Abstract:

The precent paper reports that the hybridization could be easily done between Masson-pine caterpillar, Dendrolimus punctatus Walker(1858), Korean-pine caterpillar, D.spectabilis Butler(1877), Larch caterpillar, D.superans(Butler) (1908), and Chinese-pine caterpillar, D.tabulaeformis Tsai et Liu (1962).Except Larch caterpillar, whether direct cross or reciprocal cross could produce a fertile filial generation (F₁) respectively, which selfing to F₂ generation, so they were identified to be of the same species, more correctly as a subspecies, for in consideration of there to be some differences in morphological and ecological features, and accoding to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature and regulations concerned, i.e.the Korean-pine caterpillar is a subspecies of the Masson-pine caterpillar, Dendrolimus punctatus spectabilis (Butler) as the Chinese-pine caterpillar, Dendrolimus punctatus tabulaeformis (Tsai et Liu).While as the larch caterpillar with them, the process of crossing was often foiled, or its hybrid, F₁ generation with higher mortality and ofter went into diapause, and after selfing the F₂ generation was not obtained so far, the genetic relationship between the Larch caterpillar and other species needs to be proved further.

Key words: Pine caterpillar, Hybridization, Reproduction isolation, Subspecie