The transcriptome of Icerya aegyptiaca (Hemiptera: Monophlebidae) and comparison with neococcoids reveal genetic clues of evolution in the scale insects.

BACKGROUND: Scale insects are worldwide sap-sucking parasites, which can be distinguished into neococcoids and non-neococcoids. Neococcoids are monophyletic with a peculiar reproductive system, paternal genome elimination (PGE). Different with neococcoids, Iceryini, a tribe in non-neococcoids including several damaging pests, has abdominal spiracles, compound eyes in males, relatively abundant wax, unique hermaphrodite system, and specific symbionts. However, the current studies on the gene resources and genomic mechanism of scale insects are mainly limited in the neococcoids, and lacked of comparison in an evolution frame. RESULT: We sequenced and de novo assembled a transcriptome of Icerya aegyptiaca (Douglas), a worldwide pest of Iceryini, and used it as representative of non-neococcoids to compare with the genomes or transcriptomes of other six species from different families of neococcoids. We found that the genes under positive selection or negative selection intensification (simplified as "selected genes" below) in I. aegyptiaca included those related to neurogenesis and development, especially eye development. Some genes related to fatty acid biosynthesis were unique in its transcriptome with relatively high expression and not detected in neococcoids. These results may indicate a potential link to the unique structures and abundant wax of I. aegyptiaca compared with neococcoids. Meanwhile, genes related to DNA repair, mitosis, spindle, cytokinesis and oogenesis, were included in the selected genes in I. aegyptiaca, which is possibly associated with cell division and germ cell formation of the hermaphrodite system. Chromatin-related process were enriched from selected genes in neococcoids, along with some mitosis-related genes also detected, which may be related to their unique PGE system. Moreover, in neococcoid species, male-biased genes tend to undergo negative selection relaxation under the PGE system. We also found that the candidate horizontally transferred genes (HTGs) in the scale insects mainly derived from bacteria and fungi. bioD and bioB, the two biotin-synthesizing HTGs were exclusively found in the scale insects and neococcoids, respectively, which possibly show potential demand changes in the symbiotic relationships. CONCLUSION: Our study reports the first I. aegyptiaca transcriptome and provides preliminary insights for the genetic change of structures, reproductive systems and symbiont relationships at an evolutionary aspect. This will provide a basis for further research and control of scale insects.

Epiverta Dieke (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Epilachnini): A Complex of Species, Not a Monotypic Genus.

Rich sampling and modern research techniques, including SEM, revealed that rarely collected epilachnine species Epiverta chelonia is a complex of four closely related species: E. chelonia (Mader, 1933), E. albopilosa, E. angusta, and E. supinata spp. nov. All Epiverta species are described and illustrated, a key to the species and a distribution map are provided. Lectotype of Solanophila cheloniaMader, 1933 is designated and its type locality delimited to Yunnan Province, Deqin County (China).

[A combination of solifenacin succinate and naftopidil in the treatment of female overactive bladder].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effective therapy of female overactive bladder unresponsive to behavior training. METHODS: A total of 67 patients with female overactive bladder unresponsive to behavior training were enrolled from January 2012 to January 2013 at Liaocheng Second People's Hospital. They were randomized into trial and control groups (Iand II). Their mean age was 39.8 (19-57) years. And the mean disease course was 3.8 (1-16) years. The trial group (n = 24) received oral formulations of solifenacin succinate (5 mg, once a day)and naftopidil (25 mg, every evening). The control group I (n = 22) had only solifenacin succinate and the control group II (n = 21) only naftopidil. The treatment lasted for 4 weeks. The time of urination per day, average amount of mona-urination and maximum amount of mona-urination were observed. The changes of all parameters before and after treatment were assessed. And statistic analysis was performed. RESULTS: The urinary urgency score of the trial, control group I and control II groups were 0.8 ± 0.1, 1.8 ± 0.8, 2.1 ± 0.9; and the times of urination per day 9 ± 4, 13 ± 4, 14 ± 5, average amount of mona-urination (295 ± 79), (211 ± 67), (185 ± 64) ml and maximum amount of mona-urination (352 ± 88), (292 ± 75), (235 ± 69) ml respectively. These parameters showed significant differences between the trial and control groups (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: A combination of solifenacin succinate and naftopidil can effectively relieve the symptoms of female overactive bladder and improve the life quality.

First report of Diomusguilavoguii Duverger, 1994 (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae, Diomini) predating on papaya mealybug Paracoccusmarginatus from China.

Background: Diomusguilavoguii Duverger, 1994, an adventive species, is recorded from Guangzhou (Guangdong Province), China for the first time. Larvae of D.guilavoguii were collected in association with an invasive mealybug, Paracoccusmarginatus Williams & Granara de Willink, 1992, infesting papayas, cassava and several ornamental plants. However, little has been known about the biology of D.guilavoguii, especially the morphology of their larvae since their original descriptions. New information: Diomusguilavoguii Duverger, 1994, native to Conakry, Guinea (Africa), is recorded as established in Guangdong Province for the first time. However, it is unclear when and how D.guilavoguii spread from Africa to Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. Both the adult and larva feed on the invasive mealybug Paracoccusmarginatus Williams & Granara de Willink (Hemiptera, Pseudococcidae) that infests papaya and ornamental plants. In this paper, the external morphology and male genitalia of adults are re-described. The detailed descriptions of larva and pupa are also provided for the first time. The status of D.guilavoguii and D.hennessyi Fürsch, 1987 are discussed.

A Taxonomic Review of the Genus Telsimia Casey (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) from China, with Descriptions of Eight New Species.

Twenty species of the genus Telsimia from China are reviewed herein. Among them, eight species are described as new to science: Telsimia chayuensis, T. forcipata, T. latus, T. lobatus, T. lunata, T. menglaensis, T. parascymnoides, and T. parvus spp. nov.; two species are reported from China for the first time: T. darjeelingensis Kapur, 1969 and T. elongate Hoàng, 1985. All species are provided with nomenclatural history, diagnoses, detailed descriptions (except for the 10 previously described species), colored illustrations, and distributions. The female genitalia of five described species are provided for the first time. A distribution map and a key to all the Chinese species are also provided.

A review of the genus Sasajiscymnus Vandenberg, 2004 from China (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae).

In the present study, the taxonomy of the genus Sasajiscymnus Vandenberg, 2004 from China is revised. The number of Chinese species of Sasajiscymnus was increased from thirty-five to sixty-four. Twenty-seven species are newly described: S. fusinus sp. nov., S. acutus sp. nov., S. cultratus sp. nov., S. subulatus sp. nov., S. lishanicus sp. nov., S. striatus sp. nov., S. wuliangshan sp. nov., S. aureus sp. nov., S. longus sp. nov., S. latus sp. nov., S. obliquus sp. nov., S. niganulus sp. nov., S. maculatus sp. nov., S. variabilis sp. nov., S. flexus sp. nov., S. sagittalis sp. nov., S. robustus sp. nov., S. atypicus sp. nov., S. intricatus sp. nov., S. pseudoamplus sp. nov., S. flavostictus sp. nov., S. falcatus sp. nov., S. parallelus sp. nov., S. tumidus sp. nov., S. guniujiang sp. nov., S. applanatus sp. nov., S. cuonaicus sp. nov. Two species are newly recorded from China: S. ocelliferus (Canepari, 1997) and S. nepalicus (Miyatake, 1985). Pseudoscymnus hamatus (Yu & Pang, 1993) is transferred to Sasajiscymnus (comb. nov.). Five species groups of Chinese Sasajiscymnus are proposed for the first time: S. sylvaticus species group, S. hareja species group, S. atypicus species group, S. amplus species group and S. kurohime species group. Keys to the species groups of Sasajiscymnus, as well as to species level within each species group are provided. Furthermore, maps of the species distribution and detailed descriptions to fifty-nine species are also given.

New records and checklist of Chilocorini (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) from China.

BACKGROUND: China is one of the countries with the greatest species diversity of Chilocorini (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), including nearly forty-five percent of the known genera and fourteen percent of all described species in this tribe. Recently, we discovered three species previously not recorded in China. NEW INFORMATION: In this study, three species Priscibrumus uropygialis (Mulsant, 1853), Priscibrumus disjunctus Canepari, 1997 and Brumus octosignatus (Gebler, 1830) are documented for the first time in China. Brumus octosignatus is the first member of the genus Brumus Mulsant, 1850 recorded in China. Detailed descriptions, illustrations and distributions of these three species are provided. A checklist of Chinese Chilocorini is also given.

The genus Cryptogonus Mulsant (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) from Pakistan, with description of a new species and a new record.

The new species of a ladybird beetle, Cryptogonus bhalwalnensis Azad Wang sp. nov. is described from Pakistan. Cryptogonus nepalensis bhutanensis Bielawski is recorded for the first time from Pakistan. Both species of Cryptogonus from Pakistan are diagnosed and illustrated; a distribution map is also presented.

An integrative DNA barcoding framework of ladybird beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae).

Even though ladybirds are well known as economically important biological control agents, an integrative framework of DNA barcoding research was not available for the family so far. We designed and present a set of efficient mini-barcoding primers to recover full DNA barcoding sequences for Coccinellidae, even for specimens collected 40 years ago. Based on these mini-barcoding primers, we obtained 104 full DNA barcode sequences for 104 species of Coccinellidae, in which 101 barcodes were newly reported for the first time. We also downloaded 870 COI barcode sequences (658 bp) from GenBank and BOLD database, belonging to 108 species within 46 genera, to assess the optimum genetic distance threshold and compare four methods of species delimitation (GMYC, bPTP, BIN and ABGD) to determine the most accurate approach for the family. The results suggested the existence of a 'barcode gap' and that 3% is likely an appropriate genetic distance threshold to delimit species of Coccinellidae using DNA barcodes. Species delimitation analyses confirm ABGD as an accurate and efficient approach, more suitable than the other three methods. Our research provides an integrative framework for DNA barcoding and descriptions of new taxa in Coccinellidae. Our results enrich DNA barcoding public reference libraries, including data for Chinese coccinellids. This will facilitate taxonomic identification and biodiversity monitoring of ladybirds using metabarcoding.

On Neotropical Merophysiinae with descriptions of a new genus and new species (Coleoptera, Endomychidae).

Intensive survey of museum collections and new field collecting resulted in discovery of six new, closely related species of the Neotropical Merophysiinae. A new species of the genus Lycoperdinella Champion, L. boliviensissp. n., from Bolivia and Brazil, and five new species from Mexico for which a new genus is proposed here as Rueckeriagen. n.: R. inecol (type species), R. nigrileonis, R. ocelotl, R. puma, R. skelleyispp. n., have been discovered. Lycoperdinella, Rueckeriagen. n., L. subcaeca Champion and all new species are diagnosed, described, and illustrated. Keys to the species of Lycoperdinella and Rueckeria and a distribution map are provided. A lectotype of Lycoperdinella subcaeca Champion, 1913 is designated. Molecular barcodes of three new species of Rueckeria are provided in order to help with the identification of these taxa.

Pseudaspidimerus palatus, a new species of the genus Pseudaspidimerus Kapur, 1948 from the Malay Peninsula (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae).

A new species of the genus Pseudaspidimerus Kapur, 1948 (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), Pseudaspidimerus palatus Huo & Wang, sp. n. from the Malay Peninsula is described with illustrations and a distribution map. The genus Pseudaspidimerus is recorded for the first time from Malaysia and Singapore.

A new species of the genus Phaenochilus Weise from China (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae, Chilocorini).

A new species Phaenochilus albomarginalis Li & Wang, sp. n. is described. The only other species recorded from China is Phaenochilus metasternalis Miyatake, 1970 and it is described here for comparison. Diagnoses, detailed descriptions, illustrations, and distributions are provided.

Renius cornutus, a new genus and species of Chilocorini from Tibet, China (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae).

A new monotypic genus of Chilocorini, Renius Li & Wang, gen. n., with a new species R. cornutus Li et Wang, sp. n. is described from Tibet, China. All diagnostic features are illustrated. The relationships with other genera of Chilocorini are discussed and a key to Chinese genera of Chilocorini is provided.

Tumidusternus, a new genus of Aspidimerini from China (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae).

Tumidusternus gen. n., along with Tumidusternusfujianensis sp. n. (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae, Aspidimerini) from China is described and illustrated. A key to the tribe Aspidimerini is given.

The genus Aspidimerus Mulsant, 1850 (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) from China, with descriptions of two new species.

Chinese members of the genus Aspidimerus Mulsant, 1850 are reviewed. Ten species are recognized, including two new species: A. zhenkangicus Huo & Ren, sp. n. and A. menglensis Huo & Ren, sp. n. A. kabakovi Hoàng is recorded from China for the first time. A. blandus (Mader, 1954) is recognized as synonymous with A. ruficrus Gorham, 1895 (syn. n.). Aspidimerus rectangulatus Kuznetsov & Pang, 1991 and A. serratus Kuznetsov & Pang, 1991 are transferred to the genus Pseudaspidimerus Kapur, 1948 (comb. n.). All species from China are described and illustrated. Distribution maps of the Chinese species, a key and a catalogue of all known Aspidimerus are provided.