Zoological Studies

Vol. 46 No. 6, 2007

Morphology and Ontogeny of Immature Stages of Helotidae Based on Descriptions of Helota thoracica Ritsema and H. gemmata Gorham (Insecta: Coleoptera: Cucujoidea)

Chi-Feng Lee1,*, Sadatomo Hisamatsu2, and Ping-Shih Yang3

1Applied Zoology Division, Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute, 189 Chung-Cheng Road, Taichung 413, Taiwan
2Entomological Laboratory, Faculty of Agriculture, Ehime University 5-7, Tarumi 3-chhôme, Matsuyama, 790-8566 Japan E-mail:sthisamatsu@yahoo.co.jp
3Department of Entomology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan. E-mail:psyang@ntu.edu.tw

Chi-Feng Lee, Sadatomo Hisamatsu, and Ping-Shih Yang (2007) Three larval instars and the pupae of Helota thoracica Ritsema, 1895 are described and figured for the first time. The larval chaetotaxy of the head, pro- and mesonota, abdominal terga III, legs, abdominal sterna III, and urogomphi is described. Almost all setae present in larval instar I are primary. Subprimary setae appear on the abdominal sternites, head, and legs. Pupae are very conservative since no differences were observed between H. thoracica and H. gemmata. A novel method for rearing adult and larval helotids is also provided.

Key words: Taxonomy, Larval chaetotaxy.

*Correspondence: Tel: 886-4-23302301 ext. 631. Fax: 886-4-23302804. E-mail:cflee@gate.sinica.edu.tw