This paper summarizes the history and current status of efforts to implement macroinvertebrate biomonitoring protocols for surface water pollution in China, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Russia (Far East), and Thailand. Impediments to biomonitoring in some of these countries include: (1) lack of knowledge about macroinvertebrate fauna and their tolerance values, especially during the aquatic, immature stages; (2) the scarcity of research programs and formal training opportunities for biomonitoring offered in universities; (3) the shortage of high‐quality microscopes and other necessary equipment; and (4) limited government understanding and support for biomonitoring, few skilled regulatory staff, and the persistence of old and unusable biomonitoring protocols. A recently established regional network, the Aquatic Entomological Society of East Asia (AESEA), and several major recent publications are helping to coordinate and promote science and technology in East Asia.

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The giant water bug, Lethocerus deyrolli, is an endangered wetland insect found throughout East Asia. In 2006, the light-attraction flight of L. deyrolli was studied in Gyodong Island, Korea, using artificial light. The flight of L. deyrolli was observed from early June to late October, and two peaks in the numbers of attracted insects were noted in the middle of June and September. L. deyrolli begins to exhibit flight behaviour at a daily mean air temperature of 158C and above, but optimal flight temperatures for the insect are between 178C and 198C, with a wind speed of less than approximately 1.8 m/sec and a relative humidity of around 80%. The length of daylight did not substantially influence the flight pattern. Daily flight occurred principally between 9 pm and 10:30 pm. L. deyrolli individuals attracted by the artificial light were frequently consumed by magpies or house rats. It appears most probable that artificial lights, such as street lights and tennis court lights, constitute a critical factor in the local extinction of L. deyrolli.

In this study, we sequenced both two mitochondrial genes (COI and 16S rRNA) and nuclear genes (28S rRNA and elongation factor‐1α) from 71 species of Odonata that represent 7 superfamilies in 3 suborders. Phylogenetic testing for each two concatenated gene sequences based on function (ribosomal vs protein‐coding genes) and origin (mitochondrial vs nuclear genes) proved limited resolution. Thus, four concatenated sequences were utilized to test the previous phylogenetic hypotheses of higher taxa of Odonata via Bayesian inference (BI) and maximum likelihood (ML) algorithms, along with the data partition by the BI method. As a result, three slightly different topologies were obtained, but the BI tree without partition was slightly better supported by the topological test. This topology supported the suborders Anisoptera and Zygoptera each being a monophyly, and the close relationship of Anisozygoptera to Anisoptera. All the families represented by multiple taxa in both Anisoptera and Zygoptera were consistently revealed to each be a monophyly with the highest nodal support. Unlike consistent and robust familial relationships in Zygoptera those of Anisoptera were partially unresolved, presenting the following relationships: ((((Libellulidae + Corduliidae) + Macromiidae) + Gomphidae + Aeshnidae) + Anisozygoptera) + (((Coenagrionidae + Platycnemdidae) + Calopterygidae) + Lestidae). The subfamily Sympetrinae, represented by three genera in the anisopteran family Libellulidae, was not monophyletic, dividing Crocothemis and Deielia in one group together with other subfamilies and Sympetrum in another independent group.

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A comparative investigation on aquatic insect diversity was conducted in a tropical stream in Southeast Asia (the Dak Pri stream in southern Vietnam; stream orders II-V, two sites per stream order) with a reference temperate stream in Northeast Asia (the Gapyeong stream in central Korea) in March 2001 and April 2000, respectively. The numbers of aquatic insect taxa in Dak Pri stream (268 species, mostly undescribed, 230 genera, 91 families, and 9 orders; 110.5 ± 17.1 species per site) were about twice those in Gapyeong stream (133 species, 98 genera, 51 families, and 8 orders; 60.3 ± 8.5 species per site). Coleoptera, Trichoptera, Ephemeroptera, and Diptera were the major aquatic insect orders with high taxonomic richness, and Coleoptera, Odonata, and Hemiptera contributed to the higher degree of aquatic insect diversity in Dak Pri stream. The species diversity indices of Dak Pri stream (4.37 ± 0.19) were higher than those of Gapyeong stream (3.73 ± 0.42), whereas the dominance indices of Dak Pri stream (0.195 ± 0.046) were lower than those of Gapyeong stream (0.346 ± 0.113). Collector-gatherers were predominant in both streams; shredders were more abundant in Dak Pri stream while scrapers were more abundant in Gapyeong stream. Factors affecting the higher degree of aquatic insect diversity in Dak Pri stream are discussed.

Life history aspects of Ephemera orientalis, a common lowland burrowing mayfly that resides in temperate East Asia, were studied in terms of voltinism, secondary production, and accumulated degree days for larval development. From March 1998 to June 1999, larvae were sampled monthly (weekly or biweekly during the emergence period) from a lower reach of the Gapyeong stream in Korea, a stream typical of temperate East Asia, using a Surber sampler (0.25 m 2 , mesh 0.25 mm). As a result, the mean density of E. orientalis was 47.21 ± 13.58 indiv. m À2 during the study period. Very small larvae less than 2 mm in body length were sampled on three separate occasions,

The larva and female adult of Rhoenanthus (Potamanthindus) sapa sp. n. and the larva of Rhoenanthus (Potamanthindus) magnificus Ulmer are described from Vietnam. Larval habitus, line drawings of key characters, distributions, habitat and biology data, and taxonomic remarks are provided.