Book Reviews

Book Review 1Book Title: Pheromones of Social BeesBook Author: John B. FreeChapman & Hall, 1987. 218 pp.Book Review 2Book Title: Insects - PlantsBook Authors: V. Labeyrie et alDr. W. Junk Publishers, The Hague, 1987. 459 pp.Book Review 3Book Title: The Ecology of Woodland Rodents: Bank voles and wood miceBook Authors: Edited by J.R. Flowerdew, J. Gurnell & J.H.W GippsThe Zoological Society of London. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1985. 418 pp.Book Review 4Book Title: Visual behavior in salamandersBook Author: Gerhard RothSpringer-Verlag, Berlin, 1987. 301 pp.Book Review 5Book Title: Digestive Physiology and Nutrition of MarsupialsBook Author: Ian D. HumeMonographs on Marsupial Biology. Cambridge University Press, 1982. 256 pp.Book Review 6Book Title: Neurobiology and Behavior of HoneybeesBook Authors: Edited by Randolf Menzel & Alison MercerSpringer-Verlag, 1987.334 pp.Book Review 7Book Title: Ecology and Productivity of an African Wetland SystemBook Author: G.A. EllenbroekDr W. Junk Publishers, Dordrecht, 1987. 267 pagesBook Review 8Book Title: Biological Surveys of Estuaries and Coasts Estuarine and Brackish Water Sciences Association HandbookBook Authors: Edited by J.M. Baker & W.J. WolffCambridge University Press, 1987. 449 pp.Book Review 9Book Title: Caste Differentiation in Social InsectsBook Authors: Edited by J.A.L. Watson, S.M. Okot-Kotber & C.H. NoirotPergamon Press, Oxford, 1985. 399 pp.Book Review 10Book Title: Sistematica, filogenia y biogeografia de la subfamilia Gibbiinae (Coleoptera, Ptinidae)Book Author: Xavier BellésTreballs del Museu de Zoologia, 1985, No.3, Barcelona. 94 pp.Book Review 11Book Title: A Biologist's Advanced MathematicsBook Author: D.R. CaustonAllen & Unwin, London 326 pp.Book Review 12 Book Title: Reproduction in Mammals: 5 Manipulating reproductionBook Authors: Edited by C.R. Austin & R.V. ShortCambridge University Press, London, New York, New Rochelle, Melbourne, Sydney. 235 pp.Book Review 13Book Title: Vertebrate Fetal MembranesBook Author: Harland W. MossmanMacmillan press, 1987. 383 pp.Book Review 14Book Title: Avian Physiology (Fourth edition)Book Author: Edited by P.O. SturkieSpringer-Verlag, New York, 1986. 516 pp

Population Dynamics of the Rubber Plantation Litter Beetle Luprops tristis, in Relation to Annual Cycle of Foliage Phenology of Its Host, the Para Rubber Tree, Hevea brasiliensis

The population dynamics of the rubber plantation litter beetle, Luprops tristis Fabricius 1801 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) was assessed in relation to the phenology of leaf shedding and defoliation pattern of para rubber trees, Hevea brasiliensis Müll. Arg (Malpighiales: Euphorbiaceae), during a two year study period. The abundance of adults, larvae and pupae per 1m2 of litter sample was recorded. Post dormancy beetles appeared in leaf litter following annual leaf shedding, whereas larvae, pupae and teneral adults were present after leaf flush. No stages were recorded from plantations following the summer rains until the annual litter fall in the next season. Parental adults peaked at the time of leaf sprouting and tender leaf fall. Larvae and teneral adults peaked at the time of premature fall of green leaves and flowers. Teneral adults of six age classes were recorded and all entered dormancy irrespective of the feeding time available to each age class. Females outnumbered males in the parent generation, while the sex ratio of new generation adults was not biased towards either sex. The phenological stages of rubber trees included leaf fall in late December and early January, leaf sprouting and new leaf production in January and flowering in February. All feeding stages of L. tristis peaked in abundance when premature leaves are most abundant in the leaf litter. Prediction of the timing of appearance of various developmental stages of L. tristis in plantations, invasion into buildings and intensity of population build up in rubber belts is possible by tracking the phenology of leaf fall in rubber plantations, time of return of post dormancy adults and the onset of summer rainfall. Perfect synchrony was recorded between the field return of parental adults with annual leaf shedding, the oviposition phase of parental adults with tender leaf fall at the time of leaf sprouting, and larval and teneral adult stages with premature fall of leaves. Premature leaf availability is suggested as contributing to the reproductive efficiency of parental adults, the survival of early developmental stages and of new generation adults during dormancy

Does size matter for horny beetles? A geometric morphometric analysis of interspecific and intersexual size and shape variation in Colophon haughtoni Barnard, 1929, and C. kawaii Mizukami, 1997 (Coleoptera: Lucanidae)

Colophon is an understudied, rare and endangered stag beetle genus with all species endemic to isolated mountain peaks in South Africa’s Western Cape. Geometric morphometrics was used to analyse intersexual and interspecific variation of size and shape in the mandibles, heads, pronota and elytra of two sympatric species: Colophon haughtoni and Colophon kawaii. All measured structures showed significant sexual dimorphism, which may result from male-male competition for females. Female mandibles were too small and featureless for analysis, but male Colophon beetles possess large, ornate mandibles for fighting. Males had significantly larger heads and pronota that demonstrated shape changes which may relate to resource diversion to the mandibles and their supporting structures. Females are indistinguishable across species, but males were accurately identified using mandibles, heads and pronota. Male C. kawaii were significantly larger than C. haughtoni for all structures. These results support the species status of C. kawaii, which is currently in doubt due to its hybridisation with C. haughtoni. We also demonstrate the value of geometric morphometrics as a tool which may aid Colophon conservation by providing biological and phylogenetic insights and enabling species identification