The monotypic genus Paracyriothasastes Breuning, 1978 was established for Cereopsius marmoreus Pascoe, 1857 from Malaysia. Uraechoides Breuning, 1981 was established for Uraechoides vivesi Breuning, 1981 also from Malaysia, and is currently composed of the type species and U. taomeiae Hayashi, Nara Yu, 1995, the latter from China (Taiwan) (Tavakilian Chevillotte 2020).
A worldwide review of the genus Callilanguria is presented. Three new species are described: C. weiweii Huang Yang, sp. nov. from Sabah, Malaysia; C. helleri Huang Yang, sp. nov. from Panay, the Philippines; and C. nigripes Huang Yang, sp. nov. from Samar Island, the Philippines. Callilanguria scrupulosa Heller, 1918 is transferred to the genus Doubledaya. The other species are C. eximia Fowler, 1885; C. gorhami Villiers, 1945; C. asymmetrica Heller, 1900; C. ruficeps Achard, 1923; C. milloti Villiers, 1945; C. stenosoma (Harold, 1879); C. flaviventris Fowler, 1886; C. wallacii Crotch, 1876; and C. luzonica Crotch, 1876. In total, twelve species are recognized in the genus Callilanguria, and a key to the described species of the genus is provided.
In view of the increasing and devastating damage by rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros) to coconut palms in the middle of last century, many efforts were made to find an efficient natural control factor against this pest, which could not be controlled by pesticides. The basic procedures of these monitoring programmes are outlined together with the final detection of a virus disease in oil palm estates in Malaysia in 1963. In extensive laboratory studies, the virus was isolated and identified as the first non-occluded, rod-shaped insect virus, morphologically resembling the baculoviruses. Infection experiments clarified the pathology, histopathology, and virulence of the virus and demonstrated that the virus was extremely virulent to larvae after peroral application. These findings encouraged the first pilot release of virus in 1967 in coconut plantations of Western Samoa where breeding sites were contaminated with virus. Surprisingly, the virus became established in the Samoan rhinoceros beetle populations and spread autonomously throughout the Western Samoan islands. As a consequence, there was a drastic decline of the beetle populations followed by a conspicuous recovery of the badly damaged coconut stands. This unexpected phenomenon could only be explained after it was shown that the adult beetle itself is a very active virus vector and thus was responsible for the efficient autodissemination of the virus. The functioning of the beetle as a 'flying virus factory' is due to the unique cytopathic process developing in the midgut after peroral virus infection. Pathological details of this process are presented. Because of the long-term persistence of the virus in the populations, rhinoceros beetle control is maintained. Incorporation of virus into integrated control measures and successful virus releases in many other countries are recorded.
We screened more than 60 Malaysian plants against two species of insects and found that Melicope subunifoliolata (Stapf) T.G. Hartley (Rutaceae) showed strong feeding deterrent activity against Sitophilus zeamais Motsch. (Curculionidae) and very good larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera). One anti-insect compound, meliternatin (3,5-dimethoxy-3',4',6,7-bismethylendioxyflavone) (6) and six other minor polyoxygenated flavones were isolated from M. subunifoliolata.
Metarhizium anisopliae Metchnikoff (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) is a fungal pathogen that causes disease in various insect pests, and it can be exploited and developed as a biological control agent to combat the red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae). The study on indigenous isolates is crucial especially for development of bioinsecticides in the future. The M. anisopliae strain called MET-GRA4 was tested for pathogenicity against adult red palm weevil and treated in vitro with different spore viabilities. The isolates exhibited pathogenicity with 100% mortality 21 d postinfection. The median lethal time (LT50) for 85% viable spores was 8.6 d, while 39% viable spores had an LT50 value of 21.37 d, with 92 and 16.6% mycosis, respectively. The species MET-GRA4 strain was molecularly characterized using ITS1 and ITS4 from pure culture (Isolate A), mass-produced spores (Isolate B), and infected red palm weevil cadavers (Isolate C). The DNA sequences obtained matched M. anisopliae sequences, with 99% similarity. This new isolate of M. anisopliae has potential as a targeted bioinsecticide for management of red palm weevil.
This case study reports on two unrecorded Coleopteran species found together on a human corpse in Malaysia. The mummified human remains were discovered in a house in Selangor, Malaysia. The pathologist confirmed that the death was due to a traumatic chest injury. Maggots, beetles, and fly pupal casings were found mainly on the front part of the body. Empty puparia of Diptera were collected during the autopsy and identified later as the muscid Synthesiomyia nudiseta (van der Wulp, 1883) (Diptera: Muscidae). Also, the insect evidence received included larvae and pupae of Megaselia sp. (Diptera: Phoridae). According to the insect development data, the minimum postmortem period was estimated by the time to reach the pupal developmental stage (in days). The entomological evidence included the first record of Dermestes maculatus De Geer, 1774 (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) and Necrobia rufipes (Fabricius, 1781) (Coleoptera: Cleridae), which have not previously been recorded on human remains in Malaysia.
A partially skeletonized human corpse was found in bushes in Selangor, Malaysia in June 2020. Entomological evidence was collected during the autopsy and sent to the Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) for minimum postmortem interval (PMImin) analysis. Standard protocols were applied when processing preserved and live insect specimens of both larval and pupal stages. Entomological evidence revealed that the corpse was colonized by Chrysomya nigripes Aubertin, 1932 (Diptera: Calliphoridae) and Diamesus osculans (Vigors, 1825) (Coleoptera: Silphidae). Chrysomya nigripes was chosen as the PMImin indicator as this fly species is an earlier colonizer compared to D. osculans beetle larvae which their presence is the indicative of late stage of decomposition. For the present case, the pupae of C. nigripes were the oldest insect evidence collected and based on the available developmental data, the estimated minimum PMI was established between 9 and 12 days. It is noteworthy to highlight that this is the first record of D. osculans colonization on a human corpse.
Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Dryophthoridae) is an economically important pest of palm trees in the subtropics. Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo-Crivelli) Vuillemin (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae), has been shown to be pathogenic against R. ferrugineus in laboratory and field studies. However, because they remain inside the trunks until adulthood, the slowing of feeding and increases in mortality of internally feeding R. ferrugineus larvae over time after B. bassiana treatment has not been established. To explore the potential of acoustic methods to assess treatment effects, sound impulses produced by untreated, 10(4)-, and 10(6)-conidia ml(-1) B. bassiana-treated larvae in palms were recorded for 23 d, after which the palms were dissected and the larvae examined. Analyses were performed to identify trains of impulses with characteristic patterns (bursts) produced frequently by moving and feeding larvae but only rarely (3-8% of the larval rate) by interfering background noise or tree vibrations. The rates of bursts, the counts of larval impulses per burst, and the rates of impulses in bursts decreased significantly over time in both B. bassiana treatments but not in the control. This supports a hypothesis that larvae had briefer movement and feeding bouts as they became weaker after infection, which reduced the counts of larval impulses per burst, the rates of bursts, and the rates of impulses in bursts. There is considerable potential for use of acoustic methods as tools for nondestructive assessment of effects of biological control treatments against internally feeding insect pests.
Up to date, Eutheimorphus Franz & Lbl included a sole species known from a holotype male collected in Sabah, Borneo. An occurrence of this enigmatic and extremely rare genus in Thailand is reported, and Eutheimorphus thailandicus sp. n. is described. Among diagnostic characters are unique grooves on the head and a symmetrical (in contrast to strongly asymmetrical in E. paradoxus Franz & Lbl) set of endophallic sclerites.
A new species of Clidicini ant-like stone beetles, Clidicus mawarensis sp. n., is described and illustrated. The holotype male was collected in East Malaysia (Borneo: Sabah); the new species belongs to a group of large-bodied Clidicus, and shows similarities to C. ganglbaueri Reitter; the male has unusually complex structures of the aedeagal apical region.
The glandulariine genus Siamites is amongst the rarest Oriental ant-like stone beetles. To date, only three species have been known, distributed in Thailand and Vietnam. A new species, S. sarawakensis sp. n. is described here, based on a male specimen collected in Sarawak, East Malaysia. This finding extends the known range of Siamites over 1200 km southeastward.
Six new species of the cephenniine genus Hlavaciellus Jałoszyński are described: H. cincinnalis sp. n. (Malaysia: Sabah); H. carinatus sp. n. (Malaysia: Pahang); H. microtuberculatus sp. n. (Malaysia: Pahang); H. diversipilosus sp. n. (Malaysia: Pahang); H. concavus sp. n. (Indonesia: Sumatra); and H. sumatranus sp. n. (Indonesia: Sumatra). An updated key to identification of males of all nominal species of Hlavaciellus is given.
The 'Cephennomicrus group' of Cephenniini includes nine genera distributed mostly in SE Asia (but with some species known also from other continents, except for the Americas). Four new Oriental species are described: Cephennococcus penangensis sp. n. (W Malaysia), Cephennomicrus matangensis sp. n. (E Malaysia), Cephennomicrus selangorensis sp. n. (E Malaysia), and Trurlia nova sp. n. (E Malaysia). Cephennomicrus selangorensis is unique in having the pronotum in both sexes with broad lateral impressions demarcated from the disc by a sharp ridge, a modification slightly similar to that of only one (Australian) congener.
The genus Marcepania is a sole member of the tribe Marcepaniini, known to occur in SE Asia. The five hitherto described species inhabit the Malay Peninsula and Borneo. The first species discovered in the Philippines, Marcepania princesa sp. n. is described here, based on a male specimen found on the island of Palawan. It is most similar to its geographically closest relative, M. elongata of northern Borneo.
Twenty new species of Agrilus jewel beetles from the Oriental region are described and illustrated: Agrilus cicadelloides sp. nov. (Malaysia: Sarawak); A. draco sp. nov. (Malaysia: Sabah); A. hergovitsi sp. nov. (Malaysia: Johor); A. hik sp. nov.(Cambodia); A. ika sp. nov. (Solomon Islands); A. jankae sp. nov. (Indonesia: Sumatra, Singapore); A. jum sp. nov. (Laos); A. kon sp. nov. (Cambodia); A. mimicus sp. nov. (Laos); A. qom sp. nov. (Laos); A. titi sp. nov. (Malaysia: Perak); A. uxo sp. nov. (Vietnam); A. wos sp. nov. (Laos); A. xen sp. nov. (Laos); A. xia sp. nov. (Laos); A. xis sp. nov. (Laos); A. yoa sp. nov. (Laos, Vietnam); A. yuk sp. nov. (Laos); A. zao sp. nov. (Indonesia: Java and Sumba Islands); A. zim sp. nov. (Malaysia: Pahang).
The Agrilus purpurifrons species-group comprising twelve species from the Oriental region is defined and revised. A key to species is provided and complemented with illustrations of habitus and genitalia. Three new species are described: Agrilus cameronius sp. nov. (Malaysia); A. puncak sp. nov. (Indonesia); and A. vendibilis sp. nov. (Indonesia). The following taxonomic changes are proposed: the specific names lacroixi Obenberger, 1936 syn. nov. and chapaensis Descarpentries Villiers, 1967 syn. nov. are junior synonyms in the synonymy of A. morio Kerremans, 1895; the name rousselatae Baudon, 1968 stat. rev. is removed from the synonymy of A. lacroixi Obenberger, 1936 and revalidated as the specific name of A. rousselatae Baudon, 1968.
The synchronous firefly genus Pteroptyx Olivier is reassessed from morphological, molecular, and habitat perspectives in Malaysia, and includes some reliably associated females described from morphological features and internal female reproductive anatomy. Phylogenetic analyses using combined morphological and molecular data (where available) for 158 taxa supported all the major features of the existing taxonomic categories within the Indopacific Luciolinae. They revealed a distinct Pteroptyx clade as a morphologically variable genus with Poluninius selangoriensis Ballantyne being newly synonymised with Luciola testacea Motschulsky, the type species, which is redescribed from the type series. Pteroptyx gelasina Ballantyne was shown to be distinct and three of the four morphological subdivisions within Pteroptyx malaccae (Gorham) considered useful. A new species Pt. balingiana Jusoh sp. nov. is described from Sarawak. A second specimen of Pt. gombakia Ballantyne is described and figured. Some females were reliably associated with identified males by molecular data, but investigation of their morphology showed consistent features that were for the most part not useful for species delineation, which still relies on association with the males and colour patterns. All females investigated had bursa plates.Habitat details for most Pteroptyx revealed an association with a riparian environment likely to support mangroves but not necessarily an obligatory association with mangroves or any particular species. Pteroptyx galbina Jusoh was found up to 30 km from the sea, and Pt. bearni Olivier displays in a variety of flowering plants alongside rivers, including mangroves.Keys to species and diagnoses of all species with coloured plates are given.
Megasybacodes brevitarsis Kakizoe, Maruyama Masumoto, a new genus and new species of the tribe Rhyparini, is described based on a single female from Borneo. It is allied to the genus Sybacodes Fairmaire, 1896, but easily distinguished by its short protarsi, broad flattened basal tarsomeres of the meso- and metatarsi, broad flattened tibiae, and wrinkled pronotal and elytral surfaces. Checklist of rhyparine species from Borneo is also provided.
A new genus and five new species of neotenic lyropaeine net-winged beetles, Plycus prosvirovi gen. nov., sp. nov., Platerodrilus (s. str.) brastagicola sp. nov., P. (s. str.) gorbunovi sp. nov., P. (s. str.) kambanganus sp. nov. and P. (Duliticola) berastagiensis sp. nov., are described from Malaysia and Indonesia. Horakiella Bocakova, 2006, syn. nov. is proposed as a junior synonym of Atamania Kazantsev, 2005. Descriptions of little known members of the subfamily, Lybnopaeus avernus (Kazantsev, 1997), Lyropaeus (Lyroneces) orcinus Kazantsev, 1998, Miniduliticola nelsoni Kazantsev, 2002, Platerodrilus (Zhelongia) grootaerti Kazantsev, 2009, P. (Zh.) holynskae Kazantsev, 2009, P. (Duliticola) svetae Kazantsev, 2009, P. (D.) strbai Kazantsev, 2009, Atamania tembeling Kazantsev, 2002 and Sinodulia gressitti Kazantsev, 2002, are complemented with macrophotographs. Lists of Platerodrilus and Atamania species are provided.
Two new species of Ancyronyx Erichson, 1847 (Coleoptera: Elmidae) are described from Borneo: A. pulcherrimus (Brunei) and A. reticulatus (Sabah). Habitus views, illustrations of important characters as well as plastron structures of Ancyronyx reticulatus are presented and discussed.