Wickerhamiella lachancei f.a. sp. nov., a novel ascomycetous yeast species isolated from flowers of Lantana camara in India.

Two isolates representing a novel species of the genus Wickerhamiella were obtained in India from nectar of flowers of Lantana camara, an ornamental exotic species native to Central and South America. Phylogenetic analyses of the D1/D2 domain of the 26S large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene, internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, and physiological characteristics, supported the recognition of the novel species, that we designate Wickerhamiella lachancei sp. nov (MycoBank no. MB851709), with MCC 9929T as the holotype and PYCC 10003T as the isotype. Considering pairwise sequence similarity, the type strain of the novel species differs from the type strain of the most closely related species, Wickerhamiella drosophilae CBS 8459T, by 16 nucleotide substitutions and two gaps (3.9 % sequence variation) in the D1/D2 region (560 bp compared) and 28 nucleotide substitutions and five gaps (7.22 % sequence variation) in the ITS region (444 bp compared).

Flower perianth: first observations on a novel diet item for the ponerine ant Odontomachus chelifer (Latreille)

Abstract Ants are known to feed on a variety of plant resources. Nevertheless, there are very few reports in the literature on ants using flower parts. Here, we describe how two Odontomachus chelifer (Latreille) ants teared and removed a part of an inner tepal of a Neomarica candida (Hassl.) (Iridaceae) flower at the restinga sandy forest in the Cardoso Island State Park, Brazil. To determine which part of the perianth attracted these ants, we performed two independent two-choice field assays: tepals (inner and outer tepals) were cut in two parts (basal and apical), with contrasting colors, which were offered to ants leaving a colony. Our results show that ants significantly preferred to remove or lick the basal part of the inner tepal. Based on the knowledge of N. candida's floral anatomy, we hypothesize that ants were attracted by the nectar produced by trichomatic nectaries at the basal part of the inner tepals. These tepal parts containing nectar are likely to be used as an alternative food resource amid the scarcity of arthropods usually preyed or scavenged by O. chelifer, since the restinga forest is known as an arthropod-poor habitat.

From Microhabitat of Floral Nectar Up to Biogeographic Scale: Novel Insights on Neutral and Niche Bacterial Assemblies.

Microbial model systems are very useful in addressing macro-ecological questions. Two major theories exist to date, to explain the community structure of organisms: (1) the dispersal (neutral) assembly theory which predicts that community similarity decreases with increasing geographic distance, independent of any environmental variables, and (2) the niche assembly theory which predicts that the communities' compositions are more homogeneous among sites characterized by similar environmental conditions. Our study system offered a unique opportunity to investigate the relative role of environmental conditions and spatial factors in shaping community composition. We explored the bacterial community composition (BCC) of Nicotiana glauca floral nectar using the Illumina MiSeq technique at three spatial scales (plants, site, and region) and two taxonomic levels. Floral nectar samples were collected from 69 N. glauca plants at 11 different sites along a 200-km transect in Israel, along three biogeographic regions. A distance decay of BCC was found among all plants throughout Israel, but such pattern was not found among either sites or biogeographical regions. The BCC was also governed by environmental conditions in all examined scales (from the plant up to the biogeographical region). We also found that taxonomic resolution (89 and 97% sequence identity for clustering operational taxonomic units) affected the results of these BCC analyses. Hence, our study revealed that the BCC in N. glauca floral nectar is shaped by both the environmental conditions and the distance between plants, depending on the sampling scale under examination as well as by taxonomic resolution.

Campylomorphushomalisinus (Elateridae): a new species for Lombardy (Italy), with notes on its ecology, distribution and biogeography.

Campylomorphushomalisinus has been found on Mt. Lesima (Northern Apennines) and it is the first record for the Lombardy region. Campylomorphushomalisinus is a rare orophilous species: it has a discontinuous chorology that may have been caused by glaciers dynamics during the Pleistocene era. Little is known about the ecology of the species. This record and the expert-based investigation we performed determined that Campylomorphushomalisinus inhabits shrublands and grasslands, but may also occur in the forests. This survey includes the only record of Campylomorphushomalisinus foraging on flowers, a behavior that is not rare in the family Elateridae. We hypothesize that adults integrate their diet with flower resources according to a generalist strategy.

Protection of Vochysia elliptica (Vochysiaceae) by a nectar-thieving ant

Vochysia elliptica (Vochysiaceae) is a shrubby plant, which does not have EFNs. Camponotus ants thieve nectar, and can decrease plant fitness by making flowers less attractive to pollinators. However, ants remove herbivores, wich can be beneficial. Results show that plants from which ants were excluded had lower rates of termite (simulated herbivore) removal than did plants visited by ants. Plants accessible to ants showed higher rates of termite removal in the base of leaves and in the inflorescence, than in the tip of leaves. This occurs because ants must pass through the principal axis to reach the inflorescence. Conclusive results of this cost/benefit analysis of the Camponotus sp. presence for V. elliptica can be obtained, with experimental manipulations.

Vochysia elliptica (Vochysiaceae) é uma planta arbustiva que não porta NEFs. Formigas Camponotus roubam néctar e podem diminuir a aptidão da planta, tornando as flores menos atrativas para polinizadores. O efeito das formigas na remoção dos herbívoros, no entanto, pode ser benéfico. Resultados evidenciaram que plantas cujas formigas foram excluídas tiveram menor taxa de remoção de cupins (herbívoros simulados) do que plantas visitadas por formigas. Plantas com acesso às formigas apresentaram maior taxa de cupins removidos na base das folhas e na inflorescência do que na ponta das folhas. Isso ocorre porque formigas devem passar através do eixo principal para alcançar a inflorescência. Resultados conclusivos dessa análise de custo/benefício da presença de Camponotus sp. para V. elliptica deverão ser obtidos no futuro, com manipulações experimentais.