中文摘要：

昆虫是地球上物种多样性最为丰富的生物类群,其物种鉴定任务复杂而艰巨,可靠的物种鉴定是开展昆虫学工作的重要基础之一。当前,国内外的人工昆虫物种鉴定能力均不能满足实际需求,因而人们开始不断探索利用计算机自动鉴定昆虫的原理和方法。目前,模式识别技术的迅猛发展已为昆虫图像的自动鉴定提供可能。文章概述昆虫图像自动鉴定技术研究的历史与现状,总结主要原理和方法,介绍工作流程,并展望发展前景。

英文摘要：

Insect has the richest species diversity on the earth. The task of insect species identification is one of the most fundamental works for many entomological fields and usually being difficult and complex. At present, reliable insect identification is mainly carried out by taxonomists, but this approach can＇t meet practical needs at all. Therefore, many scientists have tried to resolve this problem by using modem computing technology. Pattern recognition technology has developed rapidly and made automated insect image identification feasible. The history, underlying theory, general process and the prospects for developing an automated insect image identification system are briefly reviewed and discussed.