热河谷不同人工林地表昆虫多样性及其在恢复中的指示作用,采用陷阱法调查了元谋县境内7种人工林的地表昆虫群落.① 物种组成:金沙江干热河谷人工林旱季地表昆虫有5目7科24种2 162头,其中膜翅目昆虫最丰富,占所有地表昆虫个体数的98.4%和物种数的75.0%;雨季地表昆虫有12目49科98种2 744头,其中膜翅目个体数最多,鞘翅目种类最多.金沙江干热河谷人工林旱季地表昆虫群落组成和雨季截然不同,雨季地表昆虫群落物种组成比旱季复杂,植被性质相同或接近的样带具有相似的地表昆虫组成.② 多度和多样性:大多数人工林旱季地表昆虫群落多度和多样性低于雨季,旱季印楝林地表昆虫多度最高,显著高于桉树林、膏桐-新银合欢林和印楝-合欢林;雨季印楝林和印楝-大叶相思林地表昆虫多度最高,显著高于桉树林,印楝-大叶相思林物种丰富度S值最高,显著高于膏桐-新银合欢林.③ 地表昆虫多样性与植物多样性间的相关性:人工林旱季地表昆虫群落的多样性与植物群落的多样性密切相关.研究表明:除膏桐-新银合欢林生物多样性较低、恢复状况较差外,其它人工林生物多样性相对较高、恢复状况较好;这些人工林彼此间具有不太相似的地表昆虫物种组成,在当地生物多样性保护中具有积极意义.金沙江干热河谷人工林旱季地表昆虫多样性与植物多样性密切相关,能够指示植物群落的多样性水平.     

昆虫行为进化中的熵初探

昆虫的行为进化是昆虫学和进化论研究的重要内容。昆虫行为进化与熵有着密切的关系,昆虫行为进化是遗传物质变异基础上,长期自然选择作用下负熵的不断增加过程。自然选择是对昆虫各种行为的综合的、复杂的选择。     

广西药用昆虫种类的研究

通过对相关文献的收集，并在核实、考证的基础上，整理出广西具有药效的昆虫名录，分属１３个目，５２科，９３属，共１４０种，包括了国内药用昆虫９０％的科及８２％的属，而且国内９０％以上的昆虫药材在广西均有分布。     

茂兰自然保护区药用昆虫资源概述

茂兰自然保护区具有独特的气候和地貌,区内生物资源丰富,昆虫种类众多。介绍茂兰自然保护区药用昆虫75种,分属11目42科;占全国主要药用昆虫总数的31.38%,对其药用价值及开发利用等方面进行论述。并就药用昆虫资源的保护、开发和利用提出了建议。     

甘肃森林昆虫生态地理亚省级区划探讨 Ⅲ.各亚省级区划内森林主要害虫名录及主要分布地(下)

据1981—1982年全省森林病虫害普查,甘肃的森林害虫共计664种,隶属于8目98科。本文据笔者二十多年收集的资料和《甘肃省林木病虫普查成果汇编》[2],将森林主要害虫三百多种,按五个亚省级区划[1],分别以学名、中名、主要分布地,列表陈述,以供有关高校教学、科研及林业科技人员参考。本文(下)是陇南山地亚省、中部干旱地区和陇东高原亚省区划内森林主要害虫名录及主要分布地。     

校园不同生境昆虫物种多样性比较

为了探讨不同生境中昆虫物种多样性的差异,对井冈山大学校园内3种生境（A区：灌木．杂草混生区、B区：乔木区、C区：杂草三种生境）的昆虫进行了系统调查,共捕获昆虫567头,隶属于9目76种,其中鳞翅目、直翅目、同翅目为校园内的优势类群。不同生境中,A区（灌木．杂草混生区）昆虫多样性最高,c区最低（杂草区）。A、B、C三区的昆虫多样性指数日’分别为2．00,1．99和1．94,丰富度指数￡k分别为12．75,9．09和4．51。区域A与区域B昆虫相似性最高。结果表明,不同生境的昆虫群落相似性与植被类型有关。人类活动通过影响昆虫生境,进而影响昆虫群落的组成和分布格局。     

甘肃森林昆虫生态地理亚省级区划探讨 Ⅲ.各亚省级区划内森林主要害虫名录及主要分布地(上)

据1981—1982年全省普查,甘肃省的森林害虫,共计664种,隶属于8目98科。本文据笔者二十多年收集的资料和《甘肃省林木病虫普查成果汇编》中所记载的森林主要害虫三百多种,按五个亚省级区计,分别以学名、中名、主要分布地,列表陈述,以供有关高校教学、科研及林业科技人员参考。本文(上)是河西走廊和北山荒漠亚省、祁连山地亚省、甘南高原及峡谷亚省区划内主要森林害虫名录及主要分布地。     

哈尔滨高粱田高粱蚜捕食性天敌昆虫群落结构研究

为明确高粱田中高粱蚜[Melanaphis sacchari(Zehntner)]捕食性天敌昆虫的群落结构,对高粱蚜捕食性天敌昆虫的种类及数量进行了调查.结果发现:哈尔滨高粱蚜捕食性天敌昆虫共11种,隶属4目5科,主要优势种为龟纹瓢虫(Propylea japonica)、异色瓢虫(Harmonia axyridis)、中华草蛉(Chrysopa sinica),是高粱蚜发生期的主要控制因素,物种均匀度、丰富度、多样性指数均表现为增加趋势,物种优势度、优势集中性均表现为降低趋势.     

基于几何形态测量学的几种蜻蜓翅的形态分析

运用几何形态测量学技术对蜻蜓前后翅进行量化分析,并结合主成分分析法和聚类分析法探讨浙江临海地区常见的4种蜻蜓前后翅的翅型和翅脉变异规律,进而揭示其形态相似形关系.结果表明,异色多纹蜻和红蜻翅的形态相似度最高,而黄蜻与其他几种蜻蜓的差异最大;差异的部位主要在翅痣、翅结区域、径脉域、径脉与中脉之间、肘脉域以及靠近翅基部的臀脉域等区域;异色多纹蜻和红蜻的关系最近,而黄蜻与其他几种蜻蜓的亲缘关系最远.几何测量学可用于蜻蜓种类的划分.     

广西海岛昆虫生态地理

报道广西沿海岛屿昆虫生态地理考察结果，已定名的种类有３１９种，分别隶群于１４目８８科２３４属，磷翅目为２８．５％，鞘翅目为１９．１２％，直翅目为１６．１６％。与整岛种数多，反之较少，与是否陆联岛无关，不同岛屿昆虫种数不一样，面积大的岛种数多，反之较少，与是否陆联岛无关。不同岛屿的昆虫各类组成不一样，在涠洲岛上有５８．２％的鳞翅目种娄及５４．７％的直翅目种类出现，在龙门岛上有５０．８％的鞘翅目种类出     

Ecological and evolutionary processes at expanding range margins

Many animals are regarded as relatively sedentary and specialized in marginal parts of their geographical distributions. They are expected to be slow at colonizing new habitats. Despite this, the cool margins of many species' distributions have expanded rapidly in association with recent climate warming. We examined four insect species that have expanded their geographical ranges in Britain over the past 20 years. Here we report that two butterfly species have increased the variety of habitat types that they can colonize, and that two bush cricket species show increased fractions of longer-winged (dispersive) individuals in recently founded populations. Both ecological and evolutionary processes are probably responsible for these changes. Increased habitat breadth and dispersal tendencies have resulted in about 3- to 15-fold increases in expansion rates, allowing these insects to cross habitat disjunctions that would have represented major or complete barriers to dispersal before the expansions started. The emergence of dispersive phenotypes will increase the speed at which species invade new environments, and probably underlies the responses of many species to both past and future climate change.     

福建省6种榕树及其传粉小蜂共生体系的比较

榕树(Ficus spp.)和榕小蜂共生体系是由宿主和共生者之间的生殖配合维系的.采用隐头花序解剖、对比观察的方法研究了福建省东北部6种榕树及其共生昆虫传粉体系的种间差异.结果表明：6种榕树花的性别分离成雌花、瘿花、雄花和两性花，植株的性表达有雌雄同株和雌性两性异株的区别，雌、瘿花有或无花柄（子房柄）单层或双层排列，雄花有散生、半集中和集中着生的分布方式，花序大小、花的数量、苞片数目、孔道苞片功能分区、出飞孔形成方式均有差异并与榕小蜂的行为相对应，每种榕树通常仅有1种传粉昆虫，6种榕树及其共生小蜂分别形成各自独立的传粉体系.显然，这种传粉体系存在丰富的种间差异性，各共生体系对传粉生物学的性状有不同的进化选择，体现了共生双方进化适合度和共生对策，维护了共生体系的稳定性和独立性.