The bee family Melittidae (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) includes 14 genera. Most have been reviewed but not the small African genus Capicola. The present work aims to fill this gap. Based on the revision of the type material and 1272 additional specimens, we provide a comprehensive synonymic and annotated catalogue of the 12 Capicola species sensu Michener (1981). Lectotypes are designated for the previously established species Capicola braunsiana (= C. obscura syn. n.), C. cinctiventris, C. femorata, C. flavitarsis and C. rufiventris. Moreover, C. danforthi sp. n., C. flavicara sp. n., C. gessorum sp. n., C. micheneri sp. n., and C. richtersveldensis sp. n., are newly described, as well as the previously unknown female of C. nanula, male of C. nigerrima and male of C. rhodostoma. New synonymies are proposed for C. braunsiana (= C. obscura) and C. flavitarsis (= C. cinctiventris). An original dataset of 20 morphological characters is used for the inference of the 12 species' phylogenetic relationship. A key to species is provided. In addition, the ranges of the 12 taxa are mapped and discussed. This paper contributes to a global revision of the Melittidae.
The genus Xyalophora (Giraud, 1860) is revised herein. The revision includes the type species of Xyalophora (Figites clavatus Giraud, 1860), the type material and the original descriptions of all the species of Xyalophora included in the Weld catalogue, and long series of undetermined material. Xyalophora clavata (Giraud, 1860) and X. singularis (Ashmead, 1896) are the only currently recognized species that should be included in Xyalophora. Four new species are described: X. belizini sp. n., X. giraudi sp. n., X. provancheri sp. n. and X. zarazagai sp. n. The type species of Ceraspidia, Ceraspidia japonica Belizin, 1952, corresponds to males of a species within Xyalophora. Thus, Ceraspidia is a new synonymy of Xyalophora, which results in Xyalophora japonica comb. n. Xyalophora impatiens (Say, 1836) and Xyalophora picea (Spinola, 1853) being considered like incertae sedis, as the latter does not belong to the Figitinae but to the Eucoilinae and is probably a species within Acantheucoela Ashmead, 1900. Xyalophora aciculata Benoit, 1956 is transferred to the genus Figites Latreille, 1802: Figites aciculata comb. n. Xyalophora leviventris Kieffer, 1908 is a synonym of Xyalophora quinquelineata (Say, 1836), which is transferred to Xyalophoroides gen. n., a new genus here described. The differences between all the genera of Figitinae with a scutellar spine are discussed and illustrated.
Diglyphus isaea Walker (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is an important ectoparasitic wasp of many leaf miners. Ability of D. isaea to find hosts placed in artificial mines and for its larvae to pupate when the larva is not in a mine was studied. Artificial mines consisted of slits cut in index card sandwiched between two cover slips. Almost 80% of the neonate larvae of D. isaea located host larvae in artificial mines compared to only 50% of those not in a mine. Mature larvae removed from mines did not construct normal pupal chambers. Nonetheless, they pupated and emerged successfully. Larvae of Liriomyza sativae Blanchard (Diptera: Agromyzidae) in mines are more likely to be attacked than those not in mines. Moreover, when close to a host larva this parasitoid can use vibrational cues to locate the larva in a mine. In addition, this parasitoid also did not always use volatile and gustatory cues for short range location of hosts. However, adult females of D. isaea more quickly located L. sativae larvae in the presence of the odour of juice extracted from an uninfested host plant. We conclude by proposing that the host mine is the medium by which the vibrations generated by the host larva are transmitted, which are probably the most important cue used by female D. isaea searching for hosts. That is this parasitoid first perceives mines not host larvae. These results will be helpful for developing techniques for the mass rearing of D. isaea in the future., De Yu Zou, Hong Yin Chen, Li Sheng Zhang., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Laboratory experiments were conducted to examine the effects of photoperiod and temperature on the pupation behaviour of the parasitoid, Microplitis mediator (Haliday) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), parasitizing larvae of Mythimna separata Walker (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). A combination of long photoperiod (14 + h L) and warm temperatures (20–24°C) caused parasitized caterpillars to climb to upper plant parts where the parasitoid produced a green, non-diapausing cocoon on a green leaf, initially retaining the dying caterpillar host as a protective covering. In contrast, short photoperiod (8–10 h L) and low temperature (16–18°C) induced host caterpillars to descend the plant where the parasitoid produced a brown, diapausing cocoon either hanging by silk from a senescing leaf or simply lying on the soil, but without any continued association with the host. These findings illustrate the potential for seasonal environmental cues to simultaneously mediate diapause induction, cocoon polymorphism, and alternate forms of host behaviour modification in a hymenopterous parasitoid., Shu Ping Luo ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
It is speculated that the wasps that attack the seeds of gymnosperm trees (conifers) before they are fertilized can induce unfertilized seeds to accumulate storage material whereas those that attack after the seeds are fertilized selectively oviposit in fertilized seeds. Moreover, in the case of the wasps that oviposit after fertilization of seed, the presence of unfertilized seeds and seedless fruit may increase plant fitness via reduced parasitism of the viable seed. To determine the relationship between the two strategies, host manipulation or selective oviposition, and the time of fertilization of the seeds of angiosperm host plants, fertilized seed of Ilex integra Thunb. was dissected out of berries either immediately after the flight of the seed wasp Macrodasyceras hirsutum Kamijo in the field or the death of adults in the laboratory. The wasps oviposited mostly in fertilized seeds and rarely in unfertilized seeds. Unfertilized seeds, produced by flowers enclosed in pollen exclusion bags, and then exposed to wasps did not contain immature wasps or storage material, which indicates that the wasp did not oviposit in unfertilized seeds. These results support the above mentioned hypothesis and indicate that the substantial proportion of seedless berries do not function as an egg sink.
Ants are the most abundant group of soil arthropods in olive groves where they are involved in various trophic relationships of great importance for crops. The system of soil management is one agricultural practice that has a great effect on ants, so the objective of this study was to compare ant populations in organic olive orchards with a ground cover of natural vegetation and others where this natural vegetation is mechanically removed at the beginning of June. Ants were sampled using pitfall traps at 14, 30, 70 and 90 days after the removal of the ground vegetation. Overall, ant biodiversity did not change. However, changes were observed in the abundance of ant species, in particular, in those species that build shallow nests in the soil, both between the rows of trees and under the canopy of olive trees. In contrast, deep nesting species, such as Messor barbarus, were not affected. The response also differed between the various genera: the abundance of Cataglyphis increased, due to there being more of the species C. rosenhaueri, while there was a significant fall in Aphaenogaster, due to the decline in abundance of A. senilis. Thirty days after the removal of vegetation, the response of most of the genera was clearly noticeable, due to the increased activity of workers, and in some cases there were still differences after 90 days. and Mercedes Campos, Luisa Fernández, Francisca Ruano, Belén Cotes, Manuel Cárdenas, Juan Castro.
Some ethological aspects of the interrelations between ants and the larvae of Blasticotoma filiceti Klug, 1834 were investigated in the Altai Republic and Novosibirsk Region in 2006-2008. The interactions of ants with the larvae of this sawfly are determined by the concealed way of life style of B. filiceti. The majority of the ant-sawfly encounters occurred near holes in fern fronds at the moment when larvae excreted liquid or left their tunnels before descending to the soil prior to overwintering. Sawfly larvae visited by more aggressive ants, such as Formica s. str., leave the fern fronds slowly, which enables them to avoid inciting attacks by ants. The behaviour of the ants while collecting the larval excretion is similar to their behaviour at sugar troughs. The organisation of the collecting larval excreta by ants was investigated in detail in the cases of Formica polyctena Förster, 1850 and Myrmica rubra Linnaeus, 1758. The individual fern plants with sawfly larvae are attended by relatively constant groups of foragers in both cases. However, the highly social red wood ants interact with sawfly larvae in a more complex way. While the working groups of M. rubra tending sawfly larvae consist only of non-aggressive "unspecialized" foragers, those of F. polyctena include also a few "on duty" ants that protect the trophobionts, at least from the other ants. and Tatiana A. NOVGORODOVA, Olga B. BIRYUKOVA.
The factors that affect oviposition and consequently spatial distribution of the galls of many gall makers are poorly understood. Knowledge of these factors could result in a better understanding of the mechanisms that initiate and regulate the development of galls. We tested the hypotheses that, regardless of tree height, galls of Cynips quercusfolii L. produced agamically are distributed randomly in the crowns and on the veins of leaves of oak trees. This study was done in Poland on 15 pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) trees of various heights. We measured the areas of 1659 leaves, including 192 leaves with galls, and the distances along a vein from a gall to the petiole and from gall to leaf edge. The number of galls did not depend on tree height but depended on the position of the leaf within the crown (upper or lower). Regardless of the position in the crown, leaves with galls were significantly larger than those without galls. We conclude that galls were located at a fixed distance from the edge of leaves irrespective of leaf size, but the distance from the gall to the leaf petiole depended significantly on leaf size. We conclude that agamic females of C. quercusfolii prefer large leaves and choose the site on a leaf on which to deposit their eggs. This probably ensures that the developing gall obtains the required amount of nutrients and assimilates., Marian J. Giertych, Andrzej M. Jagodzinski, Piotr Karolevski., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
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
Diaeretiella rapae MacIntosh (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae) is one of the most common and successful parasitoids of the cabbage aphid. The functional response of D. rapae towards cabbage aphids was examined in laboratory studies at three constant temperatures, 17°C, 25°C and 30°C. D. rapae exhibited a type II functional response at all three temperatures. The search rates were uninfluenced by temperature whereas handling times differed significantly between 17°C and 25°C, and between 17°C and 30°C, but not between 25°C and 30°C. This study is a first-step in the evaluation of the effectiveness of D. rapae as a biocontrol agent of Brevicoryne brassicae at different temperatures., Hamid R.S.Moayeri ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje seznam literarurty