Kazutaka Yamada

The molecular phylogeny of the Cimicoidea was reconstructed from an expanded sampling based on mitochondrial (16S, COI) and nuclear (18S, 28SD3) genes. The data were analyzed using maximum likelihood (ML), maximum parsimony (MP), and Bayesian inference (BI) phylogenetic frameworks. The phylogenetic relationships inferred by the model-based analyses (ML and BI) were largely congruent with those inferred by the MP analysis in terms of the monophyly of most of the higher taxonomic groups and the species-level relationships. The following clades were recovered in all analyses: Cimiciformes; Nabidae: Prostemmatinae; Nabidae: Nabinae; Plokiophilidae; Microphysidae; Lasiochilidae; Cimicidae: Cacodminae; Cimicidae; Lyctocoridae; Anthocoridae s. str.; Cardiastethini excluding Amphiareus; Almeidini; Scolopini; Anthocorini; Oriini; Curaliidae + Lasiochilidae; Almeidini + Xylocorini; Oriini + Cardiastethini; and Anthocorini + Amphiareus. Reconstructions of ancestral copulation states based on Bayesian and parsimony inference indicated that at least one shift from standard insemination (SI) to traumatic insemination (TI) occurred within Cimicoidea, and an investigation of the evolutionary correlation between TI and paragenitalia (PG) revealed that the acquisition of PG in cimicoid females was correlated with the TI habit. Additionally, our morphological examination of various types of PG suggested that even the same PG type may not constitute a homologous feature at various taxonomic levels, indicating the convergent evolution of female morphology to adapt to TI.

A new genus and species of cimicoid true bug, Ecpaglocoris ditomeus Yamada & Yamamoto, gen. et sp. nov., is described and illustrated from mid-Cretaceous (Cenomanian–Albian) amber in the Kachin State of northern Myanmar (Burma). This new fossil genus and species is reminiscent of members of Anthocoridae by the strongly flattened and elongated body, four-segmented labium, distinct costal fracture and presence of fossula spongiosa on fore tibiae, but should not be ascribed to this family. The new taxon cannot be placed in any extant cimicoid families, based upon hemelytral, male genital and other morphological structures. Based on the hemelytral membrane venation and presence of dorsal laterotergites on abdominal segments I to VIII, it can be assumed that this new genus belongs to the extinct family Vetanthocoridae. Ecpaglocoris ditomeusgen. et sp. nov. has aberrant male genitalia characterised by sickle-shaped left and right parameres and grooves running throughout the paramere. This characteristic indicates that traumatic insemination occurred in this genus. The peculiar combination of male genital characteristics seen in Ecpaglocorisgen. nov. prevents its placement in any of the extant cimicoid families.

Japanese Anthocorini are reviewed. A total of five genera and 13 species were identified, including two new species described below: Temnostethus mirificus sp. nov. and Anthocoris venustus sp. nov. Previous records of Anthocoris miyamotoi Hiura, 1959 from Japan are considered to be confused with A. venustus sp. nov. Anthocoris nemoralis (Fabricius, 1794), which is a common and widespread species in Europe, is recorded in Japan for the first time; it is assumed to have been accidentally introduced into Japan recently. Temnostethus distans Kerzhner, 1973 and Anthocoris kalopanacis Kerzhner, 1977 are newly recorded in Japan proper. Male and female genitalia are illustrated and described for most of the treated species. Identification keys to the genera and species that occur in Japan are provided. Bionomics are provided for each species. Detailed locality information and distribution maps in Japan are presented for all Japanese species and their zoogeography is discussed.

The genus Alpagut Kıyak, 1995, is recorded from East Asia for the first time based on the description of A. masakazui sp. nov. from Japan. Habitus images and illustrations of diagnostic features, including genitalia structures, are provided. The loculus capsulae of A. masakazui sp. nov. is discussed. The presence of a metacoxal adhesive pad is reconfirmed in Dipsocoridae along with a discussion of its morphology.

Cryptostemma miyamotoi sp. nov. and C. pavelstysi sp. nov. from Japan are described. Habitus images and illustrations of diagnostic features, including genitalic structures, are provided. A key to the Eastern Palaearctic species is offered to facilitate identification. Habitats and behavior of the two new species are discussed based on the field and laboratory observations. The gender agreement of Pachycoleus japonicus (Miyamoto, 1964) is corrected.

A new genus and species of cimicomorphan bug, Aphrastomedes anthocoroides Yamada and Yamamoto, gen. and sp. nov., is described and illustrated based on two specimens preserved in Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian) amber from the Hukawng Valley of northern Myanmar (Burma). This remarkable cimicomorphan species is tentatively assigned to the family Velocipedidae primarily on the basis of the structure of the labium, forewings, and genitalia. Aphrastomedes is considered best placed in the Cimiciformes as a member of the Velocipedidae, and it also has a close relationship to the Medocostidae.

Background: On account of repeated exposure and submergence of the East China Sea (ECS) land bridge, sea level fluctuation played an important role in shaping the population structure of many temperate species across the ECS during the glacial period. The flower bug Amphiareus obscuriceps (Poppius, 1909) ( Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) is an invasive species native to the Sino-Japanese Region (SJR) of East Asia. We tested the hypothesis of the ECS land bridge acting as a dispersal corridor or filter for A. obscuriceps during the glacial period. Specifically, we tested whether and the extent to which dispersal ability and host plant habitat requirement influenced the genetic structure of A. obscuriceps during the exposure of the ECS land bridge. Results: Phylogenetic and network analyses indicated that A. obscuriceps is composed of two major lineages, i.e., China and Japan. Divergence time on both sides of the ECS was estimated to be approximately 1.07 (0.79-1.32) Ma, which was about the same period that the sea level increased. No significant Isolation by Distance (IBD) relationship was found between empty setst and Euclidean distances in the Mantel tests, which is consistent with the hypothesis that this species has a good dispersal ability. Our Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) niche modeling of plants that constitute preferred habitats for A. obscuriceps exhibited a similar habitat gap on the exposed ECS continental shelf between China and Japan, but showed a continuous distribution across the Taiwan Strait. Conclusion: Our results suggest that ecological properties (habitat requirement and dispersal ability), together with sea level fluctuation during the Pleistocene across the ECS, have shaped the genetic structure and demographic history of A. obscuriceps in its native area. The host plant habitat requirement could also be a key to the colonization of the A. obscuriceps species during the exposure of the ECS land bridge. Our findings will shed light on the potential role of habitat requirement in the process of biological invasion in future studies.

The flower bug genus Orius Wolff, 1811 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Anthocoridae: Oriini) in Thailand is reviewed. Eleven valid species are recognised; seven of them are described as new to science: Orius (O.) sakaerat, O. (O.) taksini, O. (O.) tomokunii, O. (O.) filiferus, O. (O.) machaerus, O. (O.) inthanonus and O. (Trichorius) crassus. Orius (Heterorius) dravidiensis Muraleedharan, 1977, which has been known from India, is recorded from Thailand for the first time, and is correctly placed in the subgenus Dimorphella Reuter, 1884. The subgenus Paraorius Yasunaga and Miyamoto, 1993 is proposed as a synonym of Dimorphella. Diagnoses, digital habitus images, scanning electron micrographs and illustrations of diagnostic features including both male and female genitalia are provided. Keys to the Thai species are offered to facilitate identification. Biology of Thai species is also discussed.

Two species of the minute pirate bug genus Xylocoris Dufour, 1931 were found from plant debris on the ground in central Thailand: Xylocoris (Arrostelus) ampoli Yamada & Yasunaga sp. nov., showing wing dimorphism, and X (Proxylocoris) cerealis Yamada & Yasunaga, 2006, previously known only from the rice mill factories. A finding of X ampoli Yamada & Yasunaga sp. nov. represents the second discovery of the subgenus Arrostelus Kirkaldy, 1906 in the Oriental Region. Biology and zoogeography of Arrostelus are discussed and a key to the species occurring in the Oriental Region is also provided.

A new species of the family Lyctocoridae, Lyctocoris ichikawai Yamada & Yasunaga sp. nov., is described from Shikoku and Kyushu, southwestern Japan. The species was found to inhabit near the sap-exuding parts on the trunk of Sawtooth Oak, Quercus acutissima Carruth. (Fagaceae). Lyctocoris ichikawai is considered to be most closely related to L. zhangi Bu & Zheng, 2001 from continental China and L. variegatus Pericart, 1969 from the Caucasus. The unique biology of the new species, including its habitat use, feeding activities, and phenology, is documented and discussed. A key is provided to distinguish among the three Japanese species of Lyctocoris.

We performed a molecular phylogenetic study of the Anthocoridae, the flower bugs, based on maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony, and Bayesian analyses of similar to 3000 base pairs (bp) of DNA sequence from the mitochondrial 16S rRNA and nuclear 18S rRNA and 28S rRNA genes for 44 taxa. Our phylogenetic analyses indicates that (i) the tribe Cardiastethini (Dufouriellini) could be a paraphyletic group, as the genera Amphiareus and Dysepicritus are not included in the tribe; (ii) the main subgroups, Oriini and Anthocorini, are monophyletic within Anthocoridae; (iii) three tribes of Blaptostethini, Xylocorini, and Scolopini are separated from the main anthocorid clade which is composed of Anthocorini, Cardiastethini, and Oriini, suggesting that Anthocoridae could not be monophyletic. We compared our molecular phylogeny to previous hypotheses of evolutionary relationships within Cimicoidea based on different anthocorid classification systems using alternative hypothesis tests (Kishino-Hasegawa and Shimodaira-Hasegawa tests). BayesTraits were used to examine the ancestral character states inferring historical habitat patterns of the Anthocoridae. Reconstruction of the ancestral habitat patterns of the Anthocoridae suggests that dead plants may have served as an important habitat for the common ancestor of anthocorids. The biological events such as diversification of angiosperms and anthocorid prey might have provided anthocorids with more habitat options, such as living plants; thereafter, Anthocorini and Amphiareus appeared to have evolved increasingly specialized habitat relationships. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The recently established genus Rajburicoris Carpintero and Dellape, 2008 is recorded from India for the first time based on a new species, R. keralanus Yamada, collected from Kerala State. This new species feeds on Liothrips karnyi, which infests black pepper leaves and forms leaf-curl galls. It differs from R. stysi Carpintero and Dellape 2008 by the labium reaching middle of mesosternum, the ostiolar peritreme weakly curving anteriorly before strongly recurving posteriorly at apex, and the omphalus basally widened and gradually more slender apicad. Biological information of the new species is provided. The genus is redefined based on the following autapomorphies: 1) pygophore with an irregular, small parameroid along left edge; 2) paramere strongly curved, very long, basally widened, and gradually narrowed toward apex; and 3) omphalus extremely long and circularly curved.

Four species of the genus Amphiareus are recognized in southeastern Asia, including two new species, A. edentulus and A. rompinus, both from Johor, Malaysia. The two known species, A. constrictus ( Stal) and A. ruficollaris Yamada & Hirowatari are also diagnosed and figured; the latter is recorded from this region for the first time. The genus is diagnosed and briefly discussed.