Ram Keshari Duwal

COI barcoding of true bugs (Insecta, Heteroptera)

Several recent studies have proposed that partial DNA sequences of the cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) mitochondrial gene might serve as DNA barcodes for identifying and differentiating between animal species, such as birds, fish and insects. In this study, we tested the effectiveness of a COI barcode to identify true bugs from 139 species collected from Korea and adjacent regions (Japan, Northeastern China and Fareast Russia). All the species had a unique COI barcode sequence except for the genus Apolygus (Miridae), and the average interspecific genetic distance between closely related species was about 16 times higher than the average intraspecific genetic distance. DNA barcoding identified one probable new species of true bug and revealed identical or very recently divergent species that were clearly distinguished by morphological characteristics. Therefore, our results suggest that COI barcodes can reveal new cryptic true bug species and are able to contribute for the exact identification of the true bugs.

A new record of the subfamily Isometopinae (Heteroptera: Miridae) from the Korean Peninsula

The subfamily Isometopinae (Heteroptera: Miridae) is recognized for the first time in the Korean Peninsula based on a single female specimen, Isometopus amurensis Kerzhner. Herein, diagnosis of a female specimen, illustration of female genitalia, and habitus figures with biological notes are provided.xa0

Review of Europiella Reuter (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Phylinae: Phylini) from Korea, with a description of a new genus.

Five species of Europiella (Phylinae: Phylini) including three newly reported species, E. artemisiae (Becker, 1864), E. kiritshenkoi Kulik, 1975, and E. miyamotoi (Kerzhner, 1988), are recognized for the first time from Korea, and Europiella albipennis (Fallén, 1829) is removed from the Korean list. A new genus Europiellomorpha Duwal n. gen., is proposed to accommodate Plagioganthus lividellus (Kerzhner, 1979) (= Europiella lividellus). A key to the Korean species of Europiella, diagnosis, and descriptions of both male and female genitalia are provided.

Additional descriptions of the plant bug genus Psallus from the Korean Peninsula (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Phylinae).

Three new species of the plant bug genus, Psallus are recognized from the Korean Peninsula: Psallus (Calopsallus) injensis Duwal sp. nov., P. (Hylopsallus) taehwana Duwal sp. nov. and P. (Phylidea) yongdaeri Duwal sp. nov. These species are described with illustrations of male and female genitalic structures. A revised key to known species from the Korean Peninsula, including new species and biological notes are provided. The species, Psallus sanguinarius is observed in the South Korea for the first time.