Enzymatic Activity of Soil on the Occurrence of the Endangered Beetle Cheilotoma musciformis (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Xerothermic Grasslands.

This work attempts to find the reasons for the rather limited range of occurrence of Cheilotoma musciformis in Poland, based on soil properties, which affects both the plant cover and the entomofauna. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of soil enzyme activity on the occurrence of Ch. musciformis in xerothermic grasslands in Southern Poland. The sites inhabited by the beetle were most often extensively grazed by farm animals or had recently been cleared of bushes. The control plots were in wasteland. The soils of most sites with Ch. musciformis were characterized by significantly higher activity of the tested enzymes and higher content of total organic carbon and total nitrogen, as well as lower pHKCl compared to the control sites. The higher enzymatic activity of soils in sites with the beetle than in the control sites may indicate the dependence of the occurrence of this beetle on the presence of patches of extensively grazed xerothermic grasslands. Grazing influences the behavior of preferred host plant species. Therefore, when planning active protection of xerothermic grasslands inhabited by Ch. musciformis, changes in the biochemical properties of the soil and vegetation structure should be taken into account.

Limited congruence in phylogeographic patterns observed for riverine predacious beetles sharing distribution along the mountain rivers.

Riverine predacious beetles (RPB) (Carabidae, Staphylinidae) are highly diverse and numerous elements of riverine ecosystems. Their historical and contemporary distribution and diversity are highly dependent on natural flow regimes and topography of watercourses. Despite broad knowledge of their ecology, data on population genetic diversity and connectivity are lacking. This study aimed to fill this gap in order to solve two principal hypotheses assuming (i) congruence of phylogeographic patterns observed for RPB indicating that they share a common history and the ecological adaptations to the dynamic environment, (ii) genetic structuration of populations according to river basins. The Carpathian populations of four ground beetles and three rove beetles were examined using cytochrome oxidase and arginine kinase sequencing. There are substantial differences in RPB demographic history and current genetic diversity. Star-like phylogeny of Bembidion and complex haplotype networks of Paederus/Paederidus, with some haplotypes being drainage-specific and others found in distant populations, indicate a general lack of isolation by distance. Signs of recent demographic expansion were detected for most RPB with the latest population collapse for some rove beetles. To some extent, migration of examined species has to be limited by watersheds. Observed phylogeographic patterns are essential for correctly understanding RPB meta-population functioning.

Sexual Dimorphism in Anthonomus santacruzi (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): a Biological Control Agent of Solanum mauritianum Scopoli (Solanaceae).

There is evident variation in body size amongst Anthonomus santacruzi Hustache, 1924, weevils. The aims of this study were to assess if the variation in body size in A. santacruzi weevils is a result of sexual dimorphism and what features can be used to distinguish males from females. The weevils were collected from field sites in Mpumalanga, South Africa, where they were introduced as biocontrol agents of Solanum mauritianum Scopoli. Body structures and the presence/absence of the tergal notch was examined under an optical stereomicroscope and SEM to assess differences between sexes. The morphometric analysis of the body structures included rostrum length (base-apex and antennal insertion-apex), elytral length and width, pronotum length and width, first tarsus length, first tibia length, funiculus length and total body length. Rostrum length, elytra length and width and total body length were significantly larger in females than in males. A tergal notch in the 8th abdominal tergite was present in males and absent in females. The body structure; of rostrum length, elytra length and width and total body length overlapped between sexes in some specimens. The abdominal tergal notch was found to be the most useful body structure to distinguish males from females in A. santacruzi.

The Origin of Isolated Populations of the Mountain Weevil, Liparus glabrirostris-The Flagship Species for Riparian Habitats.

Liparus glabrirostris is one of the largest European weevils, and it has been recently proposed as the flagship species for threatened riparian habitats in the mountains. For effective conservation of its populations (and associated habitats), it is crucial to understand its history, contemporary distribution, genetic diversity and predict changes in the range, including its highly isolated populations on the Baltic coast. Here, we examined numerous populations of L. glabrirostris across almost the entire species range using phylogeography and species niche modeling (SNM) approaches. Analyses of mtDNA and nucDNA markers revealed the existence of 2 major mitochondrial lineages generally separated between 1) the Alpine region and 2) the Bohemian Massif, the Carpathians, and the Baltic coast areas. Genetic diversity in nuclear genes was more complicated with no clear division between populations. The origin of Baltic populations was derived from the Carpathians, but there were probably multiple expansion events to the north. SNM suggested the existence of glacial refugia for L. glabrirostris, mainly in the Alps and the Southern Carpathians. Current predictions of species range were found to be generally congruent with zoogeographic data; however, the Baltic coast was not really supported as a suitable area for L. glabrirostris. An important prediction of future distribution (2050-2070 CE) suggests a shrinkage of the L. glabrirostris range and extinction of some of its populations (particularly those isolated on lower altitudes). Based on the aforementioned data, proposals for the protection of this species are proposed, including the designation of several evolutionary units of conservation importance.

First Descriptions of Larva and Pupa of Bagous claudicans Boheman, 1845 (Curculionidae, Bagoinae) and Systematic Position of the Species Based on Molecular and Morphological Data.

In this paper, the mature larva and pupa of Bagous claudicans are described and illustrated for the first time. Measurements of younger larval instars are also given. The biology of the species is discussed in association with larval morphology and feeding habits. Overall larval and pupal morphological characters of the genus Bagous are presented. Confirmation of the larva identification as Bagous claudicans species was conducted by cytochrome oxidase I (COI) sequencing. DNA barcoding was useful for specimen identification of larval stages. The systematic position of the species within the Bagous collignensis-group, based on morphological and molecular results, is also discussed.

How Hosts Taxonomy, Trophy, and Endosymbionts Shape Microbiome Diversity in Beetles.

Bacterial communities play a crucial role in the biology, ecology, and evolution of multicellular organisms. In this research, the microbiome of 24 selected beetle species representing five families (Carabidae, Staphylinidae, Curculionidae, Chrysomelidae, Scarabaeidae) and three trophic guilds (carnivorous, herbivorous, detrivorous) was examined using 16S rDNA sequencing on the Illumina platform. The aim of the study was to compare diversity within and among species on various levels of organization, including evaluation of the impact of endosymbiotic bacteria. Collected data showed that beetles possess various bacterial communities and that microbiota of individuals of particular species hosts are intermixed. The most diverse microbiota were found in Carabidae and Scarabaeidae; the least diverse, in Staphylinidae. On higher organization levels, the diversity of bacteria was more dissimilar between families, while the most distinct with respect to their microbiomes were trophic guilds. Moreover, eight taxa of endosymbiotic bacteria were detected including common genera such as Wolbachia, Rickettsia, and Spiroplasma, as well as the rarely detected Cardinium, Arsenophonus, Buchnera, Sulcia, Regiella, and Serratia. There were no correlations among the abundance of the most common Wolbachia and Rickettsia; a finding that does not support the hypothesis that these bacteria occur interchangeably. The abundance of endosymbionts only weakly and negatively correlates with diversity of the whole microbiome in beetles. Overall, microbiome diversity was found to be more dependent on host phylogeny than on the abundance of endosymbionts. This is the first study in which bacteria diversity is compared between numerous species of beetles in a standardized manner.

Using host species traits to understand the Wolbachia infection distribution across terrestrial beetles.

Knowledge of Wolbachia prevalence with respect to its hosts is restricted mainly to taxonomic/phylogenetic context. In contrast, relations between infection and most host's ecological and biological traits are poorly understood. This study aimed to elaborate on relations between bacteria and its beetle hosts in taxonomic and the ecological contexts. In particular, the goal is to verify which ecological and biological traits of beetles could cause them to be prone to be infected. Verification of Wolbachia infection status across 297 beetle taxa showed that approximately 27% of taxa are infected by supergroups A and B. Only minor support for coevolution between bacteria and its beetle hosts was observed in some genera of beetles, but in general coevolution between beetles and Wolbachia was rejected. Some traits of beetles were found to be unrelated to Wolbachia prevalence (type of range and thermal preferences); some traits were related with ambiguous effects (habitats, distribution, mobility and body size); some were substantially related (reproduction mode and trophy). The aforementioned summary does not show obvious patterns of Wolbachia prevalence and diversity in relation to host taxonomy, biology, and ecology. As both Wolbachia and Coleoptera are diverse groups, this lack of clear patterns is probably a reflection of nature, which is characterised by highly diversified and probably unstable relations.

A new species of the genus Glischrochilus Reitter (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae: Cryptarchinae) from China.

The cosmopolitan genus Glischrochilus Reitter, 1873 (Nitidulidae: Cryptarchinae) is distributed in Holarctic and Oriental regions. According to the most recent catalogue (Jelínek & Audisio 2007), 32 species are known from the Palaearctic region. In China the genus is represented by 13 species, most of which were described by Jelínek (1975, 1982, 1999) and Lason (2009).

A new genus and nine new species of Eugnomini (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) from New Caledonia.

The genus Rasilinus gen. n. is described (type species Rasilinus tchambicus sp. n.). Nine new species: Rasilinus bicolor sp. n., Rasilinus bifurcatus sp. n., Rasilinus bimaculatus sp. n., Rasilinus grandidens sp. n., Rasilinus longulus sp. n., Rasilinus subgemellus sp. n., Rasilinus subnodulus sp. n., Rasilinus tchambicus sp. n., Rasilinus virgatus sp. n. are described from New Caledonia. Illustrations of the external morphology, male and female terminalia, dorsal habitus colour photographs of the adults, key to species and distribution map of the new genus Rasilinus are provided.

The Impact of Environmental Conditions on Efficiency of Host Plant DNA Barcoding for Polyphagous Beetles.

Recently, several papers were published dealing with host plant identification for selected species of insects, including beetles. These studies took advantage of the DNA barcoding approach and generally showed that it is possible to identify diet composition from plant DNA present in insect guts. However, none of these studies considered how the impact of environmental conditions affected the likelihood of insect feeding and, therefore, the presence of host plant DNA that could be amplified and sequenced. In the present study, individuals of the polyphagous weevil Centricnemus leucogrammus (Germar, 1824) (Curculionidae: Entiminae) were used to test the hypothesis that harsh environmental conditions limited its feeding activity. The diet of 50 specimens collected during favourable conditions in the middle of the species reproductive period was compared against the diet of 50 specimens collected during harsh environmental conditions. Results clearly showed that almost no weevils fed during rainy and cold conditions and only a minority of individuals (20%) fed during the drought condition (on drought-resistant plants). It is important to consider such factors in any studies dealing with host plant identification and feeding behaviour. Results of ecological studies could lead to erroneous conclusions, e.g., underestimation of number and composition of host plants in the diet of studies species.

A new species of Pactola Pascoe, 1876 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Eugnomini) from New Caledonia.

Pactola corporosa sp. n. is described from New Caledonia. Illustrations of body parts, terminalia of both sexes and distributional data of the new species are provided. The genus Pactola Pascoe, 1876 now contains thirteen species distributed in New Zealand, New Caledonia and Taevuni Island (Fiji Archipelago).

Review of the New Caledonian species of the genus Pactola Pascoe, 1876 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Eugnomini), with description of two new species .

The two species of the genus Pactola Pascoe known from New Caledonia, P. convexa (Montrouzier) and P. setacea (Montrouzier), are redescribed and two new species (P. magna sp. n. and P. proxima sp. n.) are described. Pactola kanalensis (Perroud) is a new junior synonym of P. setacea (Montrouzier). A neotype of Pactola setacea (Montrouzier) and lectotypes of Pactola convexa (Montrouzier) and Pactola kanalensis (Perroud) are designated. Pactola nigra Hudson is considered conspecific with Pactola variabilis Pascoe but formal synonymy requires further study. Colour photographs of the dorsal habitus and line drawings of taxonomically relevant structures of all species are provided, as well as an identification key to all known species of Pactola.