"How many insect species are there in Guangdong?" The long-awaited answer has finally been unveiled. The recently released "Guangdong Insect Catalog" documents a total of 12,093 species belonging to 3,198 genera, 475 families, and 34 orders of insects found in Guangdong Province. This comprehensive catalog, containing species data up to the end of 2021, establishes Guangdong as the province with the highest recorded insect diversity in China.According to the Forestry Administration of Guangdong Province, this marks the first systematic compilation of insect species in the region, standing as the most comprehensive insect catalog to date for the province.

As the most diverse and numerous group of animals, insects occupy various trophic levels in the food web, crucially contributing to the maintenance of ecosystem diversity and stability. Guangdong Province, situated south of the Nanling Mountains and east of the Yungui Plateau, is profoundly influenced by the oceanic climate and the East Asian monsoon. This geographical positioning renders it a transitional zone between subtropical and tropical regions, characterized by a wealth of endemic species. Consequently, Guangdong has become a global biodiversity hotspot.

"The insect species catalog serves as a fundamental dataset indicating the richness of biodiversity resources in a country or region. The compilation and publication of this catalog ("Guangdong Insect Catalog") aim to address the lack of clarity regarding insect resources in Guangdong Province, thereby effectively promoting biodiversity conservation, ecological security, and biosecurity initiatives in our province," explained a representative from the Forestry Administration of Guangdong Province. The Catalogwas compiled by the Forestry Administration of Guangdong Province and the Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with several research institutions within the province. It systematically collects and organizes published data on Guangdong's insect species, reviewed by experts in entomological taxonomy of various insect groups. The compilation took two years and was published by the Guangdong Science and Technology Press at the end of 2023.

The "Guangdong Insect Catalog" stands as a comprehensive tool for the study of insects. It follows the latest classification system of Hexapoda, encompassing Protura, Collembola, Diplura, and Insecta, and lists orders, families, genera, and species, providing detailed information on their respective distribution areas. Moreover, the Catalog includes a list of five orders, nine families, and 13 species of insects that enjoy national and provincial protection statuses in Guangdong, such as the Teinopalpus aureus and the Cheirotonus jansoni.

The insect species catalog holds both scientific and practical significance for the development and utilization of insect resources and for the maintenance of ecological security and restoration efforts. The representative from the Forestry Administration of Guangdong Province stated that by utilizing this catalog, Guangdong will further explore its insect resources. Additionally, it will continue to compile the "Guangdong Chronicles of Insects" series and will promote research on insect diversity and ecological environment protection in the Nanling Mountains and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, contributing to the ecological construction of a green and beautiful Guangdong.

Source: Yangcheng Evening News

广东到底有多少种昆虫？12093种！

“广东到底有多少种昆虫？”这个“谜底”终于揭晓。日前发布的《广东昆虫名录》，共收录广东昆虫34目475科3198属12093种，涵盖了截至2021年年末的物种信息，使广东省成为目前国内昆虫种类记录最多的省份。据省林业局透露，这是广东首次对昆虫种类进行系统整理，也是迄今本省最完备的一份昆虫名录。

作为动物中数量和种类最丰富的类群，昆虫占据食物网的不同营养级，在维持生态系统多样性和稳定性中发挥重要作用。广东省地处南岭以南，云贵高原以东，受海洋性气候和东亚季风影响强烈，处于亚热带和热带过渡地区，特有物种丰富，是世界生物多样性热点地区。

“昆虫物种名录是一个国家或地区生物多样性资源丰富程度的重要基础数据，该名录的整理出版旨在解决广东省昆虫本底资源不清的问题，有效推动我省生物多样性保护与生态安全、生物安全工作。”省林业局相关负责人介绍，该名录由广东省林业局、广东省科学院动物研究所牵头，联合省内多家科研机构，全面系统收集整理公开发表的广东昆虫物种数据编撰而来，并由国内各类群昆虫分类学专家审核，历时两年，于2023年年底由广东省科技出版社出版。

该名录参考六足总纲最新分类系统进行编纂，包括原尾纲、弹尾纲、双尾纲和昆虫纲，一一列举各纲的目、科、属、种级阶元，注明分布地区，是一部较为完备的工具书。此外，该名录还附有广东省分布的金斑喙凤蝶、阳彩臂金龟等国家重点和省重点保护昆虫名单5目9科13种。

昆虫物种名录对开发利用昆虫资源、维护生态安全、推进生态建设与生态修复具有重要的科学意义和现实意义。省林业局相关负责人表示，下一步，广东将依托该名录，进一步摸清广东省昆虫资源家底，继续编撰《广东昆虫志》系列专著，推动南岭、粤港澳大湾区昆虫多样性研究与生态环境保护，助力绿美广东生态建设。

文｜记者 张爱丽
图｜受访者提供
翻译丨麦芯羽