We report results of a faunal survey of Aradidae flat bugs sampled by sifting litter in 14 wet and discrete Tanzanian primary forests (= Tanzanian Forest Archipelago, TFA) of different geological origins and ages. Images, locality data and, when available, DNA barcoding sequences of 300 Aradidae adults and nymphs forming the core of the herein analyzed data are publicly available online at dx.doi.org/10.5883/DS-ARADTZ. Three Aradidae subfamilies and seven genera were recorded: Aneurinae (Paraneurus), Carventinae (Dundocoris) and Mezirinae (Afropictinus, Embuana, Linnavuoriessa, Neochelonoderus, Usumbaraia); the two latter subfamilies were also represented by specimens not assignable to nominal genera. Barring the six nominal species of Neochelonoderus and Afropictinus described earlier by us from these samples and representing 11 of the herein defined Operational Taxonomic Units (OTU), only one of the remaining 52 OTUs could be assigned to a named species; the remaining 51 OTUs (81%) represent unnamed species. Average diversity of Aradidae is 4.64 species per locality; diversity on the three geologically young volcanoes (Mts Hanang, Meru, Kilimanjaro) is significantly lower (1.33) than on the nine Eastern Arc Mountains (5.67) and in two lowland forests (5). Observed phylogeographic structure of Aradidae in TFA can be attributed to vicariance, while the depauperate fauna of Aradidae on geologically young Tanzanian volcanoes was likely formed anew by colonisation from nearby and geologically older forests., Vasily V. Grebennikov, Ernst Heiss., and Obsahuje bibliografii
1_Red wood ants are ecologically important members of woodland communities, and some species are of conservation concern. They occur commonly only in certain habitats in Britain, but there is limited knowledge of their numbers and distribution. This study provided baseline information at a key locality (Abernethy Forest, 37 km2) in the central Highlands of Scotland and trialed a new method of surveying red wood ant density and stand type associations: a distance sampling line transect survey of nests. This method is efficient because it allows an observer to quickly survey a large area either side of transect lines, without having to assume that all nests are detected. Instead, data collected on the distance of nests from the line are used to estimate probability of detection and the effective transect width, using the free software "Distance". Surveys took place in August and September 2003 along a total of 71.2 km of parallel, equally-spaced transects. One hundred and forty-four red wood ant nests were located, comprising 89 F. aquilonia (Yarrow, 1955) and 55 F. lugubris (Zetterstedt, 1838) nests. Estimated densities were 1.13 nests per hectare (95% CI 0.74–1.73) for F. aquilonia and 0.83 nests per hectare (95% CI 0.32–2.17) for F. lugubris. These translated to total estimated nest numbers of 4,200 (95% CI 2,700–6,400) and 3,100 (95% CI 1,200–8,100), respectively, for the whole forest. Indices of stand selection indicated that F. aquilonia had some positive association with old-growth and F. lugubris with younger stands (stem exclusion stage). No nests were found in areas that had been clear-felled, and ploughed and planted in the 1970s–1990s. The pattern of stand type association and hence distribution of F. aquilonia and F. lugubris may be due to the differing ability to disperse (F. lugubris is the faster disperser) and compete (F. aquilonia is competitively superior)., 2_We recommend using line transect sampling for extensive surveys of ants that construct nest mounds to estimate abundance and stand type association., Kerry M. Borkin, Ron W. Summers, Len Thomas., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Developmental characteristics of the predatory bug Orius similis fed on Tetranychus cinnabarinus were investigated at three constant temperatures (25, 28, and 31°C) under laboratory conditions (75±5% relative humidity and a 14L : 10D photoperiod). The survival of nymphs was highest at 28°C (75.57%) and at this temperature female adults O. similis had the longest oviposition period (21.1 d), the greatest fecundity (40.3 eggs) and the highest potential intrinsic rate of increase (rm: 0.108 d–1). These results suggest that O. similis can maintain greater population densities at 28°C than at the other temperatures tested. In addition, the functional response indicates that the attack rate of O. similis (1.04) and the maximum prey capacity (30.7 spider mites per bug in 24h) are greatest at 28°C. The results of this study provide useful information on the biology and time when to release O. similis in order to reduce the abundance of T. cinnabarinus in cotton fields., Shi-Chang Zhang ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Field and laboratory experiments were conducted to assess the time ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) survive during actual and simulated flood conditions. The effects of three variants of potential flood conditions were tested: (1) beetles trapped on the surface of flood water; (2) beetles trapped in air pockets; (3) submersion of beetles in flood water without access to air. Ground beetles trapped on the surface of water survived more than two weeks (Carabus granulatus – up to 16 days; Oxypselaphus obscurus – up to 22 days). Carabus granulatus in simulated hibernation chambers that had air-pockets also survived for 15 days. The time for which ground beetles submerged without access to air survived differed significantly among species and was affected by season. They survived longest in mid-spring and late-autumn when water temperature is low. In mid-spring, survival times for C. granulatus and Platynus assimilis were 12 days and 9 days, respectively. During late summer and early autumn all species survived for a shorter period of time. In August, at least half of the individuals tested were dead after three days of immersion (water temperature 16–18°C). Removal of both of the elytra of adult of C. granulatus resulted in them surviving immersion for a shorter period, which indicates that air stored in the sub-elytral cavity is used to prolong the period they can survive immersion. The results of these experiments broaden the knowledge of how adult beetles survive seasonal flooding and are able to persist in floodplain habitats., Felix N. Kolesnikov, Arevik N. Karamyan, W. Wyatt Hoback., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Performance of the invasive horse-chestnut leaf miner, Cameraria ohridella Deschka & Dimic, 1986 (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), was studied on two host plants: the white-flowering horse-chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum L. and the Ohio buckeye Aesculus glabra Willd. C. ohridella developed successfully on both host plants; however, mine density and survival were much higher on A. hippocastanum than on A. glabra. The pupal mass and potential fecundity were strongly affected by the host plant on which the larvae fed. On A. hippocastanum pupae were significantly heavier and females more fecund than those on A. glabra. Furthermore, on both host plants there was a significant positive correlation between the number of oocytes in ovaries and pupal body mass, and as a consequence, heavier females produced more eggs. Our study demonstrates that the mine density, survival, pupal mass and potential fecundity were significantly lower on A. glabra than on A. hippocastanum. The observed lower performance of C. ohridella on the exotic host plant was assumed to be due to its poor food quality (nutritional and chemical composition)., Urszula Walczak, Edward Baraniak, Piotr Zduniak., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Zbarvení hraje v životě zvířat zásadní roli a je často pod přísným dohledem přírodního a/nebo pohlavního výběru. Abychom mohli objektivně zhodnotit jeho vliv na životní strategie zvířat, je zaprvé důležité barvu správně měřit a zadruhé nahlížet na ni zrakovým aparátem zainteresovaného pozorovatele. Obě tyto metody popisujeme na příkladu ptáků, konkrétně hodnocení mimeze parazitických vajec., Colouration plays a very important role in the life of animals and its evolution is often under natural and/or sexual selection. For objective assessment of the influence of colouration on animal life strategies the colour should be measured properly and evaluated from the perspective of the studied species. These methods are briefly described based on the example of birds, specifically on the mimicry of parasitic eggs., and Michal Šulc, Marcel Honza.
Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) is one of the most harmful plant viruses and one of its most important vectors is the western flower thrips [Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)]. Recently, we reported the close association of Erwinia sp. gut bacteria with this species of thrips. The first instar larvae acquire these bacteria from their food source. A high proportion of adult western flower thrips transmit TSWV after acquiring the virus during the first larval stage when there are no bacteria in their gut. A considerably lower proportion of adults that acquire the virus early in the second instar transmit virus and none of those exposed to virus late on in the second instar do so. The highest prevalence and total number of symbiotic bacteria are recorded in the guts of second instar thrips. This leads to the hypothesis that the build up of bacteria in the gut reduces the acquisition of TSWV, resulting in a lower capacity to transmit the virus. To test this hypothesis, the transmission of this virus by symbiotic and aposymbiotic adult thrips of the NL3 population was studied. Comparison of virus transmission by adult thrips, the larvae of which either had or lacked gut bacteria and were exposed to virus in either the first or second instar, revealed no difference in the ability of symbiotic and aposymbiotic adults to transmit this virus. We conclude that virus transmission is not affected by the number of the symbiotic bacteria Erwinia sp. present in the gut of thrips larvae., Egbert J De Vries ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Cuckoos parasitize many rare and inconspicuous host species but avoid other common and conspicuous ones. In this article, results of a study that solved this long-standing ecological conundrum are described. I use this work to illustrate va - rious weaknesses of typical ecological studies (sample size, data representativeness, reification) and give suggestions for a better research practice in the future. and Jiří Klimeš, Ivan Literák.
In our previous work we established a T7 polymerase-driven Tetracycline-inducible protein expression system in Leishmania mexicana (Biagi, 1953). We used this system to analyse gene expression profiles during development of L. mexicana in procyclic and metacyclic promastigotes and amastigotes. The transcription of the gene of interest and the T7 polymerase genes was significantly reduced upon cell differentiation. This regulation is not locus-specific. It depends on untranslated regions flanking open reading frames of the genes analysed. In this paper, we report that the previously established conventional inducible protein expression system may not be suitable for studies on differentiation of species of Leishmania Ross, 1903 and protein expression systems might have certain limitations., Aygul Ishemgulova, Natalya Kraeva, Drahomíra Faktorová, Lucie Podešvová, Julius Lukeš, Vyacheslav Yurchenko., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Čeleď kabarovitých představuje pro většinu lidí nejméně zajímavou čeleď kopytníků. Zahrnuje 7 málo známých druhů žijících ve východní Asii (od východního Afghánistánu přes Himálaj, Tibet a Čínu po střední a východní Sibiř). Tento článek obsahuje hlavní charakteristiky jednotlivých druhů včetně jejich fylogeneze a shrnuje dosavadní znalostí o životě kabarů. Vzhledem k tomu, že kabaři představují významný zdroj pro tradiční čínskou medicínu, stávají se v poslední době i jednou z nejvíce ohrožených čeledí kopytníků., The family Moschidae involves 7 species of musk deer, inhabiting forests and mountains of East Asia (from Afghanistan to the Himalayas, from Tibet and China to Siberia). This article summarizes current knowledge of individual species characteristics, including their phylogeny and natural history. Since these animals are a valuable source for the traditional Chinese medicine, they are the most endangered ungulate species in the world., and Jan Pluháček.