Toxicity test of three commonly used herbicides on soil-dwelling ant, odontomachus simillimus and weaver ant, oecophylla smaragdina (hymenoptera formicidae)

A study on the toxicity test of three commonly used herbicides (glyphosate-isopropylamine, triclopyr butotyl and clethodim) against soil-dwelling ants, Odontomachus simillimus and weaver ants, Oecophylla smaragdina were tested using topical toxicity test. Different concentrations (5, 15, 25, 35, 45, 55 and 65%) with five replicates for each concentration including control were tested on both ants. Each ant was treated with one microliter (1 μL) of herbicide at the thorax. Mortality of both ants was recorded after 24 hours (2, 4, 6, 12 and 24 hours). Using probit analysis, LD50 and LD90 values of glyphosate-isopropylamine for soil-dwelling ants were 1.76% and 1.83%, triclopyr butotyl were 0.47% and 0.94%, and clethodim were 0.64% and 1.04%. LD50 and LD90 values of glyphosateisopropylamine for weaver ants were 1.56% and 1.88%, and clethodim were 1.56% and 2.27%. However, LD50 and LD90 values of triclopyr butotyl for weaver ants were unable to determine as there is 100% mortality within the 24 hours observation. In comparison, for soil-dwelling ants, triclopyr butotyl was more toxic than clethodim, and clethodim is more toxic than glyphosate-isopropylamine and for weaver ants, triclopyr butotyl was more toxic than glyphosate-isopropylamine and glyphosateisopropylamine was more toxic than clethodim

Insects

Cosmodela aurulenta (Coleoptera: Carabidae), or commonly known as the golden-spotted tiger beetle, is a species commonly found in open areas or in lowlands near riverbanks. The species is 14 to 16 mm in length, the body is dark greenish with three distinctive spots on each sides of the elytra. There is also the presence of pale coloured hairs on the abdomen and legs. The species are known to be opportunistic predators of smaller invertebrates, with characteristic large mandibles and enlarged compound eyes. The species is also observed to show brief flights

Systematics and Phylogeny of Family Reduviidae Latreille, 1807 (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera) in Sarawak

The family Reduviidae Latreille, 1807 (Insecta:Hemiptera: Heteroptera) is composed approximately 25 subfamilies, 913 genera and with almost 7,000 species worldwide, their diversity was mostly found in the tropics. However, it is yet the most poorly studied species of Reduviidae. In Sarawak, there is no effort done on the systematics and phylogeny study on heteropterans although there were some revisions of genus and species that have been documented. The findings of this study will be useful as the fundamental to ecological and pest management of heteropterans and significantly contribute to the worldwide studies of Reduviidae. This study constructs a phylogenetic tree of described species of Reduviidae in Sarawak based on the morphological structures with reference to voucher specimens from UNIMAS Insect Reference Collection (UIRC), Forest Research Centre (FRC), Semongok Agriculture Research Centre (ARC), and Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC), as well as new field collections. A phylogenetic analysis using maximum parsimony criteria which included 101 ingroup and 3 outgroup (Pentatomorpha) of taxa based on 61 morphological structures was run using Tree Analysis using New Technology (TNT) software is constructed. The monophyly of Reduviidae is well supported with Pentatomorpha as their outgroup. The results also present the monophyly of Tribelocephalinae, Salyavatinae, and Ectrichodiinae in a clade that also include Physoderinae, Saicinae and Reduviinae (Acanthaspis quadriannulata). The monophyly of Harpactorinae with basal position of Harpactorini in a clade is presented. In addition, a systematic account based on 23 genera and 52 species of subfamily Harpactorinae is presented. A key to the genera Harpactorinae is provided based on the comparative morphological structures with addition geological distribution map of each Harpactorinae species in Sarawak

Systematics And Distribution Of The Subfamily Harpactorinae Amyot & Serville, 1843 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae) In Northern Sarawak

Harpactorinae is the largest subfamily of Reduviidae and found distributed in all biogeographical regions. However, it is yet the most poorly studied subfamily of Reduviidae. This study records and redescribed Harpactorinae species in northern Sarawak based on morphological structures with reference to voucher specimens from UNIMAS Insect Reference Collection (UIRC), Agriculture Research Centre Semongok (ARC) and Sarawak Forest Department (SFD), as well as new field collections. A total of 99 specimens representing 11 genera and 14 species of Harpactorinae were evaluated. Velinus nigrigenu dominated other species with 37% representation, followed by Cosmolestes picticeps (35%), Sycanus macracanthus (11%) and Polididus armatissimus (4%). In northern Sarawak, Harpactorinae species can be found within two types of forests, lowland mixed dipterocarp forest and secondary forest. This paper presents a systematic account of each species of Harpactorinae