1.Sexual differentiation and developmental stage identification of the Indian Cockroach, Pycnoscelus indicus (Blattodea: Blaberidae)
Noriyuki Komatsu ; Hong-Kean Ooi ; Akihiko Uchida
Tropical Biomedicine 2014;31(4):828-835
We found that sexual differentiation of all the nymphal stages of Pycnoscelus
indicus (Fabricius) was possible by observing the developmental features of their posterior
abdominal segments. Using this observation, the sex of even the 1st stage instar nymph could
be determined. The female of the 1st to 6th stage instar nymph possess a V-shaped notch at the
middle of the posterior edge of the 9th sternite. This notch is not seen in the male nymph. In
the female 7th stage (final stage) instar nymph, the styli were not apparent and, the 8th and 9th
sternites became degenerated and were covered over by the profoundly developed 7th sternite.
In contrast, all stages of the male nymph showed the presence of styli. Thus, it is possible to
differentiate the sex of all the stages, from 1st to 7th, of the nymph of P. indicus taxonomically.
Moreover, it is also possible to identify the various specimens as to which stage the nymphal
instar belong to, by counting the number of cercal segments from the ventral view.
2.Cockroach fauna in the Ogasawara Chain Islands of Japan and analysis of their habitats
Noriyuki Komatsu ; Toshio Kishimoto ; Akihiko Uchida ; Hong-Kean Ooi
Tropical Biomedicine 2013;30(1):141-151
A survey of cockroach fauna was carried out on the 3 inhabited islands of the
Ogasawara chain island of Japan, namely, Chichijima island, Hahajima island and Iwo island.
Seven species, namely, Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus, 1758), Periplaneta australasiae
(Fabricius, 1775), Blattella lituricollis (Walker, 1868), Onychostylus vilis (Brunner von
Wattenwyl, 1865), Supella longipalpa (Fabricius, 1798), Pycnoscelus surinamensis (Linnaeus,
1758) and Opisthoplatia orientalis (Burmeister, 1838), were collected on Chichijima island.
Four species, namely, P. americana, P. australasiae, O. vilis and P. surinamensis were
collected on Hahajima island and 6 species, namely, P. americana, P. australasiae, B.
lituricollis, O. vilis, P. surinamensis and Neostylopyga rhombifolia were collected on Iwo
island. This is the first record of N. rhombifolia and Onychostylus orientalis on the Ogasawara
chain islands. Our study increases the recorded taxon of cockroaches on the Ogasawara from
3 families, 5 genera 10 species to 4 families, 7 genera, 12 species. A list of the cockroach
species on Ogasawara islands reported to date as well as a key for their identification is also
presented. Periplaneta americana and P. australasiae, being the dominant species, together
with S. longipalpa, were collected mostly in the indoor environment, indicating their preference
for this habitat. Pycnoscelus surinamensis, which is considered as an outdoor insect has
been found in semi-household environments such as greenhouse and shed, indicating their
new adaptation to the changing environment.
3.A Case of Abdominal Aortic Occlusion Caused by DeBakey's Type III b Acute Aortic Dissection.
Keiji Uchida ; Jiro Kondo ; Kiyotaka Imoto ; Michio Tobe ; Tadashi Ozaki ; Akira Sakamoto ; Yoshihiro Iwai ; Yasuko Uranaka ; Akihiko Matsumoto
Japanese Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery 1997;26(2):116-119
A Case of abdominal aortic occlusion caused by acute aortic dissection (DeBakey's type III b) is reported. A 59-year-old woman was admitted with sudden onset back pain and sensory disturbance of bilateral lower extremities. The pulsations of bilateral femoral arteries were absent. CT and aortogram revealed dissection of the thoracic descending aorta and infrarenal aortic occlusion. Since ischemic change had progressed, bilateral axillofemoral bypass was performed for limb salvage, and the symptoms improved rapidly. Axillofemoral bypass is an easy and safe procedure even in the acute phase of aortic dissection. It provides fast reperfusion, and so is considered to be useful to preventing myonephrotic metabolic syndrome MNMS.