Studies On Biological Characters For Twelve Species Of Tenebrionid (Coleoptera)

Darkling beetles is one of beetles that distribute widely and its species, morphology, life type are diversiform extremely on the earth. Tenebrionid is in close relation with agriculture, forestry, stockbreeding and storage thing, some kinds are important resource insects. Studying its biology has important theory and practice meaning. The desert semi-desert region is the main distribution area; its biological study is great difficult, but its biological study is also important to the exploiture of resource insect and contrl of grassland pest in this area. The present paper is on the base of observation and collection in the field and breeding in the room for 3 years, it is a study of morphology and biological characters for 4 tribes 9 genera with twelve species of Tenebrionid from Mongolia Xinjiang Region of China. Among them, the biological characters part is an initial report. In the morphology part, adult, egg, larva and pupa of morphological characters of each species are described. In the biological characters part, the growth course of all form, the growth course of larva, life cycle and habit are studied. The present paper draws up 39 tables and depicts 202 morphological characters figures. The thesis is divided into 7 chapters altogether.1 In the preface, research content, research purpose and research importance of insect biology are introduced. The review of classification research, breeding method, life cycle and habit of all form of the Tenebrionid are recommended2 In the material and methods, research material, collection method and preservation of specimen, collection record, breeding record are recounted. Then, research method, breeding method and observation method of biological characters are introduced. .3 The biological characters of Pimeliini insect and Sternoplax setosa setosa Bates, Pterocoma (mesoqterocoma) locxyi Frivaldszky, Pterocoma(Mongolopterocoma) reitteri Frivaldszky and Trignocera pseudopimelia Reitter belong to Pimeliini are studied.4 The biological characters of Akidini insect and Cyphogenia(Cyphogenia) chinensis Faldermann belongs to Akidini is researched.5 The biological characters of Blaptini insect and Blaps femoralis femoralis Fischer-Waldheim, Blaps kiritshenkoi Semenov et Bogatschev and Blaps gobiensis Frivaldszky belong to Blaptini are investigated.6 The biological characters of Opatrini insect and Opatrum subaratum Faldermann, Penthicus alashanica Reichardt, Gonocephalum reticulatum Motschulszky and Eumylada potanini Reitter belong to Opatrini are studied.7 Combining the study results of this paper with the research is accumulated in earlier stage of tutor's seminar, This paper compares life cycle, the growth course of all form, the instars of larva of 9 tribes fourteen genera with nineteen species of Tenebrionid and summarizes their natural enemy, fooding, defence, activity rhythm, swarming, reproduction behavior, life-span and sex proportion of the adult. The results are as follows:(1) 4 species of Pimeliini insect complete one generation in 1-3 years. Among them, Sternoplax setosa setosa Bates completes one generation in 2 years or 3 years; Pterocoma (mesoqterocoma) locxyi Frivaldszky completes one generation in 1 year; Pterocoma (Mongolopterocoma) reitteri Frivaldszky completes one generation in 2 years; Trignocera pseudopimelia Reitter completes one generation in 3 years. Expect Pterocoma(mesoqterocoma) locxyi Frivaldszky hibernates with larva, the rest hibernates with adult and larva. The larvae have 6-9 instars. Hibernating larvae pupate from the end May to the early September. Except Pterocomafmesoqterocoma) locxyi Frivaldszky has mature sex and begins to copulate and lay eggs after 10-13 days in same year, the rest copulates and lays eggs from the early April to the middle September in the second year..(2) Cyphogenia(Cyphogenia) chinensis Faldermann completes one generation in 2 years, it hibernates with adult and larva, the larva has 7 instars, hibernating larva pupates from the early June to the early August. The new adult copulates and lays eggs from the middle April to the early September in the second year. In general, the adult has aggregation in grot; the larva is not active.(3) 3 species of Blaptini insect complete one generation in 2 years. They hibernate with adult and larva. The larvae have 11-12 instars. Hibernating larvae pupate from the end June to the early September. The new adults copulate and lay eggs from the end March to the early October in the second year. The adults have aggregation and chemical defence and like to store food. The same species larva kill each other.(4) 4 species of Opatrini insect complete one generation in 1 year, They hibernate with adult, hibernating adults begin to move about in early Spring and copulate and lay eggs from April to June, The larva stage is shorter than other one , the larvae have 5-7 instars, the larvae pupate form the early June to the early October in same year, the new adults copulate and lay eggs in the second year. The adults have aggregation, chemical defense and play possum.All the research material are preserved in Insect Collection Agricultural College of Ningxia University.