Difference in leaf herbivory between two plant-ant taxa associating with a myrmecophytic species, Macaranga lamellata

Macaranga lamellata (Euphorbiaceae) is a myrmecophytic species that is protected against herbivorous insects by two plant-ant taxa, Colobopsis macarangae (Formicinae) and Crematogaster spp. (Myrmicinae). Although a single M. lamellata tree houses one plant-ant colony of either of the two taxa, both coexist in a population of M. lamellata in a Bornean rainforest. To elucidate the extent of herbivory damage upon M. lamellata trees associated with Colobopsis relative to trees associated with Crematogaster, we counted the number of leaf galls and measured the leaf loss area chewed by leaf-chewing insects on M. lamellata in the forest. The occurrence of gall midges was not significantly different between the trees associated with the two plant-ants, while the degree of leaf-chewing herbivory was significantly higher on Crematogaster-associated trees than Colobopsis-associated trees. The data gathered on chewing traces observed on Crematogaster-associated trees indicated that most herbivory damage was caused by a phasmid species. These results suggest that the herbivory pressures and occurrences of different herbivore species differ between Crematogaster-associated and Colobopsis-associated trees within a population of M. lamellata

Tenebrionidae (Coleoptera) collected from fruiting bodies of polypores in Sarawak, Malaysia

Additional report of Tenebrionidae collected from fruiting bodies of polypores at eight sites, including seven national parks, in Sarawak, with descriptions of nine new species, Basides nakashizukai sp. nov., Basides ornatimarginatus sp. nov., Basides rhinoceros sp. nov., Boletoxenus persimilis sp. nov., Bolitonaeus grimmi sp. nov., Menimus (Menimus) pygmaeus sp. nov., Menimus (Menimus) sphaericus sp. nov., Neomida sarawakensis sp. nov., Pentaphyllus lambirensis sp. nov.; Three synonyms are proposed: Basides flavofasciatus Pic, 1916 = Basides bifasciatus Motschulsky, 1873; Ischnodactylus sexguttatus Gebien, 1925c = Basides trimaculatus Pic, 1916; Platydema sexpictum Kaszab, 1939 = Basides trimaculatus Pic, 1916

Evidence in stable isotope ratios for lichen‐feeding by Lithosiini moths from a tropical rainforest but not from a temperate forest

Lithosiini (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae) is distinctive in having some species that feed on lichens, whereas the majority of moths feed on vascular plants. However, the larval diet of most Lithosiini species is poorly known. This study examines whether Lithosiini species, collected in a tropical rainforest of Borneo (nine species) and a temperate forest of Japan (eight species), feed on lichens as larvae, based on stable isotope analyses. As a result, the δ¹⁵N values for eight of nine Lithosiini species collected from Borneo were notably lower than those of nine co-occurring herbivorous non-Lithosiini species, and were similar to those of sympatric, lichen-feeding termites; however, δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values of one Lithosiini species (Adites sp.) were significantly higher than those of the other moth species and similar to those of humus-feeding termites and predatory insects occurring at the same site. These results have suggested that the Lithosiini in the Southeast Asian tropical rainforests contain some species that feed on lichens as their larval main diet and at least one species whose larvae feed on humus or animal-derived materials. In contrast, the δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values of all examined Lithosiini species (eight species) in the temperate forest have suggested that their larvae fed on plants and not on lichens. Our stable isotope ratio analysis presented quantitative evidence suggesting lichen-feeding by Lithosiini moths in a tropical rainforest without observation of feeding behavior during the larval stages

A list of ants from Lambir Hills National Park and its vicinity, with their biological information: Part II. Subfamilies Leptanillinae, Proceratiinae, Amblyoponinae, Ponerinae, Dorylinae, Dolichoderinae, Ectatomminae and Formicinae

A list of ants of the subfamilies Leptanillinae, Proceratiinae, Amblyoponinae, Ponerinae, Dorylinae, Dolichoderinae, Ectatomminae and Formicinae from Lambir Hills National Park, Sarawak, Borneo is presented with biological information. In this report 347 species in 61 genera are recorded, with 10 species newly recorded from Borneo. Literature treating species of the abovementioned subfamilies from Lambir Hills National Park is listed. In total (Part I & II), 579 species in 96 genera are recorded from this national park, representing the largest species number so far known in one place in Asia. Among the 579 species only 53% (307) are identified to species, the others no doubt including many species new to Borneo or even to science