Insecta Mundi, Volume 3 (1989)
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Under the skillful direction of Professor Dindal of Syracuse University, the work of 54 authors, 11 years in the making, is blended into one large, useful volume treating the systematics and biology of all organisms involved in the soil ecology of North America, north of Mexico. The separate authors treat their special groups following a similar format throughout, covering the biology, taxonomy, and ecology of each soil biotic group. The amount of data presented varies with the extent of knowledge of the group treated. The 43 chapters cover all taxa from soil bacteria through the insects. The insects are covered in 384 pages.
In 1960 we published "Techniques for the study of ant larvae." We referred to it in 1976 and again in 1986. In the intervening years three authors have cited it and the quality of their drawings suggest they have benefited from our suggestions. The poor quality of most other recent drawings suggest they have not seen our article. Perhaps a 1960 reference is too old to be caught in latter-day "literature searches." Or, if the searcher did find it, he was unwilling to take the trouble to follow the recommended techniques. And troublesome they are, especially if one does not have readily available the required apparatus and chemicals.
The recent (1986) publication of “My Association with William Morton Wheeler” evidently stirred my latent autobiographical urge. It is quite reasonable that I should next apply it to William Steel Creighton, for he certainly ranks next to W. M. Wheeler among American myrmecologists. It will be quite different, however, because my actual association with Creighton was very brief twice a dinner guest in New York City and two visits in La Feria, Texas. Correspondence, however, is quite different. I received 45 letters from W. M. Wheeler between 1919 and 1936; the last was dated four months before his death. They dealt chiefly with our proposed treatise on ant larvae; only two ran over to the second page. From Creighton I received 81 letters between 1929 (while he was still a graduate student at Harvard) and 1973 (dated 12 days before his death). His early letters filled one page; the length increased gradually to three pages. The subject matter was chiefly practical taxonomy, but the wide variety of topics treated makes them just as interesting as when they were written.
Book Review: This book integrates present knowledge in crop protection from the theoretical and practical points of view. Pest control Information derived from field like plant pathology, entomology, nematology and weed science is analyzed with reference to plant breeding and nutrition, agronomy and agricultural economics, and some general conclusions are drawn about prognoses, forecasting, and integrated pest control.
Lectotypes are designated for the following species: A. aureocoerulans Obenberger, A. auroguttatus Schaeffer, A. cannulus Obenberger, A. carinellifer Obenberger, A. dolli Schaeffer, A. exclusus Obenberger, A. ferrisi Dury, A. huachucae Schaeffer, A. optatus Obenberger, A. pictithorax Obenberger, A. simillipictus Obenberger, A. subtropicus Schaeffer, Aphanisticus peninsulae Obenberger, Brachys fascifera Schwam, Buprestis adducta Casey, B. caliginosa Casey, B. disruptans Casey, B. fastidiosa Casey, B. flavopicta Casey, B. fulgens Casey, B. fusca Casey, B. graminea Casey, B. gravidula Casey, B. leporina Casey, B. maculipennis deficiens Casey, Chalcophora angulicollis montana Casey, C. laurentica Casey, Cinyra prosternalis Schaeffer, Conognatha fisheri Hoscheck, C. neutra Hoscheck, Cypriacis obscura Casey, C. venusta Casey, Endelus bakerianus Obenberger, E. belial Obenberger, Gyascutus amplus Casey, G. compactus Casey, G. fidelisCasey, G. pistorius Casey, Hippomelas grossus Casey, H. planicauda Casey, Meliboeus carbonicolor Obenberger, Meliboeus pravus Obenberger, Pachyschelus caeruleus Schwam, P. orientalis Obenberger, Poecilonota cupripes Casey, P. parviceps Casey, Polycesta arizonica Schaeffer, Rhaeboscelis texana Schaeffer, Sambus delicatulus Obenberger, Stereosa cribripennis Casey, Stictocera laticornis Casey, S. pollens Casey, Texania bisinuata Casey, Trachys fisheri Obenberger, T. isolata Obenberger, T. scriptella Obenberger, T. subaenella Obenberger, T. (Habroloma) bakeriana Obenberger, T. (H.) singaporensis Obenberger, Tyndaris chamaeleonis Skinner and T. olneyae Skinner.
Book Review: Insect Spiracular Systems By T. B. Nikam and V. V. Khole The authors and the publisher are to be complimented for the production of this book summarizing the various aspects of the morphology, development and physiology of the insect spiracular systems. Emphasis has been given to those aspects of the insect spiracular systems that have received scant attention so far, like functional morphology and ecophysiological considerations. The role of spiraculo-trachial system thermoregulation has been explained and integrated with the role of haemolymph circulation. The biophysical aspects have been fully explained and integrated with morpho-physiological aspects.
Selected taxonomic characters of Apion species are redefined and explained including subcephalic ridge, sensory seta and macrochaeta. New species described are Apion (Trichapion) memnonmonum Kissinger, Black Mountains, North Carolina and Apion (Trichapion) nelsoni Kissinger from Davis Mts, Texas and Santa Rita Mts, Arizona. Supplemental descriptions or new records are given for the following species: Apion aequabile Fall, A. brunnicornis Fall, A. eccentricum Fall, A. minor Smith, A. punctulirostre Sharp and A. submetallicum Boheman. A statistical test is used to evaluate the importance of a character in defining species groups in the Apion subgenus Trichapion Wagner. Eighteen characters met this criterion and were used to define 12 species groups. A method is presented to evaluate membership in a species group. The inclusion probabilities for a list of 82 species is given for each of 12 species groups of Trichapion occurring in North and Central America.
The "pollens" group of Cerceris is established for C. furcifera Schletterer (Paraguay), C. mariusi sp. n. (Paraguay), C. nigrosa sp. n. (Argentina), C. pollens Schletterer (Argentina and Paraguay), C. serrana sp. n. (Argentina), and C. willineri Fritz (Argentina), and the "rugulosa" group for C. rugulosa Schrottky (Argentina). A key to the species of the "pollens" group is included. The subspecies Cerceris r. dismorphia Schrottky is not regarded as valid.
Records from the Turrialba Valley region of Costa Rica are given for species of Cerambycidae heretofore unknown from Central America, or for which no previous specific information was recorded. The following species are recorded from Central America for the first time: Sphallambyx chabrillaci, Cycnoderus barbatus, Cylicasta nysa, Oncideres minuta, Dufauxia sp. indet., Onalcidion fibrosum, Nyssodrysola corticalis, Neoeutrypanus mutilatus, Anisopodus affinis, and Lithargyrus melzeri. Previously unrecorded locality or behavioral data are given for Xenochroma azurea, Chontalia cyanicolor, Omosarotes singularis, and Cephalodina crassiceps. New taxa described are: Ommata (Ecliptophanes) tommyi, sp. n., Eupogonius cryptus, sp. n., Jamesia ericksoni, sp. n., Oreodera lezamai, sp. n., Leptostylus lividus sp. n., Colobothina, gen. n., C. perplexa, sp.n.