The number of described species on the planet is about 1.9 million, with ca. 17,000 new species described annually, mostly from the tropics. However, taxonomy is usually described as a science in crisis, lacking manpower and funding, a politically acknowledged problem known as the Taxonomic Impediment. Using data from the Fauna Europaea database and the Zoological Record, we show that contrary to general belief, developed and heavily-studied parts of the world are important reservoirs of unknown species. In Europe, new species of multicellular terrestrial and freshwater animals are being discovered and named at an unprecedented rate: since the 1950s, more than 770 new species are on average described each year from Europe, which add to the 125,000 terrestrial and freshwater multicellular species already known in this region. There is no sign of having reached a plateau that would allow for the assessment of the magnitude of European biodiversity. More remarkably, over 60% of these new species are described by non-professional taxonomists. Amateurs are recognized as an essential part of the workforce in ecology and astronomy, but the magnitude of non-professional taxonomist contributions to alpha-taxonomy has not been fully realized until now. Our results stress the importance of developing a system that better supports and guides this formidable workforce, as we seek to overcome the Taxonomic Impediment and speed up the process of describing the planetary biodiversity before it is too late.

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In two successive years the fecundity of the carabid beetles Calathus (Neocalathus) cinctus, C. (N.) melanocephalus and C. (N.) mollis was studied in relation to wing-morph and temperature. Differences were found between the three species in both egg production and timing and length of the oviposition period. In all species the fecundity of laboratory bred beetles was significantly higher than that of females collected in the field. Long-winged females of both cinctus and melanocephalus had significantly higher egg production than short-winged females, and they also tended to produce eggs over a longer period. In mollis only the fecundity of the long-winged morph was established. The observed lower relative fitness of the short-winged morph in both cinctus and melanocephalus contradicts the supposed increase of the frequency of this morph in ageing, more or less isolated, populations of these species. The loss of long-winged genotypes, resulting from flight activities, is considered the most plausible cause of the increase of short-winged beetles in ageing populations. The higher fecundity of macropterous females makes them especially suited for (re)establishing populations.

AUKEMA, B. 1990. Wing-length determination in two wing-dimorphic Calathus species (Coleoptera: Carabidae). -Hereditas 113: 189-202. Lund, Sweden. ISSN 0018-0661.Wing dimorphism in the carabid beetles Caluthus cinctus and C. melunocephalus was studied by rearing offspring of single-pair crosses. In both species wing dimorphism was found to be determined genetically according to a single-locus model with brachyptery dominant to macroptery. In melunocephalus, however, the expression of the long-winged genotype is modified by environmental factors such as temperature and food supply, whereas in cinctus wing-length is independent of these factors. Moreover, in melunocephalus the expression of the long-winged genotype was found to be favoured by relatively better environmental conditions (higher temperatures and abundant food) and to be more frequent in females than in males, both in the field and in laboratory experiments. It is argued that the resulting differences in phenotypic plasticity of the long-winged genotype (none in cinctus and a varying amount in melanocephalus) contribute to temporal and spatial differences in dispersal abilities between the two species. The adaptive significance of the two types of inheritance is discussed. n c n~~n 18: 199-21 1 \ A \ Scii.ucr ZII.LESE\. P. G. and BRL\ISTI\~;. A. H. M. 1984, The influence of food quality and photoperiod during the preadult \tage\ on flight muscle development in adult Plii/orrtht~s de-m r i t .~ (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) and Pterosrichus ohlorrgoplcnc'rurirr (Coleoptera: Carabidae). -Entornol. Gen. 9: 133-137 ZEK.A, A. J.. I~N E S . D. J. and SAKS. M. E. 1983. Genetic and environmental determinants of wing polymorphism in the waterstnder Limnopoi-rts cuna/icularus. -Eroiuriow 37: 513-522 ZEKA. A. J . and RANKIN, M. A. 1'189. Wing dimorphism in Gryllus r-tthens: genetic basis of morph determination and fertility differences between morphs. -Oecdogia 80: 249-255

Liriomyza bryoniae, L. strigata, L. huidobrensis, L. trifolii and L. sativae are leafminers of great economic importance. Morphological identification is difficult and only possible in some life stages. Cellulose‐acetate gel electrophoresis provides a method for identification of all five species in each stage of the life cycle. The present paper describes the procedure for electrophoresis. The patterns of genetic variation of diagnostic enzymes and a biochemical key are presented. In addition, the electrophoretic patterns of the three most common parasitoids of Liriomyza are given.