Insights into spermatogenesis in the migratory locust, Locusta migratoria (Linnaeus, 1758) (Orthoptera: Acrididae), following histological and ultrastructural features of the testis.

The migratory locust, Locusta migratoria (Linnaeus, 1758), is one of the most destructive agricultural pests globally, and this species is particularly localized in several regions of Egypt. However, so far, very little attention has been paid to the characteristics of the testes. Furthermore, spermatogenesis requires careful analysis to characterize and track developmental episodes. We thus investigated, for the first time, the histological and ultrastructural properties of the testis in L. migratoria employing a light microscope, a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and a transmission electron microscope (TEM). Our results revealed that the testis comprises several follicles, emerging with distinct outer surface wrinkle patterns for each follicle throughout the length of the follicular wall. Furthermore, histological examination of the follicles showed that each has three developmental zones. Each zone has cysts with characteristic spermatogenic elements, beginning with the spermatogonia at the distal end of each follicle and ending with the spermatozoa at the proximal end. Moreover, spermatozoa are arranged in spermatozoa bundles called spermatodesms. Overall, this research provides novel insights into the structure of the testes of L. migratoria, which will significantly contribute to formulating effective pesticides against locusts.

New estimates of genome size in Orthoptera and their evolutionary implications.

Animal genomes vary widely in size, and much of their architecture and content remains poorly understood. Even among related groups, such as orders of insects, genomes may vary in size by orders of magnitude-for reasons unknown. The largest known insect genomes were repeatedly found in Orthoptera, e.g., Podisma pedestris (1C = 16.93 pg), Stethophyma grossum (1C = 18.48 pg) and Bryodemella holdereri (1C = 18.64 pg). While all these species belong to the suborder of Caelifera, the ensiferan Deracantha onos (1C = 19.60 pg) was recently found to have the largest genome. Here, we present new genome size estimates of 50 further species of Ensifera (superfamilies Gryllidea, Tettigoniidea) and Caelifera (Acrididae, Tetrigidae) based on flow cytometric measurements. We found that Bryodemella tuberculata (Caelifera: Acrididae) has the so far largest measured genome of all insects with 1C = 21.96 pg (21.48 gBp). Species of Orthoptera with 2n = 16 and 2n = 22 chromosomes have significantly larger genomes than species with other chromosome counts. Gryllidea genomes vary between 1C = 0.95 and 2.88 pg, and Tetrigidae between 1C = 2.18 and 2.41, while the genomes of all other studied Orthoptera range in size from 1C = 1.37 to 21.96 pg. Reconstructing ancestral genome sizes based on a phylogenetic tree of mitochondrial genomic data, we found genome size values of >15.84 pg only for the nodes of Bryodemella holdereri / B. tuberculata and Chrysochraon dispar / Euthystira brachyptera. The predicted values of ancestral genome sizes are 6.19 pg for Orthoptera, 5.37 pg for Ensifera, and 7.28 pg for Caelifera. The reasons for the large genomes in Orthoptera remain largely unknown, but a duplication or polyploidization seems unlikely as chromosome numbers do not differ much. Sequence-based genomic studies may shed light on the underlying evolutionary mechanisms.

Mwhitiwhiti Aotearoa: Phylogeny and synonymy of the silent alpine grasshopper radiation of New Zealand (Orthoptera: Acrididae).

Aotearoa New Zealand has a fauna of endemic alpine grasshoppers, consisting of thirteen species distributed among four genera. The many re-classifications of species within this group and the presence of species complexes highlight the uncertainty that surrounds relationships within and between these genera. High-throughput Next Generation Sequencing was used to assemble the complete mitochondrial genomes, 45S ribosomal cassettes and histone sequences of New Zealands four endemic alpine genera: Alpinacris, Brachaspis, Paprides and Sigaus. Phylogenetic analysis of these molecular datasets, as individual genes, partitions and combinations returned a consistent topology that is incompatible with the current classification. The genera Sigaus, Alpinacris, and Paprides all exhibit paraphyly. A consideration of the pronotum, epiphallus and terminalia of adult specimens reveals species-specific differences, but fails to provide compelling evidence for species groups justifying distinct genera. In combination with phylogenetic, morphological and spatial evidence we propose a simplified taxonomy consisting of a single genus for the mwhitiwhiti Aotearoa species radiation.

Transcriptomic data reveals nuclear-mitochondrial discordance in Gomphocerinae grasshoppers (Insecta: Orthoptera: Acrididae).

The phylogeny of many groups of Orthoptera remains poorly understood. Previous phylogenetic studies largely restricted to few mitochondrial markers found many species in the grasshopper subfamily Gomphocerinae to be para- or polyphyletic, presumably because of incomplete lineage sorting and ongoing hybridization between putatively young lineages. Resolving the phylogeny of the Chorthippus biguttulus species complex is important because many morphologically cryptic species occupy overlapping ranges across Eurasia and serve important ecological functions. We investigated whether multispecies coalescent analysis of 540 genes generated by transcriptome sequencing could resolve the phylogeny of the C. biguttulus complex and related Gomphocerinae species. Our divergence time estimates confirm that Gomphocerinae is a very young radiation, with an age estimated at 1.38 (2.35-0.77) mya for the C. biguttulus complex. Our estimated topology based on complete mitogenomes recovered some species as para- or polyphyletic. In contrast, the multispecies coalescent based on nuclear genes retrieved all species as monophyletic clusters, corroborating most taxonomic hypotheses. Our results underline the importance of using nuclear multispecies coalescent methods for studying young radiations and highlight the need of further taxonomic revision in Gomphocerinae grasshoppers.

The Phalangopsidae crickets (Orthoptera, Grylloidea) of the Seychelles Archipelago: Taxonomy of an ecological radiation.

The Phalangopsidae crickets (Grylloidea) of the Seychelles are examined following extensive field sampling on several main islands of the archipelago (Mah, Silhouette, Praslin, La Digue). Despite the small area of these islands, six genera (12 species) are documented, including one new genus and five new species. The type species of the genus Seychellesia Bolivar, 1912 is transferred to the genus Paragryllodes Karny, 1909 as Paragryllodes nitidula (Bolivar, 1912) n. comb. The other species described in Seychellesia are transferred to the genus Seselia Hugel Desutter-Grandcolas, n. gen., as Seselia longicercata (Bolivar, 1912) n. comb. and Seselia patellifera (Bolivar, 1912) n. comb. Two new species are also described in the genus Seselia Hugel Desutter-Grandcolas, n. gen., Seselia coccofessei Hugel Desutter-Grandcolas, n. gen., n. sp. (type species of the genus) and Seselia matyoti Hugel Desutter-Grandcolas, n. gen., n. sp. The genera Phaeogryllus Bolivar, 1912 and Phalangacris Bolivar, 1895 are redescribed, including Phalangacris ferlegro Hugel Desutter-Grandcolas, n. sp. and Phalangacris sotsote Hugel Desutter-Grandcolas, n. sp. that are new to science. The genus Gryllapterus Bolivar, 1912 is redescribed and transferred from the Landrevinae (Gryllidae) to the Cachoplistinae (Phalangopsidae). New tribes are defined for the genus Paragryllodes (Paragryllodini Hugel Desutter-Grandcolas, n. tribe) on the one hand, and for Seselia Hugel Desutter-Grandcolas, n. gen., Phalangacris, Phaeogryllus and Gryllapterus (Seselini Hugel Desutter-Grandcolas, n. tribe) on the other, using morphological characters and the results of molecular phylogenetic studies (Warren et al. 2019). Phaloria (Papuloria) insularis (Bolivar, 1912) (Phaloriinae) is redescribed and restricted to Mah, and its calling song is documented for the first time, while Phaloria (Papuloria) bolivari Hugel Desutter-Grandcolas, n. sp. is newly described from Silhouette. Identification keys are proposed for the genera of Seselini Hugel Desutter-Grandcolas, n. tribe, and for the species of Seselia Hugel Desutter-Grandcolas, n. gen. and Phalangacris. The confusion between the Mogoplistidae Ornebius succineus Bolivar, 1912 and the Phalangopsidae Heterotrypus succineus Bolivar, 1910 is discussed, and the name Subtiloria succineus (Bolivar, 1912) considered a nomen nudum.

Molecular data provide new insights into the phylogeny of Cladonotinae (Orthoptera: Tetrigoidea) from China with the description of a new genus and species.

Considerable effort has been devoted to elucidating the phylogenetic relationships of tetrigides. However, there is still no commonly accepted phylogenetic hypothesis. Therefore, the phylogenetic relationships among some subfamilies remain unclear; e.g., Cladonotinae is a controversial group, in which the phylogenetic relationships between genera and the boundaries of some of the included genera are unclear, causing some of the taxa to be difficult to identify. Therefore, an in-depth phylogenetic analysis of Cladonotinae is urgently needed. In this study, a robust phylogenetic framework for the tetrigides was reconstructed based on the combined mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI), 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA), and nuclear 18S ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA) gene sequences of 25 species belonging to 16 genera of Tetrigoidea from China, which included 13 species from 8 genera of Cladonotinae. Phylogenetic inferences were performed using the combined dataset and Bayesian inference (BI) and Maximum Parsimony (MP) methods, and the phylogenetic tree of Cladonotinae was reconstructed. All inferences based on the results of the present study supported the Cladonotinae subfamily as a polyphyletic group; within the Cladonotinae subfamily, Tetradinodula, and Tuberfemurus were closely related to Tetriginae, while Austrohancockia and Gibbotettix showed a close relationship to the Scelimenidae subfamily. Additionally, a new genus and new species of the Cladonotinae subfamily are described and illustrated: Hainantettix Deng, gen. nov. and Hainantettix strictivertex Deng, sp. nov.

Redescription of the cicada genus Pycna Amyot amp; Audinet-Serville, 1843 (Hemiptera: Cicadidae: Cicadinae: Platypleurini) with the formation of two new genera, one new species, one revised species status and twenty-four new combinations.

A recent genetic analysis has shown that the genus Pycna Amyot Audinet-Serville, 1843 is polyphyletic. New genera are proposed for the species that have been classified together in the genus previously but form distinct clades from the clade containing the true species of Pycna. Pycnoides n. gen. is described for the species inhabiting continental Africa. Pycna antinorii (Lethierry, 1881), Pycna baxteri Distant, 1914, Pycna becarrii (Lethierry, 1881), Pycna dolosa Boulard, 1975a, Pycna hecuba Distant, 1904b, Pycna moniquae Boulard, 2012, Pycna natalensis Distant, 1905b, Pycna neavei Distant, 1912b, Pycna passosdecarvalhoi Boulard, 1975b, Pycna quanza (Distant, 1899a), Pycna semiclara (Germar, 1834), Pycna sylvia (Distant, 1899b), Pycna umbelinae Boulard, 1975b, Pycna vitrea Schumacher, 1913, and Pycna vitticollis (Jacobi, 1904) are reassigned to Pycnoides n. gen. to become Pycnoides antinorii (Lethierry, 1881) n. comb., Pycnoides baxteri (Distant, 1914) n. comb., Pycnoides becarrii (Lethierry, 1881) n. comb., Pycnoides dolosa (Boulard, 1975a) n. comb., Pycnoides hecuba (Distant, 1904b) n. comb., Pycnoides moniquae (Boulard, 2012) n. comb., Pycnoides natalensis (Distant, 1905b) n. comb., Pycnoides neavei (Distant, 1912b) n. comb., Pycnoides passosdecarvalhoi (Boulard, 1975b) n. comb., Pycnoides quanza (Distant, 1899a) n. comb., Pycnoides semiclara (Germar, 1834) n. comb., Pycnoides sylvia (Distant, 1899b) n. comb., Pycnoides umbelinae (Boulard, 1975b) n. comb., Pycnoides vitrea (Schumacher, 1913) n. comb., and Pycnoides vitticollis (Jacobi, 1904) n. comb. Pycnoides zambiaensis n. sp. is described as new to increase the diversity of the new genus further and represents the first record of a species in the group for Zambia. Eopycna n. gen. is described for the Asian species previously assigned to Pycna. Pycna coelestia Distant, 1904a, Pycna concinna Boulard, 2005, Pycna himalayana (Naruse, 1977), Pycna indochinensis Distant, 1913, Pycna minor Liu, 1940, Pycna montana Hayashi, 1978, Pycna repanda (Linnaeus, 1758), and Pycna verna Hayashi, 1982 are reassigned to Eopycna n. gen. to become Eopycna coelestia (Distant, 1904a) n. comb., Eopycna concinna (Boulard, 2005) n. comb., Eopycna himalayana (Naruse, 1977) n. comb., Eopycna indochinensis (Distant, 1913) n. comb., Eopycna minor (Liu, 1940) n. comb., Eopycna montana (Hayashi, 1978) n. comb., Eopycna repanda (Linnaeus, 1758) n. comb., and Eopycna verna (Hayashi, 1982) n. comb. Pycna angusta (Butler, 1882) rev. stat. is removed from junior synonymy of Pycna madagascarensis (Distant, 1881). Pycna schmitzi Boulard, 1979 is reassigned to Canualna Boulard, 1985a to become Canualna schmitzi (Boulard, 1979) n. comb. and Pynca tangana (Strand, 1910) is reassigned to Orapa Distant, 1905c to become Orapa tangana (Strand, 1910) n. comb.

Extraction, characterization and comparison of chitins from large bodied four Coleoptera and Orthoptera species.

Chitins were extracted from large insect species of order Coleoptera (Lucanus cervus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lucanidae) and Polyphylla fullo (Linnaeus, 1758) (Scarabaeidae) and order Orthoptera (Bradyporus (Callimenus) sureyai Ünal, 2011) (Tettigonidae) and Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa (Linnaeus, 1758) (Gryllotalpidae)) for the first time. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry (FT-IR) confirms that isolation of chitin is successful. Yields of chitins on dry basis from P. fullo, L. cervus, G. gryllotalpa and B. (C.) sureyai are 11.3%, 10.9%, 10.1% and 9.8% respectively. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) showed a variety of thermal stability of chitin samples from 614 °C to 748 °C with a small percent of ash. X-ray diffraction (XRD) data showed a crystallinity index percent from 80.6% to 85.2%. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was examined for surface characterization determining as fibrous and porous for all species and changes from nm scales to µm scales. Elemental analysis has been applied to determine the elemental composition of chitin and nitrogen percent was relatively low for all specimens than expected. It is detected that examined insects have α-chitin form from XRD and FT-IR data. If these species can be grown in the laboratory, adults of them could be accepted as promising alternative chitin sources without negative effects on biodiversity.

Predictability in the evolution of Orthopteran cardenolide insensitivity.

The repeated evolutionary specialization of distantly related insects to cardenolide-containing host plants provides a stunning example of parallel adaptation. Hundreds of herbivorous insect species have independently evolved insensitivity to cardenolides, which are potent inhibitors of the alpha-subunit of Na+,K+-ATPase (ATPα). Previous studies investigating ATPα-mediated cardenolide insensitivity in five insect orders have revealed remarkably high levels of parallelism in the evolution of this trait, including the frequent occurrence of parallel amino acid substitutions at two sites and recurrent episodes of duplication followed by neo-functionalization. Here we add data for a sixth insect order, Orthoptera, which includes an ancient group of highly aposematic cardenolide-sequestering grasshoppers in the family Pyrgomorphidae. We find that Orthopterans exhibit largely predictable patterns of evolution of insensitivity established by sampling other insect orders. Taken together the data lend further support to the proposal that negative pleiotropic constraints are a key determinant in the evolution of cardenolide insensitivity in insects. Furthermore, analysis of our expanded taxonomic survey implicates positive selection acting on site 111 of cardenolide-sequestering species with a single-copy of ATPα, and sites 115, 118 and 122 in lineages with neo-functionalized duplicate copies, all of which are sites of frequent parallel amino acid substitution. This article is part of the theme issue 'Convergent evolution in the genomics era: new insights and directions'.

Asterid Ray Floret Traits Predict the Likelihood of Florivory by the Polyphagous Katydid, Phaneroptera brevis (Orthoptera: Phaneropterinae).

Insect-flower visitation is crucial for many angiosperms because insects can facilitate pollination. Floral traits can attract pollinators so studying how they correlate with insect-flower visitation can elucidate how insects and plants interact and coevolve. However, there are few studies on how floral traits correlate with florivory. Not all floral traits that predict attractiveness of flowers to pollinators are applicable for florivory because they may not necessarily reflect the palatability of the flower parts. Leaf functional traits have been studied extensively to predict herbivory, but we are not aware of studies that adopt such leaf traits in florivory. We addressed these limitations by investigating the research questions: 1) How do floral traits differ among different species? 2) How do the floral traits predict the likelihood of florivory? We measured 10 floral traits, including adopting common leaf traits associated with herbivory (e.g., specific leaf area and leaf dry matter content), among three Asteraceae species: Bidens pilosa L., Sphagneticola trilobata (L.) Pruski, and Tridax procumbens L. We then performed the cafeteria assay using a polyphagous floriphilic katydid, Phaneroptera brevis (Serville 1838). We found that ray floret dry matter content correlates negatively with the likelihood of florivory of the asterid ray floret, whereas the total biomass of the ray floret correlates positively with the likelihood of florivory of the entire capitulum. The specific ray floret area also correlates nonlinearly with the likelihood of florivory of the asterid ray florets. We believe that these florivory traits can be applied to the flowers of other species.

Rediscovered and new perisphaerine cockroaches from SW China with a review of subfamilial diagnosis (Blattodea: Blaberidae).

The taxonomic records of Chinese perisphaerine cockroaches were scattered in literature, and therefore a dedicated study is desired to update our knowledge. This paper reviews the subfamilial diagnosis and Chinese species, mostly from southwestern China. We provide high-definition habitus photos and drawings, the latter emphasizes the genitalia of both sexes, which are generalized with diagrams, abstracted from specimens examined. A total of 18 species are recorded in four genera, including Perisphaerus, or pill cockroach, the type genus of the subfamily. Two new genera and three new species are proposed: Achatiblatta achates gen. sp. nov., Frumentiforma frumentiformis gen. sp. nov., and Pseudoglomeris montana sp. nov.. Pseudoglomeris has five new junior synonyms: Corydidarum, Trichoblatta, Kurokia, Glomerexis, and Glomeriblatta; the following combinations are thus revived or new: Ps. aerea comb. nov., Ps. angustifolia comb. nov., Ps. beybienkoi comb. nov., Ps. fallax comb. nov., Ps. magnifica comb. rev., Ps. montshadskii comb. nov., Ps. nigra comb. nov., Ps. sculpta comb. nov., Ps. semisulcata comb. rev., Ps. tibetana comb. nov., and Ps. valida moderata comb. nov.. The following species are revalidated and combinations revived: Pe. pygmaeus comb. rev., Ps. dubia comb. sp. rev., and Ps. planiuscla comb. sp. rev.

Landscape Effects on Reproduction of Euschistus servus (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), a Mobile, Polyphagous, Multivoltine Arthropod Herbivore.

Landscape factors can significantly influence arthropod populations. The economically important brown stink bug, Euschistus servus (Say) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), is a native mobile, polyphagous and multivoltine pest of many crops in southeastern United States and understanding the relative influence of local and landscape factors on their reproduction may facilitate population management. Finite rate of population increase (λ) was estimated in four major crop hosts-maize, peanut, cotton, and soybean-over 3 yr in 16 landscapes of southern Georgia. A geographic information system (GIS) was used to characterize the surrounding landscape structure. LASSO regression was used to identify the subset of local and landscape characteristics and predator densities that account for variation in λ. The percentage area of maize, peanut and woodland and pasture in the landscape and the connectivity of cropland had no influence on E. servus λ. The best model for explaining variation in λ included only four predictor variables: whether or not the sampled field was a soybean field, mean natural enemy density in the field, percentage area of cotton in the landscape and the percentage area of soybean in the landscape. Soybean was the single most important variable for determining E. servus λ, with much greater reproduction in soybean fields than in other crop species. Penalized regression and post-selection inference provide conservative estimates of the landscape-scale determinants of E. servus reproduction and indicate that a relatively simple set of in-field and landscape variables influences reproduction in this species.

Shy herbivores forage more efficiently than bold ones regardless of information-processing overload.

The neural constraint hypothesis is central to understanding decision-making by foraging herbivorous insects which make decisions less efficiently when they face multiple choices for numerous resource types and/or at high densities instead of a fewer choices. Previous studies have also shown the relationship between personality type and decision-making style. How personality types correlate with foraging efficiency among herbivores is however, largely untested. To answer this question, we used a widespread, polyphagous, floriphilic katydid, Phaneroptera brevis (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) and two naturalised, Asteraceae, food plants, Bidens pilosa and Sphagneticola trilobata, as model systems. After we determined each katydid's exploration and boldness levels, we examined its foraging efficiency across different combinations of floral resource choice and density. We showed: (1) For the first time within the Tettigonioidea lineage that this katydid exhibits different personality types in exploration and boldness. (2) Contrary to our prediction, we did not find any support for the neural constraint hypothesis because more floral resource choice at a high density did not reduce foraging efficiency. (3) Surprisingly, bold katydids tend to be less efficient foragers than shy ones. Our findings have enhanced understanding of herbivore behavioural ecology and knowledge to better deal with potential pest herbivores.

Name-bearing type specimens in the Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids Nematodes (CNC): Blattodea, Dermaptera, Notoptera, Mecoptera, Megaloptera, Myriapoda, Neuroptera, Odonata, Orthoptera, Phthiraptera, Pseudoscorpiones, Psocoptera, Raphidioptera Siphonaptera.

A catalogue is provided for the name-bearing types of most of the less diverse arthropod groups deposited in the Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids Nematodes (CNC). There are 90 name-bearing types of Myriapoda [Chilopoda (3 types), Diplopoda (2)], Arachnida [Pseudoscorpiones (1)], and Insecta [Blattodea (1), Dermaptera (1), Notoptera (3), Mecoptera (3), Megaloptera (2), Neuroptera (11), Odonata (2), Orthoptera (5), Phthiraptera (2), Psocoptera (10), Raphidioptera (1) and Siphonaptera (43)]. Three myriapod syntypes are represented by an unknown number of specimens. Holotypes for Plesiorobius canadensis Klimaszewski Kevan (Neuroptera) and Sphaeropsocoides canadensis Grimaldi Engel (Psocoptera) are amber-preserved fossils. Portions of the holotype of Chaetospania assamensis Sakai are considered lost, as are an unknown number of syntype specimens for the centipede species Ethopolys alaskanus Chamberlin and E. integer Chamberlin. Collembola types were treated in Stebaeva et al. (2016), and Araneae, Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera will be treated in future catalogues, completing inventories for the orders without associated research staff in the CNC. Definitions of relevant type specimens are provided, as is a preliminary summary of all 16,710 name-bearing type specimens held by the CNC, including those of the more diverse orders for which there are associated research staff: Nematoda, Acari, Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera/Thysanoptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera.

Listeriosis en México: importancia clínica y epidemiológica / Listeriosis in Mexico: Clinical and epidemiological importance

La listeriosis es una enfermedad transmitida por alimentos (ETA) y ocasionada por Listeria monocytogenes. La importancia de ésta se debe a su impacto clínico, la alta tasa de mortalidad y el efecto económico derivado de los brotes asociados con el consumo de alimentos. En México, las fallas en los sistemas de vigilancia epidemiológicos son causa de información imprecisa sobre la incidencia de la listeriosis y sobre su caracterización como ETA. En este trabajo se presentan datos referentes a la presencia de la bacteria en alimentos, reportes de casos de la enfermedad y patologías relacionadas con infección por L. monocytogenes. La falta de datos exactos sobre la importancia de esta bacteria plantea la necesidad de concientizar a las instancias correspondientes para definir estrategias de búsqueda intencionada de L. monocytogenes en alimentos y de la recopilación de información clínica precisa que permita conocer la importancia clínica y epidemiológica de la listeriosis en México.

Listeriosis is caused by Listeria monocytogenes, an important food-borne disease due to its clinical forms, high mortality rate, and the economic impact in both clinical and food production industries. In Mexico, the lack of epidemiological surveillance systems leads to the need of accurate data on the incidence of listeriosis and its association with food-borne disease. In this paper, we present data about the presence of this bacterium in food, reports related to clinical cases of listeriosis, and information of diseases in which L. monocytogenes may be involved. However, in most of these cases the etiology was not established. Given this, there's a need to inform and warn the appropriate entities, to define strategies for the mandatory search of L. monocytogenes through the whole food production chain and clinical suspects, for the epidemiological importance and control of listeriosis in Mexico.

Lack of correlation between vertical distribution and carrier frequency, and preference for open spaces in arboreal katydids that use extreme ultrasound, in Gorgona, Colombia (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) / Falta de correlación entre distribución vertical y frecuencia portadora, y preferencia por espacios abiertos en saltamontes arbóreos que utilizan ultrasonido extremo, en Gorgona, Colombia (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae)

Male Tettigoniidae emit sound to attract conspecific females. The sound is produced by stridulation. During stridulation the forewings open and close, but it is during the closing stroke that the scraper contacts the file teeth to generate the predominant sound components, which are amplified by adjacent wing cells specialized in sound radiation. The sounds usually exceed the sonic boundary and might occur above 40 kHz, reaching extreme ultrasonic frequencies of 150kHz in some species. Here we test the hypothesis that Tettigoniidae species should prefer microhabitats that favour efficient signal transmission, i.e. that there is a relationship of sound frequency with the vertical distribution of the species (from ground to canopy) at Gorgona National Natural Park, Colombia. We sampled 16 trees and four different altitudinal levels between 1 and 20m above the understory vegetation. We placed collecting blankets separated by vertical distances of 5m, and knocked insects down using the technique known as fogging. We found no correlation between vertical distribution and carrier frequency, but there was a preference for open spaces (below the canopy and above the understory) in species using extreme ultrasound. This is the first quantitative description of the vertical distribution in neotropical species of the family Tettigoniidae and its relationship to the calling song frequency. Rev. Biol. Trop. 62 (Suppl. 1): 289-296. Epub 2014 February 01.

Los machos de Tettigoniidae producen sonido frotando las alas anteriores para atraer a sus hembras coespecíficas con fines reproductivos (mecanismo conocido como estridulación). Un borde esclerotizado (o raspador) en el ala derecha es frotado sobre una vena modificada con dientecillos en el ala izquierda. Durante la estridulación las alas abren y cierran, pero es durante el cierre que el raspador contacta los dientecillos de la lima y produce vibraciones que son amplificadas por celdas adyacentes especializadas para radiar sonido. Sonidos que superen los 20 000Hz, se consideran ultrasónicos, en los Tettigoniidae, la mayoría de los cantos superan el umbral sónico y pueden ocurrir a más de 40 000Hz, con casos extremos de hasta 148 000Hz. La esencia de este trabajo es el estudio de esta gama espectacular de frecuencias de la familia Tettigoniidae y su relación con la distribución vertical de los individuos en las especies que habitan en Gorgona. Se muestrearon 16 árboles a cuatro niveles diferentes de altitud entre 1 y ~20m sobre el sotobosque, instalando sabanas colectoras a intervalos de 4-5m. Los insectos se colectaron mediante el método de nebulización térmica. El análisis indica que no hay correlación entre la distribución vertical de las especies y la frecuencia del canto. Sin embargo se observó una preferencia por espacios abiertos en especies que cantan a frecuencias extremas. Este estudio representa la primera descripción cuantitativa de la distribución vertical de Tettigoniidae Neotropicales y su relación con la frecuencia del canto.

Age- and density-dependent prophylaxis in the migratory, cannibalistic Mormon cricket Anabrus simplex (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae).

As a result of the increased potential for disease transmission, insects are predicted to show an increased constitutive immunity when crowded. Cannibalistic aggressive interactions further increase the risk of wounding and pathogen transmission in crowds. Nymphal Mormon crickets Anabrus simplex Haldeman were collected in Montana and reared in the laboratory either solitarily or at densities similar to that experienced by Mormon crickets in migratory bands. As teneral adults, solitarily-reared Mormon crickets tended to have greater phenoloxidase activity than those reared in groups. Sampling enzyme activity a second time when the adults were nearing reproductive maturity, group-reared Mormon crickets had elevated levels of prophenoloxidase and encapsulated foreign objects faster than solitarily-reared insects. Rearing density did not have a significant effect on either the darkness of the cuticle or antibacterial activity. This is the first report of age-related responses of adult insect immunity to crowding.

Genesis of spermatodesms in Tylopsis liliifolia (Orthoptera: Phaneropterinae) and their transit in the male genital tract.

The spermatodesms of Tylopsis liliifolia form in the most proximal follicular cysts and are composed of a large number of sperm held together by a cap located in the anterior region of the acrosome. The cap is formed by short thin fibrils, loosely arranged at random, probably derived from secretory activity of cells of the cyst wall. Compared to other Tettigoniidae, a peculiar feature is acrosomal wings that twist gradually around the anterior region of the nucleus; at the end of the twisting process, the region of the sperm acrosome, observed in cross section, shows a typical spiral form. Spermatodesms do not undergo any substantial changes in the spermiduct. The epithelial cells of the wall have secretory activity and many show marked spermiophagic activity, which is conducted by epithelial cell protrusions that envelop the gametes, taking them into the cytoplasm. When removed from seminal vesicles and observed in vivo, spermatodesms show accentuated corkscrew movement, and when observed by SEM, slight torsion. Thus organized, spermatodesms are transferred to the spermatophore during mating, where they are transformed before reaching the seminal receptacle.

Cytotoxic angucyclines from Amycolatopsis sp. HCa1, a rare actinobacteria derived from Oxya chinensis.

Two new angucyclines, named (2R,3R)-2-hydroxy-8- O-methyltetrangomycin (1) and (2R,3R)-2-hydroxy-5-O-methyltetrangomycin (2), together with eight known compounds (3-10), were isolated from the culture of Amycolatopsis sp. HCa1, a rare actinobacteria isolated from the gut of Oxya chinensis. The new structures were elucidated through extensive spectroscopic data analysis, and their absolute configurations were assigned by application of the modified Mosher's method and CD spectrum comparison. Their IN VITRO cytotoxic activities against four cell lines including human cervical cancer cell line (HeLa), human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line (SGC-7901), human lung adenocarcinoma cell line (SPC-A-1), and mouse macrophage cell line (RAW264.7) were then investigated. Compounds 3, 4, 9, and 10 showed potent cytotoxic activities towards the HeLa cells with IC (50) values of 0.27, 0.11, 0.56, and 0.39 µM, respectively.