A new species of Diachasmimorpha Viereck (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Opiinae) from China.

Diachasmimorpha anshunensis sp. nov., a koinobiont endoparasitoid of larvae of Zeugodacus tau (Walker) (Tephritidae: Diptera), is discovered from Guizhou (Southwest China) and is described by multiple forms of evidence. Morphological characteristics, photographs, and molecular data differentiating it from similar species are provided. Several biological characteristics of this new parasitoid, observed in a laboratory setting, are also provided as evidence to separate it from the most similar species in appearance.

Revision of Streblocera Westwood (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Euphorinae) from China, with the description of seven new species.

The Chinese fauna of the euphorine genus Streblocera Westwood, 1833 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) is revised. Seven new species from China are described and illustrated: Streblocera (Eutanycerus) carinifera Li, Chen and van Achterberg, sp. nov., S. (E.) laterostriata Li, Chen and van Achterberg, sp. nov., S. (E.) uncifera Li, Chen and van Achterberg, sp. nov., S. (S.) interrupta Li, Chen and van Achterberg, sp. nov., S. (S.) stigenbergae Li, Chen and van Achterberg, sp. nov., S. (S.) trullifera Li, Chen and van Achterberg, sp. nov., and S. (S.) zoroi Li, Chen and van Achterberg, sp. nov. An identification key to the females of Streblocera from China is provided.

Note on the heart-shaped modified basal antenna in the genus Marshiella Shaw (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Euphorinae), with description of a new species.

The euphorine braconid genus Marshiella is quite rare and enigmatic (Shaw and Marsh 2000). Shaw (1985) named this genus for two species previously included the genera Streblocera and Microctonus. Both species share the unusually heart-shaped modified, densely setose basal flagellomeres (as in Fig. 3) and are included in the tribe Townesilitini by Stigenberg et al. (2015) together with Townesilitus, Streblocera and Proclithrophorus, but the placement of the latter is controversial. Very little is known about the species of Marshiella, including their biology and diversity. They are presumed to be koinobiont endoparasitoids of adult Coleoptera; only one species, M. plumicornis (Ruthe) has been reared from a host, the anthicid beetle Notozus monceros L. They probably orient themselves to their hosts using chemical cues (Shaw and Marsh 2000). Their heart-shaped modified basal antenna are apparently modified for grasping the pronotal horn of their aggressive adult host during oviposition. Only nine species of Marshiella are currently known, two of them are from Oriental China (Yu et al. 2016).

First record of Rilipertus Haeselbarth (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Euphorinae) from China with description of a new species.

Euphorinae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) is a large subfamily of endoparasitoid wasps with 1,270+ described species worldwide (Yu et al. 2016). In the phylogenetic analysis of Stigenberg et al. (2015) Rilipertus Haeselbarth, 1996 was recovered within the tribe Perilitini Forster,1862 together with several other genera. Rilipertus is morphologically similar to Microctonus Wesmael, 1836 and Perilitus Nees, 1819 by the type of wing venation, structure of propodeum, and shape and structure of first metasomal tergite. However, Rilipertus differs distinctly from them by having shorter and conspicuously broadened ovipositor sheaths and the sculpture of the first tergite is reduced. Six species of Rilipertus are currently known (Yu et al. 2016).

A new species of Myiocephalus Marshall (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Euphorinae) from China.

A new species of the genus Myiocephalus Marshall, 1898, M. cracentis Li, sp. nov. from the Palaearctic (China, Ningxia, Hubei), is described and illustrated. A key to known species of Myiocephalus is provided. Myiocephalus boops (Wesmael, 1835), is a new record for Jilin province (NE China).

Tyrosine hydroxylase is crucial for pupal pigmentation in Zeugodacus tau (Walker) (Diptera: Tephritidae).

Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) is the initial enzyme responsible for cuticle sclerotization and pigmentation in many insect species, but to date, no direct functional studies have focused on TH in Zeugodacus tau. Here, the 3336-bp full-length cDNA of TH was isolated from Z. tau, a notorious horticultural pest infesting fruits and vegetables. qRT-polymerase chain reaction revealed that ZtTH transcripts were highly abundant at the time of pupal tanning and during adult emergence and were expressed in the midgut, integument and head of molting larvae. The pupation and eclosion rates gradually decreased when the 1st-instar larvae were fed diets containing higher concentrations of the TH inhibitor 3-iodo-tyrosine (3-IT). Moreover, pupal weights were significantly decreased, and abnormal uncolored phenotypes were observed after 20 mg/g 3-IT was incorporated into the diet. In addition, the suppression of TH function (mediated by RNA interference) led to a decrease in TH mRNAs and eclosion rates, accompanied by less-pigmented phenotypes. There was a severe impairment of larval-pupal cuticle tanning, leading to pupae with less yellowish pigment or that were completely white and transparent, when we injected 2 µL of 24.4 mM or 73.27 mM 3-IT into 3rd-instar larvae or prepupae. These results suggest that TH is an important enzyme for the normal growth and pupal pigmentation of Z. tau and that TH is a potential gene target for use in the control of Z. tau.

A new species of Wesmaelia Foerster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae:Euphorinae) from China.

A new species of the genus Wesmaelia Foerster, 1863, Wesmaelia longius sp. n. is described and illustrated from the Palaearctic Region of China. A key to the Chinese species of the genus Wesmaelia is provided based on the key of Papp (1995).

A new species and three newly recorded species of the dacnusine genus Dacnusa Haliday (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Alysiinae) from China.

A new species of the genus Dacnusa from the Palaearctic region of China, Dacnusa (Pachysema) heterodentatus sp. nov. is described. As well, three newly recorded species from the Palaearctic region in China are reported, along with their descriptions and illustrations: Dacnusa (Agonia) adducta (Haliday), Dacnusa (Aphanta) sasakawai Takada and Dacnusa (Dacnusa) maculipes Thomson. A key is presented to the subgenera of Dacnusa and the most similar species to these four reported species.

Standard operating procedures for standardized mass rearing of the dengue and chikungunya vectors Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) - II - Egg storage and hatching.

BACKGROUND: Management of large quantities of eggs will be a crucial aspect of the efficient and sustainable mass production of mosquitoes for programmes with a Sterile Insect Technique component. The efficiency of different hatching media and effectiveness of long term storage methods are presented here. METHODS: The effect on hatch rate of storage duration and three hatching media was analysed: deionized water, boiled deionized water and a bacterial broth, using Two-way ANOVA and Post hoc Tukey tests, and the Pearson correlation coefficient was used to find the effect on the proportion of collapsed eggs. Two long term storage methods were also tested: conventional storage (egg paper strips stored in zip lock bags within a sealed plastic box), and water storage (egg papers in a covered plastic cup with deionized water). Regression analyses were used to find the effect of water storage and storage duration on hatch rate. RESULTS: Both species hatched most efficiently in bacterial broth. Few eggs hatched in deionized water, and pre-boiling the water increased the hatch rate of Ae. aegypti, but not Ae. albopictus. A hatch rate greater than 80% was obtained after 10 weeks of conventional storage in Ae. aegypti and 11 weeks in Ae. albopictus. After this period, hatching decreased dramatically; no eggs hatched after 24 weeks. Storing eggs in water produced an 85% hatch rate after 5 months in both species. A small but significant proportion of eggs hatched in the water, probably due to combined effects of natural deoxygenation of the water over time and the natural instalment hatching typical of the species. CONCLUSIONS: The demonstrated efficiency of the bacterial broth hatching medium for both Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti facilitates mass production of these two important vector species in the same facility, with use of a common hatching medium reducing cost and operational complexity. Similarly the increased hatch rate of eggs stored in water would allow greater flexibility of egg management in a large programme over the medium term, particularly if oxygenation of the water by bubbling oxygen through the storage tray could be applied to prevent hatching during storage.

Standard operating procedures for standardized mass rearing of the dengue and chikungunya vectors Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) - I - egg quantification.

BACKGROUND: Quantification of eggs prior to rearing the immature stages of mosquitoes is an essential step in establishing a standardized mass rearing system. To develop a simple and accurate method of egg quantification for Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, the relationship between egg number and weight, as well as egg number and volume, were studied. METHODS: Known quantities of eggs (1,000, 3,000, 6,000, 12,000, 15,000, 18,000, 21,000 and 27,000) were counted and subsequently their weight and volume were measured. Best-fit curves and regression equations were used to describe relationships between Aedes egg number and both weight and volume. RESULTS: Eighteen thousand Ae. aegypti eggs weighed 159.8 mg and had a volume of 277.4 µl, compared to measurements of 131.5 mg and 230.3 µl for Ae. albopictus. The eggs of Ae. aegypti were thus larger and heavier than those of Ae. albopictus. The use of weight and volume to quantify egg number was validated by counting volumes and weights of eggs expected to correspond to 3,000 and 18,000 eggs of each species; significant correlations were found in all cases except in the case of 3,000 Ae. albopictus eggs measured by volume. CONCLUSION: Methods for egg quantification were validated and shown to be a consistent and practical means to achieve uniform distribution of Aedes larvae between rearing trays, important for optimal mass rearing of the immature stages of Aedes mosquitoes.

The discovery of the rare genus Epimicta Foerster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in China, with a description of a new species.

Epimicta sulciscutum sp. nov. from Heilongjiang (North China) is described and illustrated. A key to species of the genus is provided.

Clinical study on treatment of primary hepatocellular carcinoma by Shenqi mixture combined with microwave coagulation.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the short-term efficacy and safety of Shenqi mixture (SQM) combined with microwave coagulation in treating primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Seventy-two patients with primary HCC of stage II-III, Karnofsky scoring > or = 50 scores and predicted survival period > or = 3 months were selected and randomly assigned into two groups, the treated group and the control group, 36 in each. Microwave therapy was applied to both groups by double leads, 60 W, 800 sec once a week for two weeks. To the treated group, SQM was given additionally through oral intake of 20 ml, three times a day for 1 month. The changes in tumor size, main symptoms, serum level of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), immune function and adverse reaction were observed after treatment and the immune parameters of the patients were compared with 30 healthy persons in the normal control group. RESULTS: (1) In the SQM treated group, after treatment 3 patients got completely remitted (CR), 24 partial remitted (PR), 4 unchanged (NC) and 5 progressively deteriorated (PD), the effective rate being 75.00%; while in the control group, 1 got CR, 19 PR, 9 NC and 7 PD, the effective rate being 55.56%. Comparison of the effective rate between the two groups showed significant difference (P < 0.05). (2) AFP level decreased after treatment in both groups, but the decrement in the treated group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.01). (3) After treatment, in the treated group, CD3(+), CD4(+), CD4(+)/CD8(+) and NK activity were improved, Karnofsky scores increased and liver function bettered, with these improvements significantly superior to those in the control group (P < 0.01). (4) The improvement in symptoms such as hepatic region pain, fever, weakness, poor appetite and jaundice in the treated group after treatment was also superior to that in the control group (P < 0.01). (5) The 12-month, 18-month and 24-month survival rates were higher and the recurrence rate was lower in the treated group than those in the control group, showing significant difference (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Combined therapy with SQM and microwave coagulation could not only kill the tumor and residue tumor cells to prevent recurrence, but also enhance the cellular immunity of organism. It is one of the effective therapies for patients with middle-advanced hepatocarcinoma, who have lost the chance of surgical operation. It could improve clinical symptoms, elevate the quality of life, prolong the survival period of patients, but shows no evident adverse reaction.