Number of results to display per page
Search Results
12. Afromontane Coelocorynus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae): Larval descriptions, biological notes and phylogenetic placement
- Creator:
- Šípek, Petr, Gill, Bruce D., and Grebennikov, Vasily V.
- Type:
- article, model:article, and TEXT
- Subject:
- Coleoptera, Scarabaeoidea, Cetoniinae, Valgini, Trichiini, Cryptodontina, Coelocorynus, larvae, morphology, phylogeny, Africa, Cameroon, and Mt. Oku
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- This paper reports the collecting of adult beetles and third-instar larvae of Coelocorynus desfontainei Antoine, 1999 in Cameroon and provides new data on the biology of this high-altitude Afromontane genus. It also presents the first diagnosis of this genus based on larval characters and examination of its systematic position in a phylogenetic context using 78 parsimony informative larval and adult characters. Based on the results of our analysis we (1) support the hypothesis that the tribe Trichiini is paraphyletic with respect to both Valgini and the rest of the Cetoniinae, and (2) propose that the Trichiini subtribe Cryptodontina, represented by Coelocorynus, is a sister group of the Valgini: Valgina, represented by Valgus. The larvae-only analyses were about twofold better than the adults-only analyses in providing a phylogenetic resolution consistent with the larvae + adults analyses. Only one of the ten clades was consistently supported by the analyses of both the larval and adult datasets, while the remaining nine were invariably strongly supported by one but not the other analysis, thus highlighting the importance of employing different data sources.
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ and policy:public
13. Afromuelleria, a new genus of Trachyphloeini from Limpopo, with descriptions of four new species (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae)
- Creator:
- Borovec, Roman and Skuhrovec
- Format:
- počítač and online zdroj
- Type:
- model:article and TEXT
- Subject:
- Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Entiminae, Trachyphloeini, Afromuelleria, taxonomy, new genus, new species, Afrotropical region, and South Africa
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- A new genus, Afromuelleria gen. n., assigned to the tribe Trachyphloeini Lacordaire, 1863, is described for four South African species of weevils: A. awelani sp. n., A. baobab sp. n., A. limpopo sp. n. and A. venda sp. n. All species are illustrated and keyed. Taxonomic status of the new genus is discussed and compared with similar genera of Trachyphloeini and Embrithini Marshall, 1942.
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ and policy:public
14. Aggregation characteristics of three species of Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) at hibernation sites
- Creator:
- Honěk, Alois, Martinková, Zdeňka, and Pekár, Stano
- Type:
- article, model:article, and TEXT
- Subject:
- Coleoptera, Coccinellidae, Coccinella septempunctata, Ceratomegilla undecimnotata, Hippodamia variegata, overwintering, distribution, and hibernaculum
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- Adults of some coccinellid species overwinter in aggregations consisting of many individuals. They may clump because adults are attracted to particular environmental stimuli and/or of an innate tendency to join conspecific individuals. Aggregation behaviour was studied in Coccinella septempunctata L., which forms small clumps, and Ceratomegilla undecimnotata (Schneider) and Hippodamia variegata (Goeze), which form large clumps. Adults were recorded at five hilltop hibernacula (400-1500 m altitude) in central Europe (50-51°N, 14-16°E) for periods up to 27 years. The hibernacula occur in areas sparsely covered with isolated grass tussocks or completely with stones. Numbers of adults recorded under each of 300-900 stones or among the stems of the grass tussocks were counted every year at each hibernaculum. The degree of aggregation was determined using Taylor's power law. The coccinellid distributions became more aggregated and the size of the aggregations increased as their abundance increased, less in C. septempunctata than in the other two species. Aggregations formed even in the absence of prominent structures, which may attract immigrants, and even when unoccupied stones or tussocks suitable for overwintering were available. Aggregations may be established and their size limited by the strength of the intrinsic preference to join conspecifics. The supposed advantage of aggregated overwintering must be greater than the risk associated with the easy spread of diseases.
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ and policy:public
15. Altitudinal gradient in species richness and composition of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in an eastern Euro-Mediterranean locality: functional, seasonal and habitat influences
- Creator:
- Şenyüz, Yakup , Lobo, Jorge M., and Dindar, Kemal
- Format:
- počítač and online zdroj
- Type:
- model:article and TEXT
- Subject:
- Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Aphodiinae, dung beetles, species richness, historical factors, elevational turnover, seasonal variation, habitat, and Anatolia
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- The altitudinal gradient in diversity of dung beetles (Scarabaeidae) was studied in a Mediterranean mountain chain located in Central Anatolia to (i) determine if there are altitudinal differences between the main taxonomic groups, (ii) describe the seasonal variations in these assemblages and (iii) assess whether closed habitats influence dung beetle diversity differentially at different altitudes. Beetles were collected throughout a year at 14 localities between 469 and 1810 m above sea level in three different types of habitats. Dung beetle assemblages at 400 to 1200 m did not vary greatly in species richness, abundance and biomass. However, they varied in composition, with the assemblages dominated by species of Scarabaeinae up to 900 m, whereas in the mid-mountain assemblages (from 900 m to 1600 m) the numbers of species of Aphodiinae was higher. The decline with increase in altitude in richness, abundance and biomass of both small and large species of Scarabaeinae up to 1500 m, together with the constancy of these parameters in the case of Aphodiinae, accounts for the changes in the composition from the lowland to mid-mountain localities. Unlike at other Mediterranean localities, the open/closed structure of the habitat only slightly influences these assemblages independently of altitude or season. The general seasonal pattern follows the classical Mediterranean bimodal pattern associated with summer drought, but the patterns are more complex when the seasonal responses of the different groups and at different localities are analysed separately. We propose that the interplay between local climatic conditions (mainly temperature) and evolutionary conserved species preferences accounts for both the current seasonal and altitudinal gradients and the changes in species composition in terms of Aphodiinae and Scarabaeinae.
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ and policy:public
16. An early suitability assessment of two exotic Ophraella species (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) for biological control of invasive ragweed in Europe
- Creator:
- Lommen, Suzanne T. E., Jolidon, Emilien F., Sun, Yan, Bustamante Eduardo, José I., and Müller-Schärer, Heinz
- Format:
- print, počítač, and online zdroj
- Type:
- article, články, journal articles, model:article, and TEXT
- Subject:
- Zoologie, brouci, mandelinkovití, beetles, Chrysomelidae, Coleoptera, Ophraella, biological control, invasive plant, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, 2, and 59
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- Classical biological control is an important means of managing the increasing threat of invasive plants. It constitutes the introduction of natural enemies from the native range of the target plant into the invaded area. This method may be the only cost-effective solution to control the rapidly expanding common ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, in non-crop habitats in Europe. Therefore, candidate biocontrol agents urgently need to be assessed for their suitability for ragweed control in Europe. A previous literature review prioritized the host-specific leaf beetle Ophraella slobodkini as a candidate agent for ragweed control in Europe, whereas it rejected its oligophagous congener O. communa. Meanwhile, O. communa was accidentally introduced and became established south of the European Alps, and we show here that it is expanding its European range. We then present a short version of the traditional pre-release risk-benefit assessment for these two candidate agents to facilitate fast decision-making about further research efforts. We selected two complementary tests that can be conducted relatively rapidly and inform about essential risks and benefits. We conducted a comparative no-choice juvenile performance assay using leaves of ragweed and sunflower, the most important non-target plant, in Petri dishes in climatic conditions similar to that in the current European range of O. communa. This informs on the fundamental host range and potential for increasing abundance on these host plants. The results confirm that O. slobodkini does not survive on, and is hence unlikely to cause severe damage to sunflower, while O. communa can survive but develops more slowly on sunflower than on ragweed. In parallel, our species distribution models predict no suitable area for the establishment of O. slobodkini in Europe, while O. communa is likely to expand its current range to include a maximum of 18% of the European ragweed distribution. Based on this early assessment, the prioritization and further assessment of O. slobodkini seem unwarranted whereas the results urgently advocate further risk-benefit analysis of O. communa. Having revealed that most of the European area colonized by ragweed is unlikely to be suitable for these species of Ophraella we suggest the use of such relatively short and cheap preliminary assessment to prioritise other candidate agents or strains for these areas., Suzanne T. E. Lommen, Emilien F. Jolidon, Yan Sun, José I. Bustamante Eduardo, Heinz Müller-Schärer., and Obsahuje bibliografii
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ and policy:public
17. An improved lure for trapping the bark beetle Dendroctonus armandi (Coleoptera: Scolytinae)
- Creator:
- Xie, Shou-An and Lv, Shu-Jie
- Type:
- article, články, model:article, and TEXT
- Subject:
- Zoologie, zoologie, entomologie, Coleoptera, Scolytidae, Dendroctonus armandi, semiochemicals, GC-MS and GC-FID, analyses, trap, Pinus armandi, 2, and 59
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- The pine bark beetle, Dendroctonus armandi, is a native pest restricted to forests in the Qinling Mountains in China. There was an outbreak of this species there that affected over 0.36 million hectares of pine forest. We hypothesized that there are differences between the numbers of beetles captured by traps baited with various combinations of candidate semiochemicals extracted from the hindguts of D. armandi. In order to determine whether a better operational lure could be developed for D. armandi, we analyzed the volatiles in extracts of the hindgut of D. armandi and tested various combinations of candidate semiochemicals. The GC-MS and GC-FID analyses of volatiles in the extracts of the hindguts of D. armandi collected at different stages of the attack revealed that they are mainly a-pinene, b-caryophyllene and (+)-3-carene with minor amounts of myrcene, limonene, verbenol and verbenone. We tested various combinations of these candidate semiochemicals in order to determine an optimal blend. Our results suggest that the addition of b-caryophyllene to either a-pinene, or blends of a-pinene and other candidate semiochemicals, significantly enhanced the attractiveness of the lures for D. armandi. Field trapping experiments indicated that the blends that included b-caryophyllene, myrcene and other candidate semiochemicals resulted in significantly higher trap catches (161–243% higher) than a-pinene alone. Therefore, a simple lure consisting of a-pinene and b-caryophyllene would be an optimal blend for D. armandi. We conclude that this blend of semiochemicals may provide a better method of reducing the numbers of D. armandi in forest ecosystem., Shou-An Xie, Shu-Jie LV., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ and policy:public
18. Arthropod distribution on an alpine elevational gradient: the relationship with preferred temperature and cold tolerance
- Creator:
- Buse, Alan, Hadley, David, and Sparks, Tim
- Type:
- article, model:article, and TEXT
- Subject:
- Preferred temperature, optimal temperature, supercooling point, altitude gradient, mountain, Coleoptera, Byrrhidae, Carabidae, Elateridae, and Opiliones
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- The distribution of arthropod species on a 400 m elevational gradient (equivalent to a temperature decrease of 2.5°C) on Snowdon, North Wales, was examined and compared with the British distribution. Preferred temperature, an indication of optimal body temperature (Tb), and supercooling point (SCP), an indication of cold tolerance, of several species on the gradient were determined experimentally. The alpine beetle species Patrobus assimilis and Nebria rufescens had low preferred Tb, of 5.6 and 7.1°C respectively, whereas the more widespread upland species had higher preferred Tb, between 12.9 and 15.5°C. The SCP of both alpine and widespread beetles were similar, being between -6.9 and -5.8°C. The alpine species, which were smaller, were freeze intolerant, whereas the widespread species, which were larger, were freeze tolerant. On the national scale there was significant correlation between preferred Tb and species elevation, but no correlation with SCP. It is concluded that the alpine species survive on Snowdon because their optimal Tb is close to the ambient temperature at the time of day and year when they are active and because they are able to tolerate winter temperatures, by a combination of cold tolerance and shelter. Although a species' optimal niche will tend to shift upwards as mean temperatures rise with global climatic change, complex microclimatic and biotic factors make changes in distribution difficult to predict.
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ and policy:public
19. Artificial diet for two flat-headed borers, Capnodis spp. (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)
- Creator:
- Gindin, Galina, Kuznetsova, Tatiana, Protasov, Alexei, Ben Yehuda, Shaul, and Mendel, Zvi
- Type:
- article, model:article, and TEXT
- Subject:
- Coleoptera, Buprestidae, Capnodis spp., artificial diet, rearing, larval behaviour, and stonefruits
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- The main objective was to develop an artificial diet for two flat-headed borers, Capnodis tenebrionis L. and C. carbonaria Klug. (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), which are severe pests of stonefruit plantations in the Mediterranean basin. The effect of proteins from various sources, percentage of cortex tissue in the diet and diet structure on larval growth and survival were investigated. The most successful diet contained 2.8% casein and 4.6% dry brewer's yeast as the protein source. For complete larval development and successful pupation it is essential to include cortex tissue from the host plant in the diet. Mean larval development time was shortened by 10-12 days when reared on a diet containing 20% cortex tissue compared with rearing on diet containing 10% cortex tissue. Two different diet structures were required, a viscous matrix for the first and second instar larvae and drier crumbly diet, which allows the larvae to move within the diet, for older larvae. At 28°C on the artificial diet C. tenebrionis and C. carbonaria completed their development in 2-2.5 months compared to the 6-11 months recorded in Israeli orchards. C. tenebrionis successfully completed two generations on the artificial diet.
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ and policy:public
20. Biogeography of tenebrionid beetles (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) in the circum-Sicilian islands (Italy, Sicily): Multiple biogeographical patterns require multiple explanations
- Creator:
- Fattorini, Simone
- Type:
- article, články, model:article, and TEXT
- Subject:
- Zoologie, entomologie, Sicílie (Itálie), Středozemní moře (oblast), Sicily (Italy), Mediterranean area, biogeography, Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae, Pleistocene, species-area relationship, 2, and 59
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- The tenebrionid beetles on 25 circum-Sicilian islands were studied to determine the influence of island geographical and landscape features on three main intercorrelated biogeographical patterns: (1) species richness, studied using species-area and species environment relationships, (2) species assemblage composition, investigated using Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA), and (3) inter-site faunal similarity, investigated using Canonical Correlation Analysis (CANCOR) applied to multidimensional scaling of inter-island faunal dissimilarities. Species richness was mostly influenced by island area and landscape heterogeneity (expressed using various indices of diversity based on land cover categories). When species identities were considered in the CCA, no substantial effect of landscape was detected. Current island isolation did not have a strong influence on species richness, but has a distinct effect in determining species assortments on the remotest islands. Historical influences of Pleistocene landbridge connections were not detectable in species richness relationships using geographical variables in species richness analyses or in assemblage gradients in the CCA, but emerged distinctly from inter-island similarities in the CANCOR. and Simone Fattorini.
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ and policy:public