Flowers of dicotyledonous plants host communities of arthropod species. We studied the community associated with dandelion (Taraxacum section Ruderalia), a complex of apomictic micro-species abundant in central Europe. Identification of microspecies in the field was impracticable. These plants produce an abundance of flowers that host arthropod communities that are not yet fully documented. We investigated species occurrence, its diurnal and seasonal variation and some of the factors that determine the abundance of the dominant species. Insect and spiders were collected from 2010 to 2012 at a locality in Prague. Whole capitula were harvested at weekly intervals and resident arthropods were identified. Diurnal variation in insect presence and the effect of pollen and microclimate on some of the species were also examined. The insect community (> 200 species) consisted mainly of species of Hymenoptera (86 spp.), Coleoptera (56 spp.), Diptera (46 spp.) and Heteroptera (23 spp.). The most abundant were Thysanoptera (2 spp.). Pollen eaters/collectors and nectar feeders dominated over predators and occasional visitors. From April to mid-August, the insect community was dominated by Coleoptera, and later by Diptera and Hymenoptera. Except for Meligethes spp. and species breeding in the capitula, the insects occupied flowers during the daytime when the flowers were open (10-12 h in spring and only 2-4 h in late summer). The presence of Meligethes spp. in particular flowers was associated with the presence of pollen; the occurrence of Byturus ochraceus with pollen and flower temperature. Although pollination is not necessary, dandelion plants produce both nectar and pollen. The community of arthropods that visit dandelion flowers is rich despite their being ephemeral.The composition of local faunas of flower visitors, presence of floral rewards and flower microclimate are important factors determining the composition of the flower community., Alois Honěk, Zdenka Martinková, Jiří Skuhrovec, Miroslav Barták, Jan Bezděk, Petr Bogusch, Jiří Hadrava, Jiří Hájek, Petr Janšta, Josef Jelínek, Jan Kirschner, Vítězslav Kubáň, Stano Pekár, Pavel Průdek, Pavel Štys, Jan Šumpich., and Obsahuje bibliografii
A new genus and species of Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Enicocephalomorpha: Aenictopecheidae: Aenictopecheinae, Ulugurocoris grebennikovi gen. et sp. n., based on micropterous females from Tanzania, Uluguru Mts, Budunki, is described and differentiated. The males are probably macropterous. Some general aspects of morphology of U. grebennikovi are discussed in a broader context, such as presence of cephalic trichobothria (suggested to be a groundplan character of Heteroptera), presence of “gular sulci” (suggested to have an ecdysial function), lack of cephalic neck (symplesiomorphy with other Hemiptera), presence of posterior lobe of pronotum associated with the epimeroid (a new term for so called “proepimeral lobe”), and presence of notopleural sulcus on the propleuron. Diagnostic characters of the Aenictopecheinae are summarized and distribution of their seven genera is reviewed. Ulugurocoris grebennikovi is the first representative of the basal family Aenictopecheidae in the Afrotropical Region. The type locality is situated in the Eastern Arc Mountains (Tanzania), a recently identified hotspot of Afrotropical diversity characterized by a high degree of endemism caused by high rates of speciation combined with low rates of extinction. A brief characterization of the area is provided., Pavel Štys, Petr Baňař., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
The populations of the firebug Pyrrhocoris apterus (Heteroptera: Pyrrhocoridae) in Europe exhibit three kinds of host plant associations: feeding on seeds of (1) Tilia spp. (Tiliaceae), (2) Malvaceae (s. str.), and (3) Robinia pseudacacia (Fabaceae). The three host plant taxa often grow in different habitats and localities. We have tested the hypothesis that P. apterus forms on different host plants specialised "trophic populations" which also influence its food preference. We have collected P. apterus from localities with Tilia platyphyllos, Malva neglecta or Robinia pseudacacia as host plants and tested their preferences in a multiple choice test involving seeds of Tilia cordata, T. platyphyllos, Althaea officinalis, Alcea rosea and Robinia pseudacacia. The original host plant of P. apterus population had no influence on food preferences. However, the preferences differed between adults and the third instar larvae. The adults preferred seeds of Robinia pseudacacia followed by Althaea officinalis, while the preferences of larvae were less pronounced and ranked in order Althaea officinalis, Robinia pseudacacia, and Tilia platyphyllos. Existence of trophic populations of P. apterus was not confirmed by our experiment. Durations of feeding were longer on preferred species of seeds in both adults and larvae. and Marta Kristenová, Alice Exnerová, Pavel Štys.
The external morphology of Aphylidae was studied previously in detail by the two junior authors, including the description of unique derived structures formed by their lateral thoracico-abdominal region (the exponium). Here we provide an additional description of the external scent efferent system of the metathoracic scent glands of species in the genus Aphylum Bergroth, 1906 (based on scanning electron microscope study) and its connection with an autapomorphic aphylid thoracico-abdominal region, the exponium. The origins of exponial sclerites are discussed and function of the exponium is hypothesised as being part of a complex defensive mechanism in the Aphylidae., Petr Kment, Pavel Štys, Jitka Vilímová., and Obsahuje seznam literatury