Avian haemosporidians are common vector-borne blood parasites that have been reported in birds all over the world. Investigations of avian haemosporidian parasites are conducted mainly on passerine birds. However, studies that focus on non-passerine avian hosts are important for our understanding of the true diversity, host specificity and genetic variability among these widespread parasites. In the present study, blood samples from a total of 22 raptor birds belonging to two orders, two families and six species from the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey were investigated for three genera of avian haemosporidians (Plasmodium Marchiafava et Celli, 1885, Haemoproteus Kruse, 1890 and Leucocytozoon Sambon, 1908) using a combination of microscopic examination of blood films and nested PCR targeting the parasite mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (cyt-b). In total, six individual raptor birds identified positive for species of Plasmodium or Leucocytozoon and one individual was found co-infected with all three haemosporidian genera. We identified five parasite cyt-b haplotypes, three of which were reported for the first time. Among these, one Plasmodium haplotype is linked to a corresponding morphospecies (P-TURDUS1, Plasmodium circumflexum Kikuth, 1931). All haplotypes were clearly distinguishable in phylogenetic analyses. As one of the first studies to investigate blood parasites from non-passerine birds in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey, this study provides important new information on the phylogenetic relationships and genetic diversity of avian haemosporidian parasites from raptor birds. We discuss these findings in the context of avian haemosporidian host-parasite relationships and we draw attention to the need for microscopy to detect parasite sexual development stages in surveys of avian haemosporidians., Arif Ciloglu, Alparslan Yildirim, Onder Duzlu, Zuhal Onder, Zafer Dogan, Abdullah Inci., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Článek shrnuje dosavadní znalosti o druhové diverzitě, bionomii a rozšíření rodu Purpuricenus (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) na území Íránu s dílčími poznámky o jejich výskytu a ekologii., The article summarises recent knowledge related to the diversity, bionomy and distribution of species of the genus Purpuricenus (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) in Iran. Some previously less known occurence data and ecological notes are briefly mentioned., and Jiří Simandl.
Coloured Moericke water pan traps were used to determine the effect of colour on the preference behaviour of butterflies (Lepidoptera: Hesperioidea, Papilionoidea) over the period 2001 to 2003 in grassland habitats in Eastern Slovakia (Košická kotlina basin). A total of 912 individuals belonging to 53 species and 7 families of butterflies were trapped. The colour of the traps that caught the most butterflies was white, followed by blue, violet, yellow and finally the least were caught by red coloured traps. Ordination analysis showed that some butterfly families and species were more likely to be caught by traps of a specific colour. Measurements of the wavelengths of the colours used revealed that butterflies preferred short-wavelengths light. The effect of colour on the catches did not differ significantly among the sites. The butterflies were more likely to be caught by traps of a certain colour even though the other features of the traps were the same., Lenka Kočíková ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
The carob moth, Ectomyelois ceratoniae (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), is a serious pest and causes a considerable loss of yield of pomegranate in Iran. Apanteles myeloenta (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is the dominant parasitoid of this pest parasitizing it more than 30% in recent years. This parasitoid is a candidate for augmentative biological control program to reduce the level of the infestation of fruit overwinter. The objective of this research was to optimize the mass production of A. myeloenta. The mean developmental time of females was 28 days and of males 27 days. Pupal development lasted 7 days. The second instar was the preferred host and most heavily parasitized (45%). Wasps that started their development in second instar hosts produced the highest progeny and those that started in third instar hosts survived as adults for longest. The sex ratio (females to males) of A. myeloenta that emerged from carob moth larvae parasitized in the first instar was 1 : 3.5, in the second instar 1 : 3 and in the third instar 1 : 2. The influence of different host ages on the functional response of A. myeloenta to host density was assessed. Logistic regression indicated a type II functional response to different densities of all the stages of the host tested., Hossein Kishani Farahani, Seyed Hossein Goldansaz., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Béthoux recently identified the species †Adiphlebia lacoana Scudder from the Carboniferous of Mazon Creek, Ill., USA as the oldest beetle. The fossils bear coriaceous tegmina with pseudo-veins allegedly aligned with "rows of cells" as they occur in Permian beetles and extant Archostemata. The examination of four new specimens of †Adiphlebia lacoana from the same locality revealed that the "cells" are in fact clumps of clay inside a delicate meshwork, and no derived features shared with Coleoptera or Coleopterida (= Coleoptera + Strepsiptera) were found. Instead, †Adiphlebia lacoana bears veinal fusions and braces similar to extant Neuroptera. These features support a placement in †Strephocladidae, and are also similar to conditions found in †Tococladidae. These unplaced basal holometabolan families were erroneously re-analyzed as ancestral Mantodea and Orthoptera. Homologization of the wing pairs in neopteran lineages is updated and identification errors are corrected. A new Permian beetle family †Moravocoleidae [†Protocoleoptera (= Permian Coleoptera with pointed unpaired ovipositor; e.g., †Tshekardocoleidae)] is described., Jarmila Kukalová-Peck, Rolf G. Beutel., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
The European stag beetle, Lucanus cervus, is recognised as a flagship species for biodiversity conservation. Although the species is widely distributed across Europe declines have led to it being granted protected or endangered status in a number of countries and regarded as "near threatened" by the IUCN. The integration of genetic approaches into conservation efforts is urgently needed but has been impeded to date by the lack of appropriate genetic markers. To provide such a resource the development of the first microsatellite loci for stag beetle is described. Loci were identified using two methods (i) enriched library cloning (ELC) and (ii) Restriction enzyme Associated DNA sequencing (RAD-Seq). Inefficient microsatellite detection using the ELC method suggests that RAD-Seq, or other Next Generation Sequencing based methods, may ultimately be more cost effective for obtaining informative suites of markers for this and other coleopteran species. 18 loci were characterised by genotyping 42 UK specimens collected as prey leftover/roadkill. All loci produced unambiguous genotypes and were polymorphic. Though preliminary, estimates of genetic variability suggest UK populations may be genetically depauperate. The microsatellite loci represent a suite of genetic markers that can be applied to non-invasive population monitoring and numerous other areas of Lucanus conservation and evolutionary research., Niall J. McKeown, Deborah J. Harvey, Amy J. E. Healey, Ilze Skujina, Karen Cox, Alan C. Gange, Paul W. Shaw., and Obsahuje bibliografii
In this study, we report the development of a set of 15 polymorphic microsatellite markers for the box tree moth, Cydalima perspectalis (Walker), a highly invasive insect in Europe causing significant damage to natural and ornamental Buxus trees. The markers were characterized for four distant populations in both its native (China, two populations) and invasive ranges (Czech Republic and Turkey, one population each). The number of alleles ranged from 2 to 12. No marker significantly deviated from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for all the populations sampled. These microsatellite markers are promising tools for further studies on the invasive pathways and dispersal pattern of the box tree moth in Europe., Audrey Bras, Laure Sauné, Alain Roques, Jérôme Rousselet, Marie-Anne Auger-Rozenberg., and Obsahuje bibliografii
This paper describes the characterization of a set of nine microsatellite markers for the pipe-organ mud-dauber wasp, Trypoxylon albitarse F. (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae), a common solitary wasp species in Brazil. Eight of the nine loci described were found to be polymorphic. The number of alleles ranged from three to 11. Observed and expected heterozygosity on the population level ranged from 0.135 to 0.891 and 0.177 to 0.865, respectively. Genotypic analyses revealed no deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium or linkage disequilibrium after sequential Bonferroni correction. Cross-species amplification was also tested for nine related species and positive amplifications were found in most of the assays. These markers will be useful in studies involving relatedness analysis and investigations of the population genetics of these wasps., Juliano Da Costa Almeida ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Here we describe 16 novel microsatellite loci in the genome of the dragonhead sap beetle Thymogethes norvegicus, which were identified using a next-generation sequencing approach. In 40 dragonhead sap beetles from a population in southern Norway, we found 2-4 alleles per locus. Expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.18-0.65. Three of the loci showed significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. After correcting for multiple tests, one pairwise locus combination displayed significant linkage disequilibrium. These novel microsatellite loci will be useful for future population structure, genetic diversity and conservation genetic studies of the dragonhead sap beetle., Oddmund Kleven, Anders Endrestøl., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Sexual selection is thought to result in an elongation of genitalia in insects. Part of the genitalia of the leaf beetle Lema (Lema) coronata Baly is approximately twice the body length in both sexes. Nine microsatellite loci were isolated from L. (L.) coronata for use in future studies on the correlation between genital length and reproductive success. The nine loci were polymorphic, with three to six alleles per locus recorded in 40 individuals. Observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.08 to 0.38 and expected heterozygosity from 0.51 to 0.75. The non-exclusive probability of the second parent and the identity calculated from the set of loci were 0.011 and < 0.001, respectively. A deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was detected at all nine loci, i.e. significant heterozygote deficiencies, and several hypotheses accounting for this are discussed. The isolated loci carried independent information. Five polymorphic loci were amplified in a related sympatric species, L. (L.) scutellaris, which has relatively short genitalia. These microsatellite makers will be used to determine the paternity of offspring of females multiply mated in the laboratory and compare the selection pressures operating on genital length in these closely related species. and Yoko Matsumura, Izumi Yao.