China has a very rich insect fauna. Some estimates
render insects in China to account for l0o/o of the total
global species number (You 1997), with some studies
indicating an even bigger contribution (Wu 1992). In
addition to high species diversity, there are many rare and endangered species in China. China harbours 120
species belonging to the Protura, the most primitive
insects, from 400 known species totally (you 1997). These
endangered species axe very important to both biodiversity
conservation and the explosion ofsystem evolution angles.
The study of insect diversity patterns in China is of great
value.