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This work provides general descriptions, illustrations, molecular diagnostic data, taxonomic keys, slide mounting recommendations, and Florida distribution records for Fiorinia Targioni Tozzetti species occurring in the USA. Species treated are F. externa Ferris, F. fioriniae (Targioni Tozzetti), F. japonica Kuwana, F. pinicola Maskell, F. phantasma Cockerell & Robinson, F. proboscidaria Green, and F. theae Green. New descriptions of second-instar males and females of all seven species in addition to first-instar nymphs and adult females of F. phantasma and F. proboscidaria are presented. Taxonomic keys to second-instar males and females are developed for the first time and previously available taxonomic keys to first-instar nymphs and adult females are improved. DNA sequences were used to further evaluate the monophyly of Fiorinia and provide additional diagnostic tools for Fiorinia species. Multigene phylogenetic analyses, COI barcoding methods, and examination of type material indicate that F. yongxingensis Liu, Cai & Feng, 2020, syn. nov. is a junior synonym of F. phantasma. A morphological survey of the genus demonstrates, for the first time, the utility of second-instar males for diagnostics. This study will help inform regulatory and pest management decisions by facilitating morphological and molecular identification of adventive Fiorinia species occurring in the USA.

Saissetia kunmingensis Cao & Feng, sp. nov., a member of the genus Saissetia Kanda, 1960, is a new species in China that is described and illustrated in this study, based on adult females. This species was found on Osmanthus fragrans (Oleaceae) plants from Kunming, Yunnan Province (China). An updated key to females of the eight species of Saissetia which occur in China was developed.

A new species of armoured scale insect, Megacanthaspis guiyangensis sp. nov. is described and illustrated. The new species is morphologically similar to M. hangzhouensis. Megacanthaspis guiyangenis infests leaves of Oligostachyum lubricum in China. A key to all eight species of Megacanthaspis now known is provided.

Abstract In this study, we first construct an age-stage, two-sex life table for onion maggot, Delia antiqua, grown on three host plants: onion, scallion, and garlic. We found that onion is the optimal host for this species and populations grown on onion have maximum fecundity, longest adult longevity and reproduction period, and the shortest immature developmental time. In contrast, the fecundity on other hosts was lower, particularly on garlic, but these crops can also serve as important secondary hosts for this pest. These data will be useful to the growers to develop specific integrated management programs for each of hosts. We also compared the demographic analyses of using individually-reared and group-reared methods. These two methods provided similar accurate outcomes for estimating insect population dynamics for this species. However, for gregarious species, using the individually-reared method to construct insect life tables produces inaccurate results, and researchers must use group-reared method for life table calculations. When studying large groups of insect, group-reared demographic analysis for age-stage, two-sex life table can also simplify statistical analysis, save considerable labor, and reduce experimental errors.

Abstract We sequenced the mitochondrial (mt) genome of the grass thrips, Anaphothrips obscurus, which is highly rearranged and differs from the four thrips species reported previously in the arrangement of both tRNA genes and a protein-coding gene, nad3, and in the copy number of the control region (CR). We reconstructed the phylogeny of the thrips with mt genome sequences, and used it as a framework to gain insights into mt genome evolution in thrips. It is evident that A. obscurus is less rearranged in mt genome organization than the other four known thrips. nad3 is in its ancestral location in A. obscurus but was translocated in other four thrips. Also, A. obscurus has one CR, which is ancestral to hexapods whereas other thrips have two or three CRs. All of the five thrips whose mt genomes have been sequenced to date are from the subfamily Thripinae, which represents about a quarter of the species richness in the order Thysanoptera. The high variation in mt genome organization observed in a subfamily challenges our knowledge about animal mt genomes. It remains to be investigated why mt genomes evolved so fast in the subfamily Thripinae and how mt genomes evolved in other lineages of thrips.

Climate change will markedly impact biology, population ecology, and spatial distribution patterns of insect pests because of the influence of future greenhouse effects on insect development and population dynamics. Onion maggot, Delia antiqua, larvae are subterranean pests with limited mobility, that directly feed on bulbs of Allium sp. and render them completely unmarketable. Modeling the spatial distribution of such a widespread and damaging pest is crucial not only to identify current potentially suitable climactic areas but also to predict where the pest is likely to spread in the future so that appropriate monitoring and management programs can be developed. In this study, Maximum Entropy Niche Modeling was used to estimate the current potential distribution of D. antiqua and to predict the future distribution of this species in 2030, 2050, 2070 and 2080 by using emission scenario (A2) with 7 climate variables. The results of this study show that currently highly suitable habitats for D.antiqua occur throughout most of East Asia, some regions of North America, Western Europe, and Western Asian countries near the Caspian sea and Black Sea. In the future, we predict an even broader distribution of this pest spread more extensively throughout Asia, North America and Europe, particularly in most of European countries, Central regions of United States and much of East Asia. Our present day and future predictions can enhance strategic planning of agricultural organizations by identifying regions that will need to develop Integrated Pest Management programs to manage the onion maggot. The distribution forecasts will also help governments to optimize economic investments in management programs for this pest by identifying regions that are or will become less suitable for current and future infestations.

Saissetia kunmingensis Cao & Feng, sp. nov., a member of the genus Saissetia Kanda, 1960, is a new species in China that is described and illustrated in this study, based on adult females. This species was found on Osmanthus fragrans (Oleaceae) plants from Kunming, Yunnan Province (China). An updated key to females of the eight species of Saissetia which occur in China was developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In insects, glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are multifunctional enzymes playing an important role in metabolizing a wide range of endogenous and exogenous compounds, including plant secondary compounds, insecticides, and odorant molecules. In this study, we identified 14 GSTs from codling moth Cydia pomonella (L.), which is a worldwide internal pest of tree fruit. The cytosolic GSTs contain the conserved glutathione (GSH)- binding domain and substrate-binding domain. The microsomal GSTs are transmembrane proteins containing a conserved motif consisting of 16 amino acids. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) revealed that 10 CpomGSTs were expressed in the antennae. Among them, a novel signal peptide containing GST (CpomGSTd2) was restrictedly expressed in the antennae and the expression levels were significantly higher in male than in female. Phylogenetic analysis shows that CpomGSTd2 shares close relationships with olfactory GSTs of other insects. We prepared the recombinant CpomGSTd2 and determined its GST catalytic property using 1-chloro-2, 4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) and reduced GSH as substrates. This protein exhibited high GST catalytic activity within the temperature ranged from 25 to 50 °C and the optimal pH was 7.0. Our results suggest that antenna is important site for GST-mediated biotransformation and CpomGSTd2 may play a role in the odorant degradation for chemosensory perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In insects, sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs) are critical peripheral olfactory proteins and highly promote the sensitivity of pheromone detection. In this study, we cloned an SNMP transcript (CpomSNMP2, GenBank KU302714) from the antennae of the codling moth Cydia pomonella (L.). Its open reading frame is 1,575 bp and it encodes a protein with 524 amino acids. CpomSNMP2 contains two putative transmembrane domains and has a large extracellular loop. Phylogenetic analysis showed that CpomSNMP2 is clustered into the group of previously characterized lepidopteron SNMP2s. Expression levels of CpomSNMP2 were significantly higher in antennae of both males and females than in tissues from the thoraxes, abdomens, legs, and wings. CpomSNMP2 was distributed in sensilla trichodea of both males and females, but only in sensilla chaetica of males. This study provides evidence for olfactory roles of CpomSNMP2 in this moth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scale insects are one of the most fascinating and unusual types of organisms on Earth. Many species have been found in China, but the diversity and distribution patterns of Chinese scale insects are not well understood. To evaluate the diversity and distribution of scale insects in China, we compiled geographic distribution data from museum specimens and published literature and plotted these data using a Geographical Information System. Distribution centers of scale insects were identified by counting the number of species in each grid cell. Values were extracted from each environmental data set from each point and then the relationships between the distribution of scale insects and environment variables were explored using principal component analysis. There are 1,186 species of scale insects recorded in China belonging to 16 recognized families with an overall endemism of scale insect species of 48%. However, species-description accumulation curves of scale insects suggest that a full inventory of these taxa is far from complete. None of the species accumulation curves yet drawn have reached an asymptote, indicating that current sampling procedures are still not sufficiently intensive to capture most species present within each cell. Results suggest that the number of identified species of scale insects in China is underestimated by previous inventories, and their distribution is governed by complex ecological factors. Furthermore, it was confirmed that climate is the predominant environmental determinants affecting the distribution and diversity patterns of scale insects in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]