Rhodnius spp. infestation in palm trees and natural infection by Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma rangeli in periurban and rural areas of state of the Rondônia, in the Brazilian Amazon.

The state of Rondônia in the Brazilian Amazon is prone to diseases transmitted by insect vectors because of the environmental and population changes resulting from large hydroelectric projects and the expansion of agricultural and livestock industries. The first case of Chagas disease by vectorial transmission was recorded in 2019 in a rural area in Rondônia, reinforcing the need for entomological surveillance. Hence, our goal was to estimate the abundance of Rhodnius spp. in palm trees located in rural and periurban areas and in Brazil-Bolivia border regions, perform domiciliary searches, and check for possible associations between triatomines and the presence/absence of palm-inhabiting fauna and outdoor farming, domestic animals, and buildings. The sampling took place in five municipalities of Rondônia in 2014 (June to August) and 2015 (April to June). Triatomines were collected by active searches during the selective pruning of palm tree crowns. Domiciliary inspections lasted from 30 to 60 min. A set of captured triatomines was analyzed for Trypanosoma cruzi and T. rangeli infection by PCR. Overall, 496 insects were captured during sampling of 150 palms in rural areas and 150 in periurban areas. No triatomine was found during active searches of 59 dwelling either indoors or outdoors. The majority of triatomines caught in the palm trees were identified as Rhodnius robustus (98.6%), and seven specimens were R. pictipes. Triatomine infestation was observed in only 20% of the sampled palms (61/300) in the vicinity of 26/59 households. Nearly half of the infested palm trees had only one or two triatomines, and few palms presented more than 15 triatomines. The municipality of Buritis had the highest triatomine abundance and percentage of infested palms; however, the highest triatomine density per infested palm was observed in Alvorada D'Oeste, where a quarter of the palms were infested. Ants, arachnids, termites, reptiles, and rodents were frequently found in palm trees. Dogs were the predominant domestic animals in households, whereas hens and cattle were the main farming animals. Model estimates showed that the number of triatomines was affected by the presence of henhouses and varied strongly between localities. No relationships were detected between the average number of triatomines and palm fauna and/or palm height. Overall, approximately half of the triatomines were infected with T. cruzi (51.4%) and/or T. rangeli (47.2%), reinforcing the need for continuous entomological surveillance and implementation of community-based approaches because the Brazilian state of Rondônia borders areas experiencing reinfestation by domiciled species and potential colonization of animal shelters by triatomines.

Antennal transcriptome sequencing and identification of candidate chemoreceptor proteins from an invasive pest, the American palm weevil, Rhynchophorus palmarum.

For decades, the American palm weevil (APW), Rhynchophorus palmarum, has been a threat to coconut and oil palm production in the Americas. It has recently spread towards North America, endangering ornamental palms, and the expanding date palm production. Its behavior presents several parallelisms with a closely related species, R. ferrugineus, the red palm weevil (RPW), which is the biggest threat to palms in Asia and Europe. For both species, semiochemicals have been used for management. However, their control is far from complete. We generated an adult antennal transcriptome from APW and annotated chemosensory related gene families to obtain a better understanding of these species' olfaction mechanism. We identified unigenes encoding 37 odorant-binding proteins (OBPs), ten chemosensory proteins (CSPs), four sensory neuron membrane proteins (SNMPs), seven gustatory receptors (GRs), 63 odorant receptors (ORs), and 28 ionotropic receptors (IRs). Noticeably, we find out the R. ferrugineus pheromone-binding protein and pheromone receptor orthologs from R. palmarum. Candidate genes identified and annotated in this study allow us to compare these palm weevils' chemosensory gene sets. Most importantly, this study provides the foundation for functional studies that could materialize as novel pest management strategies.

Diversity and Abundance of Predatory Arthropods on Immature and Mature Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis) Plantations.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Predatory arthropods may play a crucial role in decreasing the pest population that causes a significant loss in oil palm production. In this study, we investigated the diversity of predatory arthropods and their abundance on immature and mature oil palm plantation grown in Aceh Tamiang, Sumatra, Indonesia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Arthropod predators were collected by using light trap, yellow-pan trap and pitfall trap that were placed on an immature and mature oil palm plantation. Specimens were sorted and identified in the Laboratory. RESULTS: The results showed that there were 674 individuals arthropod predators (insects and spiders) consisted of 7 orders, 22 families and 37 morphospecies collected in the immature plantation. While in mature plantation, arthropod predators found were 740 individuals consisted of 6 orders 23 families and 42 morphospecies. Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) dominated other families regarding morphospecies and individual numbers. There was no significant difference in term of species richness and abundance of predators between both phases of the plantation which implied that the two plantations hosted a similar composition and abundance of predators. The diversity indices of predators calculated in both plantations showed that the predators were categorized as middle level of diversity and middle level of individual distribution, However, the community is unstable. CONCLUSION: Our results suggested that predatory predators were present in similar structure in both phases of oil palm plantations. Efforts to conserve them are needed to enhance their performance as part of a sustainable and environmentally friendly method for controlling pests in oil palm plantation.

Evaluating insect-host interactions as a driver of species divergence in palm flower weevils.

Plants and their specialized flower visitors provide valuable insights into the evolutionary consequences of species interactions. In particular, antagonistic interactions between insects and plants have often been invoked as a major driver of diversification. Here we use a tropical community of palms and their specialized insect flower visitors to test whether antagonisms lead to higher population divergence. Interactions between palms and the insects visiting their flowers range from brood pollination to florivory and commensalism, with the latter being species that feed on decaying-and presumably undefended-plant tissues. We test the role of insect-host interactions in the early stages of diversification of nine species of beetles sharing host plants and geographical ranges by first delimiting cryptic species and then using models of genetic isolation by environment. The degree to which insect populations are structured by the genetic divergence of plant populations varies. A hierarchical model reveals that this variation is largely uncorrelated with the kind of interaction, showing that antagonistic interactions are not associated with higher genetic differentiation. Other aspects of host use that affect plant-associated insects regardless of the outcomes of their interactions, such as sensory biases, are likely more general drivers of insect population divergence.

How microclimatic variables and blood meal sources influence Rhodnius prolixus abundance and Trypanosoma cruzi infection in Attalea butyracea and Elaeis guineensis palms?

Chagas disease is a zoonosis that affects several million people and is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which is mainly transmitted through the feces of triatomine bugs. Within triatomines, several Rhodnius species have been found inhabiting palms, and certain factors such as palm species and location have been related to the abundance and T. cruzi infection of those insects in palms. In this study, the main goal was to determine if R. prolixus abundances and infection rates in Attalea butyracea and Elaeis guineensis palms are related to ecological factors such as palm species, crown microclimate, and available blood meal sources. Triatomine sampling was performed in two municipalities of Casanare, Colombia, specifically in the intersection of riparian forests and oil palm plantations. For R. prolixus abundance per palm, the predictors showing more relationship were palm species and blood meal species identified in the palm, and for T. cruzi infection per triatomine, they were palm species and nymphal stage. Palm microclimate was very similar in both palm species and did not show a relationship with triatomine abundance. Comparing palm species, A. butyracea showed more blood meal species, including more refractory host species, than E. guineensis, but lower T. cruzi infection rate and parasitaemia. Interestingly, non-arboreal blood meal species were frequently found in the analyzed nymphs, indicating that the blood source for R. prolixus in palms corresponded to all the fauna located in the surrounded landscape and not only in the palm. These results could expose a new ecological scenario to interpret the T. cruzi transmission in sylvatic environments.

Using satellite-measured relative humidity for prediction of Metisa plana's population in oil palm plantations: A comparative assessment of regression and artificial neural network models.

Metisa plana (Walker) is a leaf defoliating pest that is able to cause staggering economical losses to oil palm cultivation. Considering the economic devastation that the pest could bring, an early warning system to predict its outbreak is crucial. The state of art of satellite technologies are now able to derive environmental factors such as relative humidity (RH) that may influence pest population's fluctuations in rapid, harmless, and cost-effective manners. This study examined the relationship between the presence of Metisa plana at different time lags and remote sensing (RS) derived RH by using statistical and machine learning approaches. Metisa plana census data of cumulated larvae instar 1, 2, 3, and 4 were collected biweekly in 2014 and 2015 in an oil palm plantation in Muadzam Shah, Pahang, Malaysia. Relative humidity values derived from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite images were apportioned to 6 time lags; 1 week (T1), 2 weeks (T2), 3 week (T3), 4 weeks (T4), 5 week (T5) and 6 weeks (T6) and paired with the respective census data. Pearson's correlation was carried out to analyse the relationship between Metisa plana and RH at different time lags. Regression analyses and artificial neural network (ANN) were also conducted to develop the best prediction model of Metisa plana's outbreak. The results showed relatively high correlations, positively or negatively, between the presences of Metisa plana with RH ranging from 0.46 to 0.99. ANN was found to be superior to regression models with the adjusted coefficient of determination (R2) between the actual and predicted Metisa plana values ranging from 0.06 to 0.57 versus 0.00 to 0.05. The analysis on the best time lags illustrated that the multiple time lags were more influential on the Metisa plana population than the individual time lags. The best Metisa plana prediction model was derived from T1, T2 and T3 multiple time lags modelled using the ANN algorithm with R2 value of 0.57, errors below 1.14 and accuracies above 93%. Based on the result of this study, the elucidation of Metisa plana's landscape ecology was possible with the utilization of RH as the predictor variable in consideration of the time lag effects of RH on the pest's population.

De Novo Genome Sequence Assembly of Dwarf Coconut (Cocos nucifera L. 'Catigan Green Dwarf') Provides Insights into Genomic Variation Between Coconut Types and Related Palm Species.

We report the first whole genome sequence (WGS) assembly and annotation of a dwarf coconut variety, 'Catigan Green Dwarf' (CATD). The genome sequence was generated using the PacBio SMRT sequencing platform at 15X coverage of the expected genome size of 2.15 Gbp, which was corrected with assembled 50X Illumina paired-end MiSeq reads of the same genome. The draft genome was improved through Chicago sequencing to generate a scaffold assembly that results in a total genome size of 2.1 Gbp consisting of 7,998 scaffolds with N50 of 570,487 bp. The final assembly covers around 97.6% of the estimated genome size of coconut 'CATD' based on homozygous k-mer peak analysis. A total of 34,958 high-confidence gene models were predicted and functionally associated to various economically important traits, such as pest/disease resistance, drought tolerance, coconut oil biosynthesis, and putative transcription factors. The assembled genome was used to infer the evolutionary relationship within the palm family based on genomic variations and synteny of coding gene sequences. Data show that at least three (3) rounds of whole genome duplication occurred and are commonly shared by these members of the Arecaceae family. A total of 7,139 unique SSR markers were designed to be used as a resource in marker-based breeding. In addition, we discovered 58,503 variants in coconut by aligning the Hainan Tall (HAT) WGS reads to the non-repetitive regions of the assembled CATD genome. The gene markers and genome-wide SSR markers established here will facilitate the development of varieties with resilience to climate change, resistance to pests and diseases, and improved oil yield and quality.

Infección natural por Trypanosoma cruzi en triatominos que habitan en la palma corozo ( Acrocomia aculeta ) en regiones del oriente de Venezuela / Triatominae in Palm Trees and Their Natural Infection by Trypanosoma cruzi in Regions of Eastern Venezuela

RESUMEN Objetivos Conocer la infestación natural por triatominos y su infección por Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) en Acrocomia aculeata (A. aculeata) o palma corozo en el estado Anzoátegui, Venezuela. Materiales y métodos Se estudió la infestación triatomínica y su infección por T. cruzi en A. aculeata desafectadas en campañas fitosanitarias. La presencia del parásito se determinó por microscopia y PCR-kDNA, y se realizó su caracterización mediante marcadores moleculares. Resultados Se encontraron 14 palmeras con infestación triatomínica, el 48,8 % de los ejemplares correspondieron a Rhodnius prolixus y el 48,2 % a Triatoma maculata, con desarrollo ontogénico hacia el adulto. Las pruebas parasitológicas y moleculares, su morfología típica y la infección en el modelo murino revelaron la presencia de T. cruzi en 54,8 % en promedio, para ambas especies de triatominos, con circulación del genotipo TcI de T. cruzi. Conclusiónes Se reportó para el estado Anzoátegui en Venezuela, la infestación de palma corozo con Rhodnius prolixus y Triatoma maculata y la presencia de subpoblaciones TcI de T. cruzi, siendo esta palma el hábitat peridomiciliar del binomio triatominos-T. cruzi y posible bioindicador de riesgo de infección para poblaciones humanas circunvecinas.

ABSTRACT Introduction To know the natural infestation by triatominae and their infection by Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) in Acrocomia Aculeata (A. aculeata) or coyol palm in the state of Anzoátegui, Venezuela. Materials and Methods Triatominic infestation and its infection by T. cruzi was studied in non-affected A. aculeata in phytosanitary campaigns. The presence of the parasite was determined by microscopy and PCR-kDNA, and its characterization was made by means of molecular markers. Results Fourteen palm trees with triatominic infestation were found; 48.8% of the individuals corresponded to Rhodnius prolixus and 48.2% to Maculata Triatoma, with ontogenetic development towards adult. The parasitology and molecular tests, their typical morphology and the infection in the murine model revealed the presence of T. cruzi in an average of 54,8%, for both species of triatominae, with circulation of the TcI genotype of T. cruzi. Conclusions The infestation of coyol palm trees with Rhodnius prolixus and Maculata Triatoma was reported for the state of Anzoátegui in Venezuela, as well as the presence of TcI sub-populations of T. cruzi, being this palm tree the peridomicilar habitat of the triatominae-T. cruzi binomial and possible bioindicador of risk of infection for surrounding human populations.

[Triatominae in Palm Trees and Their Natural Infection by Trypanosoma cruzi in Regions of Eastern Venezuela]. / Infección natural por Trypanosoma cruzi en triatominos que habitan en la palma corozo ( Acrocomia aculeta ) en regiones del oriente de Venezuela.

INTRODUCTION: To know the natural infestation by triatominae and their infection by Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) in Acrocomia Aculeata (A. aculeata) or coyol palm in the state of Anzoátegui, Venezuela. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Triatominic infestation and its infection by T. cruzi was studied in non-affected A. aculeata in phytosanitary campaigns. The presence of the parasite was determined by microscopy and PCR-kDNA, and its characterization was made by means of molecular markers. RESULTS: Fourteen palm trees with triatominic infestation were found; 48.8% of the individuals corresponded to Rhodnius prolixus and 48.2% to Maculata Triatoma, with ontogenetic development towards adult. The parasitology and molecular tests, their typical morphology and the infection in the murine model revealed the presence of T. cruzi in an average of 54,8%, for both species of triatominae, with circulation of the TcI genotype of T. cruzi. CONCLUSIONS: The infestation of coyol palm trees with Rhodnius prolixus and Maculata Triatoma was reported for the state of Anzoátegui in Venezuela, as well as the presence of TcI sub-populations of T. cruzi, being this palm tree the peridomicilar habitat of the triatominae-T. cruzi binomial and possible bioindicador of risk of infection for surrounding human populations.

OBJETIVOS: Conocer la infestación natural por triatominos y su infección por Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) en Acrocomia aculeata (A. aculeata) o palma corozo en el estado Anzoátegui, Venezuela. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Se estudió la infestación triatomínica y su infección por T. cruzi en A. aculeata desafectadas en campañas fitosanitarias. La presencia del parásito se determinó por microscopia y PCR-kDNA, y se realizó su caracterización mediante marcadores moleculares. RESULTADOS: Se encontraron 14 palmeras con infestación triatomínica, el 48,8 % de los ejemplares correspondieron a Rhodnius prolixus y el 48,2 % a Triatoma maculata, con desarrollo ontogénico hacia el adulto. Las pruebas parasitológicas y moleculares, su morfología típica y la infección en el modelo murino revelaron la presencia de T. cruzi en 54,8 % en promedio, para ambas especies de triatominos, con circulación del genotipo TcI de T. cruzi. CONCLUSIÓNES: Se reportó para el estado Anzoátegui en Venezuela, la infestación de palma corozo con Rhodnius prolixus y Triatoma maculata y la presencia de subpoblaciones TcI de T. cruzi, siendo esta palma el hábitat peridomiciliar del binomio triatominos-T. cruzi y posible bioindicador de riesgo de infección para poblaciones humanas circunvecinas.

Experimental and numerical evaluations on palm microwave heating for Red Palm Weevil pest control.

The invasive Red Palm Weevil is the major pest of palms. Several control methods have been applied, however concern is raised regarding the treatments that can cause significant environmental pollution. In this context the use of microwaves is particularly attractive. Microwave heating applications are increasingly proposed in the management of a wide range of agricultural and wood pests, exploiting the thermal death induced in the insects that have a thermal tolerance lower than that of the host matrices. This paper describes research aiming to combat the Red Palm pest using microwave heating systems. An electromagnetic-thermal model was developed to better control the temperature profile inside the palm tissues. In this process both electromagnetic and thermal parameters are involved, the latter being particularly critical depending on plant physiology. Their evaluation was carried out by fitting experimental data and the thermal model with few free parameters. The results obtained by the simplified model well match with both that of a commercial software 3D model and measurements on treated Phoenix canariensis palms with a ring microwave applicator. This work confirms that microwave heating is a promising, eco-compatible solution to fight the spread of weevil.

Ecology of Trypanosoma cruzi I genotypes across Rhodnius prolixus captured in Attalea butyracea palms.

Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas disease exhibits significant genetic diversity. This parasite is divided into six discrete typing units (DTUs) where T. cruzi I (TcI) is the most widespread in the Americas. TcI genotypes have been associated to domestic and sylvatic cycles of transmission (TcIDom and sylvatic TcI). Due to the importance of the enzootic transmission, we determined the frequency of TcI genotypes present in Rhodnius prolixus captured in different regions of the palm A. butyracea to understand the ecology of the disease and the importance of A. butyracea palms as ecotopes of R. prolixus. Forty A. butyracea palms were sampled (base crown, mid-point and crown) capturing 105 individuals identified as R. prolixus by morphological and molecular barcoding. We conducted molecular detection and typing of T. cruzi across 59 individuals. The results showed that all the insects were infected with TcI; 28.57% were sylvatic TcI, 12.38% TcIDom and 15,24% mixed infections (TcIDom/sylvatic TcI). Statistical analysis showed a similar behavior between TcIDom and mixed infections in the mid-point and at the crown of the palm, being more frequent in the crown, while sylvatic TcI does not seem to have a specific association with any of the sampled areas. These findings are consistent with other studies showing high mobility of the insect vector between different ecotopes, increasing the need to develop improvements in the programs of disease control.

An entomopathogenic bacterium strain, Bacillus thuringiensis, as a biological control agent against the red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

BACKGROUND: The red palm weevil (RPW), Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, is an invasive wood-boring insect that damages palms and sugarcane. Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is an entomopathogenic bacterium which has been modified into various strains and widely used in pest management. The aim of this study was to evaluate the susceptibility of RPW to the HA strain of Bt. RESULTS: Five concentrations of Bt bioassays were used on RPW eggs, second instars and fourth instars. Average egg hatching rates exceeded 85% using Bt suspensions or distilled water. Hatch times were extended significantly using higher Bt concentrations. For second instar larvae, the LC50 was 4.92 × 109 CFU mL-1 15 d after feeding; the LT50 values decreased with each higher concentration. The corrected mortality of second instars increased significantly with increased concentrations after 15 d, ranging from 16.97% to 94.32%. Significant differences occurred in the boring activity of fourth instars when dipped in Bt suspensions or crawling on treated sugarcane. Bacterial infection in dead larvae was confirmed using molecular techniques. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that Bt can be used in RPW control as a potential biological control agent and can effectively reduce palm trees damage. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Revision of the Genus Physiphora Fallén 1810 (Diptera: Ulidiidae: Ulidiinae).

The genus Physiphora includes at least 29 species, most of them occurring predominantly in the Afrotropical Region and a few species native to the other regions of the Old World. At least P. alceae (Preyssler 1791) and P. clausa (Macquart 1843) are subcosmopolitan species unintentionally introduced into the Australasian, Nearctic, and Neotropical Regions. Twelve new species from the Afrotropical Region are described: P. hendeli sp. n., P. igniceps sp. n., P. kirki sp. n., P. maraisi sp. n., P. meyi sp. n., P. opalizana sp. n., P. orinigra sp. n., P. polita sp. n., P. rugosa sp. n., P. spriggsi sp. n., P. steyskali sp. n., and P. virens sp. n. Detailed illustrated descriptions and a key for identification are provided for all the species of Physiphora. Analysis of the new and previously known biological data shows that larvae of most Physiphora species are saprophagous associated with rotting tissues of palms (apparently infested by the palm weevils), giant Euphorbia, and even baobabs and poplars. Some species are attracted to (and as larvae possibly can develop in) the dung of ungulates. The following synonymy is established: Physiphora clausa (Macquart 1843) = Physiphora hainanensis Chen in Chen & Kameneva 2007: 24, syn. n.; Physiphora flavipes (Karsch 1888) = Chrysomyza africana Hendel 1909, syn. n., = Cliochloria senegalensis Enderlein 1927, syn. n.

A new species of Epicriopsis Berlese (Acari: Mesostigmata: Ameroseiidae) from Brazil, with a key to the world species of the genus.

Epicriopsis atuberculatus n. sp. is described, based on the morphology of adult females and males collected from macaúba palms (Acrocomia aculeata (Jacq.) Lodd. ex Mart.; Arecaceae) in Minas Gerais state, southeastern Brazil. This is the first species of the genus described from the American continent, from where it has been rarely reported. A key to the world species of Epicriopsis is provided.

Chemical Composition and Food Potential of Pachymerus nucleorum Larvae Parasitizing Acrocomia aculeata Kernels.

Insect consumption as food is culturally practiced in various regions of the world. In Brazil, there are more than 130 species of edible insects registered, from nine orders, among which stands out the Coleoptera. The larva of the beetle Pachymerus nucleorum Fabricius, 1792, grows into the bocaiuva fruit (Acrocomia aculeata (Jacq.) Lodd. Ex Mart., 1845), which has proven nutritional quality. The aim of this work was to evaluate the nutritional potential of P. nucleorum larvae compared to bocaiuva kernels for human consumption. Proteins were the second largest portion of the larvae nutritional composition (33.13%), with percentage higher than the bocaiuva kernels (14.21%). The larval lipid content (37.87%) was also high, very close to the kernels (44.96%). The fraction corresponding to fatty acids in the oil extracted from the larvae was 40.17% for the saturated and 46.52% for the unsaturated. The antioxidant activity value was 24.3 uM trolox/g of oil extracted from larvae. The larvae tryptic activity was 0.032±0.006 nmol BAPNA/min. Both the larvae and the bocaiuva kernel presented absence of anti-nutritional factors. These results favor the use of P. nucleorum larvae as food, which are a great protein and lipid sources with considerable concentrations of unsaturated fatty acids compared to the bocaiuva kernel.

Interactions Between the Bud Rot Disease of Oil Palm and Rhynchophorus palmarum (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

Rhynchophorus palmarum (L.) causes great losses to the oil palm plantations, and therefore, the spatial and temporal distribution of this insect should be studied, to manage its populations. Insect sampling was done for 2 yr in an oil palm plantation from Colombia. In total, 60 pheromone traps were used in healthy palm trees and infected ones with the Bud Rot disease. On the other hand, developmental stages of this insect were quantified on healthy and diseased palms for two consecutive years. Number of adult R. palmarum per sampling was higher in the plantation with diseased palm trees, 3.85 and 74.7 insects per trap, than in those with healthy ones, 1.91 and 9.48 insects per trap, in the first and second years, respectively. After the integration of pheromone traps, there was a significant increase in the infestation level at all stages of development of the insect. For the first time, the presence of R. palmarum attracted to diseased palms is reported. The association between R. palmarum and the Bud Rot disease is a cause of death and great loss to the oil palm plantations.

Rhynchophorus ferrugineus attack affects a group of compounds rather than rearranging Phoenix canariensis metabolic pathways.

The red palm weevil (RPW; Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) is spreading worldwide and severely harming many palm species. However, most studies on RPW focused on insect biology, and little information is available about the plant response to the attack. In the present experiment, we used metabolomics to study the alteration of the leaf metabolome of Phoenix canariensis at initial (1st stage) or advanced (2nd stage) attack by RPW compared with healthy (unattacked) plants. The leaf metabolome significantly varied among treatments. At the 1st stage of attack, plants showed a reprogramming of carbohydrate and organic acid metabolism; in contrast, peptides and lipid metabolic pathways underwent more changes during the 2nd than 1st stage of attack. Enrichment metabolomics analysis indicated that RPW attack mostly affected a particular group of compounds rather than rearranging plant metabolic pathways. Some compounds selectively affected during the 1st rather than 2nd stage (e.g. phenylalanine; tryptophan; cellobiose; xylose; quinate; xylonite; idonate; and iso-threonate; cellobiotol and arbutine) are upstream events in the phenylpropanoid, terpenoid and alkaloid biosynthesis. These compounds could be designated as potential markers of initial RPW attack. However, further investigation is needed to determine efficient early screening methods of RPW attack based on the concentrations of these molecules.

A new species of Blattisocius (Acari: Mesostigmata: Blattisociidae), with a new characterisation of the genus.

A new species of Blattisocius Keegan, Blattisocius thaicocofloris n. sp., is described from Thailand from adult females and males, raising to 18 the number of species known in this genus. This is the first species of this genus described from flowers (of Cocos nucifera L.; Arecaceae), although two species, Blattisocius apis Basha & Yousef and Blattisocius apisassociae Chinniah & Mohanasundaram, were reported in association with honeybees, which could suggest an association with flowers. The new species requires updates to the diagnostic characteristics of the genus and recently published keys for generic identification of blattisociid subfamilies, blattisociine genera and Blattisocius species.

Risks associated with dispersive nocturnal flights of sylvatic Triatominae to artificial lights in a model house in the northeastern plains of Colombia.

BACKGROUND: Control initiatives and continuous surveillance of vector-borne transmission have proved to be effective measures for diminishing the incidence of Chagas disease in endemic countries. However, the active dispersal of infected sylvatic adult triatomines by flight represents one of the main obstacles to eliminating domestic transmission. METHODS: In order to determine the risk that active dispersal of sylvatic adult triatomines represents in Colombian northeastern plains, we quantified the distribution and abundance of triatomines in palm trees (primarily Attalea butyracea) using live bait traps. Directional light traps were used to estimate the frequency of sylvatic triatomine dispersal and their possible origin. Finally, the effect of environmental parameters and artificial light sources on the take-off of sylvatic Rhodnius prolixus was evaluated in field experiments. RESULTS: R. prolixus was found in 90 % of the palm trees that densely aggregated toward the northern portion of the study area. R. prolixus, and three other sylvatic triatomine species were found to actively disperse and were attracted to the directional light traps (Triatoma maculata, Panstrongylus geniculatus and Psammolestes arthuri). Temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and night luminosity did not affect the active dispersal of the triatomines which is higher the first two hours after sunset. Artificial lights from houses at 60 and 110 m played a key role in the directionality of the R. prolixus take-offs. Trypanosoma cruzi was isolated from R. prolixus, T. maculata and P. geniculatus and was genotyped as T. cruzi I, III and IV. CONCLUSIONS: Our results highlight the potential risk in Colombian northeastern plains of actively dispersing sylvatic triatomines and their role in the domestic introduction of Discrete Typing Units of T. cruzi associated to sylvatic foci of Chagas disease transmission.