Stephen W. Chordas

Lethal and sublethal body residues for PCB intoxication in the oligochaete, Lumbriculus variegatus

The oligochaete, Lumbriculus variegatus, was used to examine the utility of critical body residues in describing lethal and sublethal chronic endpoints during polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) exposure. L. variegatus was exposed to four 14C-PCB congeners and 2,2-bis-(p-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dichloroethylene (DDE) on algal cells. Accumulation and resulting effects were monitored in 10-day acute and 35-day chronic exposures. L. variegatus was resistant to the acute lethal narcotic effects of these contaminants and no mortality was obtained in 10-day exposures. However, mortality that was significantly different from unexposed controls occurred for four compounds in 35-day assays; average body residues for chronic mortality were consistent among contaminants (0.88–1.35 mmol kg−1). Kinetic studies showed that failure to generate mortality in some exposures was due to rapid elimination. Mono-2-chlorobiphenyl, for instance, had a Kd of 0.22 h−1 which was seven to 44 times faster than for the other contaminants. Sublethal reductions in body mass and reproduction occurred at lower body residues than were needed to produce mortality (0.34–0.56 mmol kg−1). The consistency of the sublethal data suggests that they may offer a means of interpreting residue data for PCBs in the environment.

Synopsis of the Backswimmers (Hemiptera: Notonectidae) of New Hampshire

Abstract The family Notonectidae occurs throughout North America and has been previously reported from all provinces and territories in Canada (except Nunavut) and 48 of the United States (only New Hampshire and Alaska lacked records). We report this family from New Hampshire for the first time. It is represented by 10 species in two genera: Buenoa confusa, B. limnocastoris, B. macrotibialis, B. margaritacea, Notonecta insulata, N. irrorata, N. petrunkevitchi, N. lunata, N. uhleri, and N. undulata. A list of additional species that may occur in the state is also provided.

A new species of Rhagovelia in the armata group from Belize (Heteroptera: Veliidae)

Rhagovelia chac n. sp. is described from the mountains of interior Belize. This species is morphologically similar to Rhagovelia planipes Gould, which occurs in the adjacent basal section of the Yucatan Peninsula. Figures of the male and female dorsal habitus and male genitalic structures are provided, accompanied by a distribution map and a photo of the type locality.

Annotated list of the assassin bugs (Heteroptera: Reduviidae) of Belize, with the description of two new species

Fifty-one species of Reduviidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) are recorded from Belize; literature citations are provided where relevant, and specimen data are included for examined material. Thirteen previously-described species are reported from Belize for the first time, ten of which represent new generic records: Eupheno histrionicus Stål, 1862 (Cetherinae); Ghinallelia signoreti (Dohrn, 1860) (Emesinae); Rasahus albomaculatus (Mayr, 1865) (Peiratinae); Leogorrus interruptus Champion, 1899; Microlestria laevis Champion, 1899; Nalata quadrituberculata Champion, 1899; Nalata setulosa Stål, 1862; Pseudozelurus superbus (Champion, 1899); Zelurus spinidorsis (Gray, 1832) (all Reduviinae); Oncerotrachelus conformis Uhler, 1894; Saica fuscipes Stål, 1862 (both Saicinae); Gnathobleda litigiosa Stål, 1862; and Stenopoda wygodzinskyi Giacchi, 1969 (both Stenopodainae). Among the ten subfamilies reported, Belizean records for one subfamily, Saicinae, are reported for the first time. Accompanying the checklist are the descriptions of Castolus omega Swanson sp. nov. (Harpactorinae) and Pygolampis aptena Swanson sp. nov. (Stenopodainae).

Four Uncommon Assassin Bugs (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae) New for Arkansas, U.S.A.

ABSTRACT: We report the following four uncommonly encountered assassin bug species: Empicoris errabundus, E. rubromaculatus, Ploiariacarolina, and P. hirticornis (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae) for the first time from Arkansas. Both genera also were unreported previously for the state. Our Ploiariacarolina record constitutes a significant western range extension of >750 km to west of the Mississippi River; the other three species have been reported previously from areas surrounding Arkansas. We further provide digital images of each species and of taxonomically important characters, along with updated distribution maps.

Seven Black Bug Species (Thyreocoridae) New for North Carolina, U.S.A.

The black bug (Thyreocoridae) holdings in the North Carolina State University Insect Collection were largely undocumented and potentially housed unreported species for the state. Because there were only six species reported for North Caro lina (Henry and Froeschner, 1988), it was likely that additional records would be discovered. We identified the adult specimens in the collection to species and made augmentative field collections in 2013. We herein report the following seven species, in two genera, as state records for North Carolina: Cori mel aena agrella, Corimelaena obscura, Corimelaena pulicaria, Galgupha aterrima, Gal gup ha carinata, Galgupha denudata, and Galgupha loboprostethia. All 7 species are known from the eastern U.S. and were probable for the state. Specimens cited in this publication were entered into the Planetary Bio di versity Inventory (PBI) of the Plant Bugs database of the American Museum of Natural History. Lists of specimens examined were edited from reports generated from the PBI database. Collection data for all specimens are given in the following format: County, locality data (if recorded on label), coordinates if present on label or able to be determined, collection date, collector (if known), host (if known), number of specimens, and sex. McPherson (1982) and McAtee and Malloch (1933) were used as taxonomic references. Blatchley (1926), Henry and Froeschner (1988), and McPherson (1982) were used as species distribution references.