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1.
PeerJ ; 12: e16782, 2024.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38435990

RESUMO

Ants belonging to the Monomorium indicum (Formicidae: Hymenoptera) species are ubiquitous insects that are commonly associated with household settings in Pakistan. Packaged foodstuffs are easily destroyed by household ants when packaging is made with materials that have a high susceptibility. This study evaluated the susceptibility of three common flexible plastic packaging materials namely: opaque polyethylene, transparent polyethylene and polypropylene, which were each tested at thicknesses of 0.02 mm for their susceptibility against M. indicum. Except opaque polyethylene which is only available at 0.02 mm thickness, both transparent polyethylene and polypropylene were tested at higher thickness of 0.04 mm and 0.06 mm also against M. indicum. In order to simulate household settings, experiments were conducted at the faculty building of the agriculture and environment department of The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan during summer vacations when the building was quiet. Different corners were selected near water sources for maximum exposure to the largest number of ants. Experimental cages used for the experiment were built with wood and 2 mm iron gauze to allow only ants to enter the cages. Daily activity of ants was used as an infestation source in cages. Experiments were run over three time spans of fifteen days each from June 20th 2022 to August 15th 2022. Results showed all packaging materials were susceptible against M. indicum at the 0.02 mm thickness level. Polypropylene was susceptible at 0.04 mm thickness but resistant to ants at 0.06 mm thickness, whereas polyethylene was still susceptible to ants at the higher thickness of 0.06 mm. Correlation of packaging damage with weather factors showed that temperature had a positive relationship, while relative humidity had a negative association with M. indicum attack. Overall correlation of packaging damage with packaging thickness showed packaging thickness was negatively associated with packaging damage from the ants. Because major cutting role is performed by the mandibles, we studied mandibles of ants and three frequent pests of packaged foodstuff namely Rhyzopertha dominica, Tribolium castaneum and Trogoderma granarium. The results showed that ants had the largest mandible and frontal mandibular tooth lengths compared with the mandibles and frontal teeth of the common stored product pests, indicating M. indicum household ants have a higher pest status for packaged foodstuffs compared to common stored product pests. Although the thickness of the flexible plastic packaging was a major factor against household ants, the study results recommend the use of polypropylene with a thickness of at least 0.06 mm as foodstuff packaging against household ants compared with polyethylene packaging, which was found to be susceptible to ants even at 0.06 mm thickness.


Assuntos
Formigas , Besouros , Animais , Polipropilenos , Polietileno
2.
Proc Biol Sci ; 291(2018): 20232478, 2024 Mar 13.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38471556

RESUMO

Defensive chemicals of prey can be sequestered by some coevolved predators, which take advantage of prey toxins for their own defence. The increase in the number of invasive species in the Anthropocene has resulted in new interactions among non-coevolved predator and prey species. While novelty in chemical defence may provide a benefit for invasive prey against non-coevolved predators, resident predators with the right evolutionary pre-adaptations might benefit from sequestering these novel defences. Here, we chose a well-known system of invasive species to test whether non-coevolved predators can sequester and use toxins from exotic prey. Together with the invasive prickly pear plants, cochineal bugs (Dactylopius spp.) are spreading worldwide from their native range in the Americas. These insects produce carminic acid, a defensive anthraquinone that some specialized predators sequester for their own defence. Using this system, we first determined whether coccinellids that prey on cochineal bugs in the Mediterranean region tolerated, sequestered, and released carminic acid in reflex bleeding. Then, we quantified the deterrent effect of carminic acid against antagonistic ants. Our results demonstrate that the Australian coccinellid Cryptolaemus montrouzieri sequestered carminic acid, a substance absent in its coevolved prey, from exotic cochineal bugs. When attacked, the predator released this substance through reflex bleeding at concentrations that were deterrent against antagonistic ants. These findings reveal that non-coevolved predators can sequester and use novel toxins from exotic prey and highlights the surprising outcomes of novel interactions that arise from species invasions.


Assuntos
Formigas , Besouros , Animais , Carmim , Comportamento Predatório , Austrália , Insetos , Espécies Introduzidas
3.
Front Cell Infect Microbiol ; 14: 1360680, 2024.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38476166

RESUMO

Background: Insect odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) are a class of small molecular weight soluble proteins. In the past few years, OBPs had been found to work as carriers of ligands and play a crucial role in olfaction and various other physiological processes, like immunity. A subset of insect OBPs had been found to be expressed differently and play a function in immunity of fungal infection. However, there are few studies on the role of OBPs in immunity of bacterial infection. Methods: To identify the immune-related OBPs of Plagiodera versicolora after infected by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, we determined the mortality of P. versicolora to P. aeruginosa and selected the time point of 50% mortality of larvae to collect samples for RNA-seq. RNAi technology was used to investigate the function of immune-related OBPs after P. aeruginosa infection. Results: RNA-seq data shows that PverOBP18 gene significantly up-regulated by 1.8-fold and further RT-qPCR affirmed its expression. Developmental expression profile showed that the expression of PverOBP18 was highest in the pupae, followed by the female adults, and lower in the 1st-3rd larvae and male adults with lowest in eggs. Tissue expression profiling showed that PverOBP18 was dominantly expressed in the epidermis. RNAi knockdown of PverOBP18 significantly reduced the expression of bacterial recognition receptor gene PGRP and antibacterial peptide gene Attacin and reduced the resistance of P. versicolora to P. aeruginosa infection. Conclusion: Our results indicated that PverOBP18 gene increased the pathogen resistance of P. versicolora by cooperating with the immune genes and provided valuable insights into using OBPs as targets to design novel strategies for management of P. versicolora.


Assuntos
Besouros , Salix , Feminino , Masculino , Animais , Besouros/genética , Besouros/metabolismo , Odorantes , Larva , Insetos , Filogenia
4.
Development ; 151(20)2024 Oct 15.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38477641

RESUMO

Clarifying the mechanisms underlying shape alterations during insect metamorphosis is important for understanding exoskeletal morphogenesis. The large horn of the Japanese rhinoceros beetle Trypoxylus dichotomus is the result of drastic metamorphosis, wherein it appears as a rounded shape during pupation and then undergoes remodeling into an angular adult shape. However, the mechanical mechanisms underlying this remodeling process remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the remodeling mechanisms of the Japanese rhinoceros beetle horn by developing a physical simulation. We identified three factors contributing to remodeling by biological experiments - ventral adhesion, uneven shrinkage, and volume reduction - which were demonstrated to be crucial for transformation using a physical simulation. Furthermore, we corroborated our findings by applying the simulation to the mandibular remodeling of stag beetles. These results indicated that physical simulation applies to pupal remodeling in other beetles, and the morphogenic mechanism could explain various exoskeletal shapes.


Assuntos
Besouros , Animais , Japão , Simulação por Computador , Mandíbula , Pupa
5.
PLoS One ; 19(3): e0298400, 2024.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38478489

RESUMO

Facultative parasites can alternate between a free-living and a parasitic existence to complete their life cycle. Yet, it remains uncertain which lifestyle they prefer. The optimal foraging theory suggests that food preferences align with fitness benefits. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the facultative parasite nematode Rhabditis regina, assessing its host preference and the associated benefits. Two experiments were conducted using wild nematode populations collected from Phyllophaga polyphylla, their natural host. In the first experiment, we used a behavioral arena to assess host preference between the natural host and two experimental hosts: Spodoptera frugiperda which is an alternative host and dead Tenebrio molitor, which simulates a saprophytic environment. In the second experiment, we subjected wild nematodes to "experimental evolution" lasting 50 generations in S. frugiperda and 53 generations in T. molitor carcass. We then compared life history traits (the size, survival, number of larvae, and glycogen and triglycerides as energy reserves) of dauer larvae with those nematodes from P. polyphylla (control group). We found a significant preference for P. polyphylla, which correlated with higher values in the nematode's life history traits. In contrast, the preference for S. frugiperda and the saprophytic environment was lower, resulting in less efficient life history traits. These findings align with the optimal foraging theory, as the nematode's parasitic preferences are in line with maximizing fitness. This also indicates that R. regina exhibits specificity to P. polyphylla and is better adapted to a parasitic lifestyle than a free-living one, suggesting an evolutionary pathway towards parasitism.


Assuntos
Besouros , Nematoides , Parasitos , Rhabditoidea , Animais , Larva/parasitologia , Interações Hospedeiro-Parasita
6.
Zootaxa ; 5399(5): 505-516, 2024 Jan 16.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38480123

RESUMO

We here propose a species group within the genus Platydracus, the brachycerus group, that is very likely associated with termites and includes three known species: Platydracus brachycerus Smetana & Davies, 2000; Platydracus juang Smetana, 2005; and Platydracus donnyi Rougemont, 2015. We also describe three new species belonging to this group, all from China: P. smetanai sp. n. (Zhejiang, Anhui, Hunan, Guangxi), P. gracilis sp. n. (Guangxi) and P. paragracilis sp. n. (Yunnan). Platydracus juang is newly recorded from Hunan, Guangxi, Guangdong and Hainan provinces. A key to species of the Platydracus brachycerus group is provided.


Assuntos
Besouros , Isópteros , Animais , China , Distribuição Animal
7.
Zootaxa ; 5406(3): 487-491, 2024 Feb 07.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38480136

RESUMO

Sora phyllopa sp. nov. is described from Mdog County, Xizang, China. This new species is characterized by the emarginate male profemora with protuberances on the ventral surface, expanded male metatibiae, as well as dentate female sutural angle. Habitus, aedeagus, and diagnostic features of the new species are illustrated.


Assuntos
Besouros , Masculino , Feminino , Animais , Distribuição Animal , China , Aves
8.
Zootaxa ; 5406(2): 383-389, 2024 Feb 05.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38480146

RESUMO

The tiger beetle species, Cicindelidia aeneicollis (Bates 1881) is redescribed, as Bates original description was inadequate and did not accurately capture the character states or variation found within the species. The specific epithet aeneicollis is partially misleading as the proepisternum is mostly aeneous (bronze/copper) with the basal quarter to third being polychromatic, which the description does not convey. Some populations of this species from the western coast of Mexico exhibit significant variation in maculations, with individuals ranging from weakly marked (as in Bates description) to much more extensively marked.


Assuntos
Besouros , Animais , Besouros/anatomia & histologia , México
9.
Zootaxa ; 5406(2): 359-372, 2024 Feb 05.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38480148

RESUMO

A peculiar new species of the genus Cyclogethes Kirejtshuk, 1979, C. tibialis sp. nov., is described from Southwestern China (Yunnan). The new species appears to be morphologically rather isolated from the other known members of this essentially Oriental genus (including half a dozen species from Northern Indian subcontinent, Northern Indochina, and Southwestern China). However, it could be more closely related to C. abnormis Kirejtshuk, 1979 from Northern India, Indochina, and Southwestern China, and to C. aldridgei Kirejtshuk, 1980 from Northern India and Nepal, from which it is easily distinguished by the more elongate body shape, and by the markedly sinuate hind tibiae in both sexes (a very unusual character state in Meligethinae, where only males of some species exhibit sexual secondary characters in the tibial shape). The new species also differs from other known taxa of the genus by the shape of the male and female genitalia. The larval hostplants of members of Cyclogethes are thus far unknown, although some clues, also involving the new species described herein, may suggest a relationship with small trees or shrubs of the family Asteraceae. Preliminary and incomplete molecular data on a studied member of the genus (C. abnormis) seems to not disagree with a phylogenetic positioning of Cyclogethes in a clade including the African genera Tarchonanthogethes Audisio & Cline, 2009, its allied Afrotropical taxa, and the Palaearctic genera Meligethes Stephens, 1830 and Brassicogethes Audisio & Cline, 2009. The article includes an updated identification key for all six known species of this genus and an updated map of their known geographic distribution.


Assuntos
Besouros , Masculino , Feminino , Animais , Filogenia , Distribuição Animal , China , Estruturas Animais/anatomia & histologia , Tamanho Corporal , Tamanho do Órgão , Pólen
10.
Zootaxa ; 5406(2): 238-252, 2024 Feb 05.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38480154

RESUMO

Eupyrochroa Blair, 1914 is a small genus of fire-colored beetles (Coleoptera: Pyrochroidae) with two putative species recorded from limited historical distributions in China. The two species, E. insignita (Fairmaire, 1894) and E. limbaticollis (Pic, 1909), have been distinguished on the basis of color differences in the pronotum and scutellum, characters now known to exhibit significant variability. In the present study, adult morphology of the two species was compared, and partial fragments of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) from 36 samples representing 14 pyrochroid species were obtained by extraction and a GenBank search. Nucleotide composition, genetic distance, and phylogeny were analyzed. The results of morphological and molecular analyses indicate consistency, suggesting that the two species are indistinguishable by any significant measure. Therefore, Eupyrochroa limbaticollis (Pic, 1909) is proposed as a junior synonym of E. insignita (Fairmaire, 1894). The species is also redescribed and illustrated, including both adults and larvae.


Assuntos
Besouros , Animais , Filogenia , Larva , Bases de Dados de Ácidos Nucleicos
11.
Zootaxa ; 5406(2): 336-342, 2024 Feb 05.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38480150

RESUMO

Continued collecting efforts at the Jiulong National Wetland Park, Zhejiang, East China revealed two additional species of the ant-loving beetle subfamily Pselaphinae (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae): Trisiniotus jiulong sp. nov. and Arthromelodes lianghongbini sp. nov. Both new species are diagnosed, described, and their important characters are illustrated.


Assuntos
Formigas , Besouros , Animais , Áreas Alagadas , Distribuição Animal , China
12.
Zootaxa ; 5406(2): 201-237, 2024 Feb 05.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38480155

RESUMO

Nine species of Griburius Haldeman, 1849 have been revised and critically discussed. One additional species, formerly included in Metallactus Suffrian, 1852, has been transferred to Griburius: Griburius tredecimpunctatus (Suffrian, 1866) comb. nov. The following synonymies are proposed: Griburius hyacinthinus (Erichson, 1848) (= Griburius fragrans (Suffrian, 1866) syn nov.), Griburius posticatus (Suffrian, 1866) (= Griburius distigma (Suffrian, 1866) syn nov.; = Griburius rufomarginatus (Suffrian, 1866) syn nov.), Griburius tredecimpunctatus (Suffrian, 1866) comb. nov. (= Griburius incomparabilis (Suffrian, 1866) syn. nov.). Type series of each species were tracked down and a lectotype was designated for each of them, respectively. Redescriptions, illustrations and current known distribution of all the treated species are given. Additionally, Griburius bicoloratus sp. nov. and Griburius consanguineus sp. nov., both from Brazil, are described as new to science.


Assuntos
Besouros , Animais
13.
Zootaxa ; 5406(2): 288-296, 2024 Feb 05.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38480152

RESUMO

The new species Euphanias sergreevae sp. nov. from the shores of a saline lake in Western Siberia, Russia is described in this paper. The paper examines the type material of two closely related species Euphanias pusanovi Blinstein, 1976 and Euphanias pliginskii Bernhauer, 1912. The species are illustrated with color photographs of the habitus and aedeagus, scanning electron micrographs, and line drawings of the terminalia. A complete distribution map for all members of the genus is given and distribution patterns are discussed.


Assuntos
Besouros , Animais , Sibéria , Distribuição Animal , Estruturas Animais , Tamanho do Órgão , Federação Russa
14.
Zootaxa ; 5406(1): 175-189, 2024 Feb 02.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38480157

RESUMO

A new species of dung beetle, Proagoderus mabuensis Daniel, Josso, Nganhane & Strmpher, new species from Mount Mabu, northern Mozambique, is described, diagnosed, and illustrated. We provide a morphological comparison between the new species and a similar species from Mount Namuli, Mozambique, Proagoderus camiadei Josso, 2014. Both species belong to the Proagoderus dives (Harold, 1877) species-group. Furthermore, we provide an updated checklist of all known members of the dives species-group.


Assuntos
Besouros , Animais , Moçambique
15.
Zootaxa ; 5406(1): 153-164, 2024 Feb 02.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38480159

RESUMO

The ladybird genus Vedalia was established by Mulsant in 1850 to accommodate a single species Vedalia sieboldii Mulsant. Since its description the genus attracted little attention, and its systematic position in modern classification of the subfamily Coccinellinae remained unclear. Here we provide revisionary study based on the type and non-type material from various collections. Male and female genitalia are illustrated for the first time, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) illustrations of the key characters are also provided. Position of the genus within the tribe Chnoodini Mulsant is confirmed. Distribution and biology of Vedalia are also discussed.


Assuntos
Besouros , Masculino , Animais , Feminino , Microscopia Eletrônica de Varredura
16.
Zootaxa ; 5406(1): 141-152, 2024 Feb 02.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38480160

RESUMO

The genus Dedalopterus Sabatinelli & Pontuale, 1998 from Laos and Vietnam is reviewed: three species are present of which Dedalopterus lexuanhuei Pham, Ahrens & Sabatinelli, new species from Central Vietnam (Ngoc Linh Mts., Annamite Range) is here described. Dedalopterusmalyszi Bunalski, 2001 is present in North Vietnam (Lao Cai, Hoang Lien Son Range), and Dedalopterus pulchellus Sabatinelli & Pontuale, 1998 (= D.bezdekorum Zdek & Krajk, 2007, new synonymy) is known from Northeast Laos (Mt. Xiangkhouang and Mt. Phou Pan). Additional records, an updated checklist, and an identification key of the genus Dedalopterus are provided. All species treated are abundantly illustrated.


Assuntos
Besouros , Animais , Laos , Vietnã
17.
Zootaxa ; 5415(4): 593-597, 2024 Feb 23.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38480178

RESUMO

A new species, Oxytelus acriculiclypeatus sp. nov., is described from Malaysia (Borneo: Sabah). The species is similar to O. megaceros Fauvel, 1895, but can be separated based on four male features: a more pointed tip on the anterior margin of the clypeus, a wider central plate on the posterior margin of sternite VIII with a carina that spans the entire width of the posterior margin of medial plate, two sharper and thinner projections on the apical orifice, and the apico-medial hook with a smaller apical tip but without the connecting scape. As a result, a total of 31 confirmed species have been recorded in Southeast Asia hitherto.


Assuntos
Besouros , Masculino , Animais , Bornéu , Distribuição Animal
18.
Zootaxa ; 5415(4): 501-528, 2024 Feb 23.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38480186

RESUMO

Being areas of biotic overlap located between biogeographic regions, transition zones function as natural laboratories. The present study explores the phylogenetic history of the dung beetle subfamily Scarabaeinae, in order to present an evolutionary scenario that allows inference of the biogeographic history of the Mexican Transition Zone (MTZ) and integration of the distributional patterns of its biota. The species sampling included 94 New World taxa (93 species of Scarabaeinae and one species of Aphodiinae). The phylogenetic relationships of the main clades recovered in our study were supported with PP values 0.95. Based on the BAYAREALIKE model to reconstruct the ancestral distributional patterns of Scarabaeinae, we inferred a complex scenario with 19 dispersal events, 15 vicariance events, and three extinctions. We suggest that the Ancient Neotropical and Tropical Paleoamerican patterns represent the most likely ancestral distributional patterns for the Scarabaeinae of the MTZ, which probably settle there during the Eocene-Oligocene. The rest of the Scarabaeinae distributional patterns were assembled in subsequent periods. The results suggest that the MTZ had two separate formation stages: a Paleo-MTZ (Eocene-Miocene) and a current MTZ (Pliocene-Anthropocene). We conclude that the evolutionary history as well as the dispersal-vicariance scenario for the Scarabaeinae of the MTZ fits the out of the tropics model.


Assuntos
Besouros , Animais , Filogenia , Besouros/genética , Evolução Biológica , México , Biota
19.
Zootaxa ; 5415(4): 552-560, 2024 Feb 23.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38480183

RESUMO

The new braconid genus and species from the subfamily Rhyssalinae, Properhyssalus szechowskii Belokobylskij, gen. et sp. nov., from late Eocene Baltic amber are described and illustrated. The differences between the new genus and the type species of Rhyssalus Haliday, 1833, Rh. clavator Haliday, 1833, are provided. The position of the previously described from Baltic amber species Rhyssalus brevicornis Brues, 1933 and Rh. rugosus Brues, 1933, as well as Palaeorhyssalus dubitosus Brues, 1933, are discussed.


Assuntos
Besouros , Himenópteros , Vespas , Animais , Âmbar , Fósseis , Países Bálticos
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