We studied the diet of 10 species of grasshopper belonging to the family Pamphagidae over a period of 3 years at 6 localities in North Eastern Algeria. The species of plants consumed by the grasshoppers was determined by comparing slide mounted specimens of the pieces of plant epidermis in their faeces with those in a reference collection of identified plants collected from the same localities. The percentages of occurrence of the different species of plants in the faeces of the grasshoppers were not related to the abundance of the plants at the sites studied. All the grasshoppers were polyphagous but differed in the percentage of Poaceae in their diets. The diet of Tmethis and Ocneridia contained a higher percentage of Poaceae than the other species and are considered to be ambivores. The three species in the Pamphagus gr. djelfensis complex differ in their diets but all tend to avoid consuming Poaceae and are categorized as forbivores. We also compared the frequency of occurrence of Fabaceae in the faeces and in the field and O. volxemii is the only species that avoided consuming this plant family. The number of sensilla on the labrum was also studied in both sexes of each species. Once one corrects for differences in the size of the labrum, the forbivores have higher numbers of sensilla in groups A1, A2 and A3 (but not A10) than the ambivores. The numbers of sensilla in the A10 group on the labrum of species of Pamphagidae is greater than on that of species of Acrididae, which are mainly graminivores and adapted to semi-arid conditions., Naima Benkenana, Abboud Harrat, Daniel Petit., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
DNA barcoding surveys of small insects usually extract DNA from either a complete insect or a leg. Little is known about how to optimize DNA quantity and quality from different insect parts while preserving a morphological voucher. Here, we quantify DNA yield from different body parts (antenna, hind leg, forewing, hind wing and abdomen) of the micro-moth Cameraria ohridella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) using fluorescent nucleic acid stain (PicoGreen). Samples were preserved in 100% ethanol or dried for three weeks. Our experiment was designed to encompass practical sampling options during fieldwork. DNA quality was assessed by PCR amplification of the mitochondrial COI barcode fragment. In addition, we compared PCR amplification using Platinum® Taq and Qiagen DNA Polymerase and quantified sequence success of amplified DNA. We show that overall, dry parts showed higher eluted DNA yields. PCR and sequencing success rate were slightly higher for dry tissue than ethanol-preserved parts. We also show that Platinum® Taq yielded the highest PCR success rate and that all dry tissues are sequenceable. The optimal strategy for DNA barcoding surveys is therefore to mount micro-Lepidoptera specimens in the field for morphological analysis and sample tissues (hind legs are favoured) from dried samples at a later time (several weeks) in the lab for DNA barcoding using preferentially Platinum® Taq. If larger amounts of DNA are required (i.e. for nuclear gene sequencing), several legs from one side of the specimen or the abdomen should be preserved in pure ethanol., Carlos Lopez-Vaamonde ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
There are important but inconsistent differences in breeding site preference between the blow flies Lucilia sericata (Meigen, 1826) and L. cuprina (Wiedemann, 1830) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) that have significance for medical and veterinary science. These inconsistencies might arise from hybridisation. The species are difficult to distinguish using external morphology, although the male genitalia are distinctive and there are reliable molecular markers. Molecular evidence of modern hybridisation, derived from a newly developed nuclear marker, the period (per) gene, is presented here. This has implications for identifications of these species based on mtDNA, and may lead to an explanation of the medical and veterinary anomalies noted in these species., Kirstin Williams, Martin H. Villet., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
An annotated checklist of the tribe Mirini (Miridae: Mirinae) recorded on the Korean peninsula is presented. A total of 113 species, including newly described and newly recorded species are recognized. Three new species, Apolygus hwasoonanus Oh, Yasunaga & Lee, sp. n., A. seonheulensis Oh, Yasunaga & Lee, sp. n. and Stenotus penniseticola Oh, Yasunaga & Lee, sp. n., are described. Eight species, Apolygus adustus (Jakovlev, 1876), Charagochilus (Charagochilus) longicornis Reuter, 1885, C. (C.) pallidicollis Zheng, 1990, Pinalitopsis rhodopotnia Yasunaga, Schwartz & Chérot, 2002, Philostephanus tibialis (Lu & Zheng, 1998), Rhabdomiris striatellus (Fabricius, 1794), Yamatolygus insulanus Yasunaga, 1992 and Y. pilosus Yasunaga, 1992 are reported for the first time from the Korean peninsula. Korean specimens previously identified as Eurystylus luteus Hsaio, 1941 are correctly recognized as E. sauteri Poppius, 1915. Three new synonyms are proposed: Apolygus atriclavus Kim & Jung, 2016 syn. n. of A. xanthomelas Yasunaga & Yasunaga, 2000, A. josifovi Kim & Jung, 2016 syn. n. of A. subpulchellus (Kerzhner, 1988) and Capsus koreanus Kim & Jung, 2015 syn. n. of C. wagneri Remane, 1950. Dorsal habitus photographs of the newly described or recorded species are presented along with figures of the genitalia of the new species. Keys to Korean genera and to species of Apolygus and Stenotus are provided. Zoogeography of the East Asian Mirini fauna is also discussed., Minsuk Oh, Tomohide Yasunaga, Ram Keshari Duwal, Seunghwan Lee., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The sugarcane borer Diatraea saccharalis is an important pest of sugarcane and ants are one of its main predators. The practice of burning sugarcane straw in situ after harvest has been gradually replaced in Brazil by other practices. However, it is unknown whether ants can control the abundance of this borer in the presence of straw. In this study, we assessed the diversity and species composition of ants attacking different stages of the pest’s life cycle. Specifically, we asked whether the species richness and abundance of ants varies during the course of day and a year. We established one-hectare plots at random locations in a sugarcane plantation. Once a month, we collected 20 samples of each stage of the D. saccharalis life cycle and randomly distributed these samples as bait on plants spaced 20 m apart within a plot. Ants were collected daily in the morning and afternoon over a period of 12 months. We identified several aspects of ant feeding behaviour that may affect their biological control of the borer: (1) the greatest number of ants were collected from baits consisting of the immature stages of the sugarcane borer, (2) ants were most active in the morning and (3) their activity varied from month to month. Solenopsis saevissima and morphotypes of Crematogaster sp.7 and Pheidole sp.35 are potentially important predators of borers in sugarcane crops in which the straw is not burnt., Roseli de Fatima de Oliveira ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) plays a central role in the inflammatory process. In the skin, it contributes to immune containment of tick-transmitted pathogens like Borrelia burgdorferi. In the saliva of some tick species, active compounds are present that inhibit detection of TNF in specific ELISA. We compared the presence of anti-TNF activity in saliva or salivary gland extract from 11 tick species from the family Ixodidae and demonstrated it in genera Ixodes Latreille, 1795 and Haemaphysalis Koch, 1844. Analysis of anti-TNF activity in Ixodes ricinus (Linnaeus, 1758) saliva during the feeding period showed that it is present in the late, rapid phase of engorgement. Significance of anti-TNF activity for tick feeding and transmission of tick-borne pathogens is discussed., Markéta Rezková, Jan Kopecký., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The ability of biocontrol agents to overcome the immune defense of pests is a crucial issue. This is the first study of lysozyme activity as an inducible humoral component of the defense of Schistocerca gregaria, which depends on the recognition of the elicitor molecules of pathogens and not on epidermal wounding or a spiking effect. The level of lysozyme activity in fat body, haemocytes and haemolymph plasma of naïve and immunologically challenged 5th instar S. gregaria was evaluated using the zone of inhibition test against Micrococcus lysodeikticus. Various Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as peptidoglycans (PGN) and lipopolysacchrides (LPS) of bacterial cell walls induce and increase in the level of lysozyme activity. Escherichia coli induced an increase in the level of activity of lysozyme in the fat body, haemocytes and plasma, but not in mid gut epithelium, 6–12 h after an immunological challenge and then it decreased to the constitutive level after 72 h. This study revealed that in S. gregaria there is a constitutive and a bacteria-inducible level of lysozyme activity, which protects it against infection by both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria., Amr A. Mohamed ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
The ants of the genus Protalaridris are revised based upon their morphology. Seven species are recognized; the type species (P. armata Brown, 1980) and six species described as new: P. aculeata Lattke & Alpert, sp. n., P. arhuaca Guerrero, Lattke & Alpert, sp. n., P. bordoni Lattke, sp. n., P. leponcei Delsinne & Lattke, sp. n., P. loxanensis Lattke, sp. n., and P. punctata Lattke, sp. n. The genus is patchily distributed in mesic forested areas from western Panama to northern Venezuela and along the Andes to the Amazon watershed of southwestern Peru. The generic description is modified to accommodate a short-mandibulate species. Sporadic biological observations of one long-mandibulate species suggest they are sit-and-wait ambush predators that open their jaws to approximately 180° when stalking. All species are described and imaged, an identification key and a distribution map is provided. Comparing the mandibular morphology of long-mandibulate Protalaridris with other extant and extinct ants bearing elongate, dorsoanterior arching mandibles suggests the supposed mandibular apex in these taxa is actually a hypertrophied, preapical tooth and their supposed basal mandibular tooth is the main mandibular shaft., John E. Lattke, Thibaut Delsinne, Gary D. Alpert, Roberto J. Guerrero., and Obsahuje bibliografii
A laboratory study was conducted to examine tritrophic effects on the suitability of the peach-potato aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), and tobacco aphid, Myzus persicae nicotianae (Blackman & Eastop), as prey for the two spot ladybird, Adalia bipunctata (L.), when the aphids were reared on either sweet pepper or tobacco. Significant host plant-aphid interactions were evident for every component of development (juvenile survival, developmental time, adult mass at emergence) and reproduction (pre-oviposition period, fecundity, fertility). By almost all measures, the suitability of each aphid species was improved by rearing on its host plant of origin and diminished by rearing on the alternative host plant. The symmetry of the interactions are suggestive of both positive and negative host plant effects on aphid suitability as prey. Whereas M. p. nicotianae may be better able than M. persicae to detoxify the nicotine that is likely responsible for the reduced suitability of M. persicae when reared on tobacco, it appears to have lower nutritive value for A. bipunctata than M. persicae when reared on pepper. Thus, population parameters (R0, rm, l and DT) derived from performance data indicated that M. persicae reared on sweet pepper was the most suitable prey and that the same species reared on tobacco was the least suitable, with other host plant-aphid combinations intermediate., Mohammad A. Jalali, J.P. Michaud., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
We have evaluated the therapeutic effect of a compound mixture of caprylic acid (200 mg/kg fish), organic iron (0.2% of diet) and mannan oligosaccharide (0.4% of diet) in gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata Linnaeus, infected with Sparicotyle chrysophrii Beneden et Hesse, 1863 in controlled conditions. One hundred and ten reared and S. chrysophrii-free fish (197 g) located in a cement tank were infected by the parasite two weeks following the addition of 150 S. chrysophrii-infected fish (70 g). Growth parameters and gill parasitic load were measured in treated against control fish after a ten-week-period. Differences in final weight, feed conversion ratio, specific growth rate and feed efficiency were not statistically significant between the experimental groups, suggesting no evident effect with respect to fish growth during the study period. Although the prevalence of S. chrysophrii was not affected by the mixture at the end of the experiment, the number of adults and larvae was significantly lower. The mean intensity encompassing the number of adults and larvae was 8.1 in treated vs 17.7 in control fish. Individual comparisons of gill arches showed that the preferred parasitism site for S. chrysophrii it the outermost or fourth gill arch, consistently apparent in fish fed the modified diet and in control fish. In conclusion, the combined application of caprylic acid, organic iron and mannan oligosaccharide can significantly affect the evolution of infection with S. chrysophrii in gilthead sea bream, being capable of reducing adult and larval stages of the monogenean. However, no difference in growth improvement was observed after the trial period, potentially leaving space for further optimisation of the added dietary compounds., George Rigos, Ivona Mladineo, Chrysa Nikoloudaki, Anamarija Vrbatovic, Dimitra Kogiannou., and Obsahuje bibliografii