Taksin Artchawakom

First record of the plant bug subfamily Psallopinae (Heteroptera: Miridae) from Thailand, with descriptions of new species and immature forms

The Psallopinae form the smallest plant bug subfamily within the largest heteropteran family Miridae. Only eight extant species in two genera are currently known (seven species in Psallops Usinger, 1946, from Japan, Saudi Arabia, and South Pacific Islands, and Isometocoris blantoni Carvalho & Sailer, 1954, from Panama), in addition to a Baltic amber fossil, Isometopsallops schuhi Herczek & Popov, 1992 (Schuh 1995, Yasunaga 1999, 2001). This little known subfamily was established by Schuh (1976) for a single member Psallops ocullatus Usinger, 1946 that had been placed in the Phylinae since the original description. Schuh (1976) suggested that Psallops is defined amongst others by the finely upturned anterior margin of the pronotum, one or two cells on the membrane, two-segmented tarsi, a subapical tooth of the claw, simple form of the vesica, and phallotheca fused with the phallobase. Almost nothing is known about the biology of this small subfamily as most specimens have been collected at light; thus habits and habitats of psallopines remain unknown (Wheeler 2001). Only two Japanese species have been collected by sweeping leaves or branches of broad-leaved trees (Yasunaga 1999, 2001). During our continuing fieldwork in Sakaerat National Environmental Research Station, northeastern Thailand between July 2008 and June 2009, eight adult specimens and two immature forms, representing two undescribed species of Psallops, have been collected. Herein, we record the subfamily Psallopinae from continental Southeast Asia for the first time, and describe Psallops fulvioides and P. sakaerat as new to science. The fourth and final instar nymphs of P. fulvioides are documented, with information on the habitat. The discovery also represents the first record of the immature stages of the Psallopinae. A checklist of the genus Psallops is provided. First record of the plant bug subfamily Psallopinae (Heteroptera: Miridae) from Thailand, with descriptions of new species and immature forms

A new species from the genus Gorochovitettix (Tetrigidae: Metrodorinae) from Thailand

A new species of pygmy grasshopper from the genus Gorochovitettix is described: Gorochovitettix khaosung sp. n. from Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve, Thailand. This represents the second species from the genus and the first record of the genus outside Vietnam.

The flower bug genus Orius Wolff, 1811 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Anthocoridae: Oriini) of Thailand

ABSTRACT 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.

Sexual dimorphism of tropical green pit viper Trimeresurus ( Cryptelytrops ) macrops in Northeast Thailand

Total body size for arboreal vipers is normally biased toward small males and larger females. We evaluated sexual dimorphism in adult and sub-adult Trimeresurus macrops , a small, arboreal green pit viper commonly found in Southeast Asia, but severely understudied. We evaluated morphological characters of 139 adult T. macrops obtained by active and opportunistic searches at Sakaerat Biosphere Reserve in northeast Thailand, from May 2012 to October 2014. We compared 7 external characters including residual index (R i ) and scaled mass index (SMI) between male and female T. macrops . Body length measurements and mass differed between males and females. Females had greater snout-vent length, body mass and head length and width, while males had greater tail lengths. A postocular stripe was always present on males, but never on females. Male head size was negatively correlated with SMI, which may reveal intersexual competition in T. macrops . Sexually dimorphic characters in T. macrops may have evolved through intraspecific resource partitioning.

A new species of Isometopus Fieber, the first record of Isometopinae (Heteroptera: Miridae) from Thailand

The isometopine plant bug genus Isometopus Fieber currently comprises 69 nominal species (Schuh, 1995). The majority of the members are known to occur in the Old World tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zone; 26 species have been reported from the Afrotropical Region, and Asian faunas documented mainly by Lin (2004) [Taiwan], Ren (1991) and Ren & Yang (1988) [China], Yasunaga (2001, 2005) [Japan], and Yasunaga & Duwal (2006) [Nepal]. However, there is no reliable account of the Isometopinae from Thailand, or Indochina.

Further records of the plant bug subfamily Isometopinae from Thailand (Heteroptera: Miridae), with descriptions of three new species

Three new species, Isometopus chaiyaphum, Paloniella microchelys , and Myiomma phuvasae , of the plant bug subfamily Isometopinae Fieber are described; additional records for I. siamensis Yasunaga, Yamada & Artchawakom are documented. The habitat of P. microchelys is reported. A checklist of the isometopine fauna of Thailand is provided.

First Indochinese records of the plant bug genus Hypseloecus Reuter (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Phylinae: Pilophorini), with descriptions of eight new species from Thailand

The phyline plant bug genus Hypseloecus Reuter is reported from Thailand as well as the Indochina region for the first time, diagnosed, and discussed on its phylogenetic position. Eight new species, Hypseloecus castaneus, H. katrinae, H. nigrobrevis, H. phuvasae, H. sakaerat, H. schuhianus, H. sericosagus and H. siamensis, are described, all with color photographic images of live individuals. Four species were confirmed to be associated with inflorescence and/or fruits of Loranthaceae mistletoe (Santalales), particularly Scurrula spp. in Thailand. A checklist of Asian and New Guinean congeners and a key to Asian species (from Japan, Indochina and Philippines) are provided.

Taxonomic review of Tapiena (Orthoptera: Phaneropteridae: Phaneropterinae), with key to species and new species from Thailand.

The genus Tapiena (Orthoptera: Phaneropteridae: Phaneropterinae), consisting of species from around Asia and Africa, is reviewed. Henningian species concept was applied and morphology was used to estimate species boundaries. From Sakaerat Environmental Research Station, Thailand, two new species are described: Tapiena sakaerat Tan, Liu, Artchawakom sp. n. and Tapiena denticulata Tan, Liu, Artchawakom sp. n. This represents the first record of the genus Tapiena in Thailand. A key to the species of Tapiena (for males only) is also provided.

A new species of Velarifictorus ( Pseudocoiblemmus ) from Thailand (Gryllidae; Gryllinae; Modicogryllini) with key to species

One new species of Velarifictorus (Pseudocoiblemmus) is described from Thailand: Velarifictorus (Pseudocoiblemmus) bilobus sp. n. A key to all known species of Velarifictorus (Pseudocoiblemmus) is provided.

Study of Gryllacridinae (Orthoptera: Stenopelmatidae) from Thailand and adjacent countries: the genera Ultragryllacris gen. nov. and Capnogryllacris

A new material on the genera Ultragryllacris gen. nov. and Capnogryllacris Karny, 1937 from Thailand, Laos and Cambodia is considered. Five new species and subspecies are described: U. pulchra sp. nov.; U. p. alboclypeata subsp. nov.; C. thaica sp. nov.; C. sakaerat sp. nov.; C. phaeocephala cambodiensis subsp. nov. Capnogryllacris s. l. is divided into two possible subgenera (Capnogryllacris s. str. and Dictyogryllacris Karny, 1937, stat. nov.) as a minimum; the former genera Borneogryllacris Karny, 1937, syn. nov., Marthogryllacris Karny, 1937, syn. nov. and Erythrogryllacris Karny, 1937, syn. nov. are treated as synonyms of the subgenus Capnogryllacris. Previously unknown female for C. khmerica Gorochov, 2003 is described; neotype for C. martha (Griffini, 1914 ), type species of Marthogryllacris, is designated; C. erythrocephala Gorochov, 2003, sp. ressur. and C. e. borealis Gorochov, 2003, stat. ressur. are restored from synonyms of C. martha and from species status, respectively.