Determining the genomic structure of diapause-associated transcripts (DAT) -2 and -3 led to the isolation of four novel miniature subterminal inverted repeat-like elements (MSITE): Mild-1, -2, -3 and -4. Mild-1a is inserted within the first intron of diapause protein-1. Mild-1a is 284 bp in length, has a 14 bp target site duplication and three sets of subterminal inverted repeats. The second element, Mild-2a, is inserted within the 3' terminus of Mild-1a. Mild-2a is 29 bp long with a 3 bp target site duplication and one set of subterminal inverted repeats. Using primers based on Mild-1, genomic clones were developed leading to the isolation of Mild-3a. Mild-3a shares 60% identity with Mild-1a, is 253 bp long, has a 9 bp target site duplication and has one set of subterminal inverted repeats. Mild-4a is inserted within the first intron of DAT-2 and is 227 bp in length with a 12 bp target site duplication. Mild-4a appears to be an intermediate form between a miniature inverted repeat transposable element (MITE) and a MSITE because the 5' inverted repeat is terminal (i.e., adjacent to the target site duplication) as in MITEs, but the 3' inverted repeat is separated (in this case, by 33 bp) from the 3' target site duplication as in MSITEs. The target site duplications of Mild-1, -3 and -4 families share a common conserved core of AATTT. All of the transposable elements are AT rich and are able to form hairpin structures. Within the promoter region of DAT-3 is a 163 bp sequence (Mild-1b) that shares 77% identity to the 3' terminus of Mild-1a. Mild-4a has identity to 25 and 53 bp regions within the promoter of the juvenile hormone esterase B gene. Southern blot analysis revealed the presence of Mild-1 and -3 elements in both Leptinotarsa decemlineata and Leptinotarsa juncta indicating that these elements are ancestral to the L. decemlineata, L. juncta separation. and George D. Yocum, Michelle J. Toutges, Richard L. Roehrdanz, Preston J. Dihle.
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
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
Larvae and adults of Korynetes caeruleus (de Geer 1775) (Coleoptera: Cleridae) were collected from old churches and reared in the laboratory on Anobium punctatum (de Geer 1774) (Coleoptera: Ptinidae). Breeding success of K. caeruleus was low, but basic parameters of this species' developmental cycle were identified. At 21°C and 75% relative humidity and a four-month cold period at 4°C, the development of K. caeruleus from egg to adult appearance lasted 2 years. The pupal stage may be reached and completed after one and a half years. Feeding on larvae of A. punctatum by larvae of K. caeruleus was observed and consisted of a combination of sucking haemolymph and consuming body parts. The sickle-like mandibles of larvae of K. caeruleus penetrate the cuticle of prey larvae; this is followed by pumping and sucking body movements. Adult beetles of A. punctatum were not attacked by K. caeruleus larvae. Feeding behaviour of adult K. caeruleus was not investigated.
Larvae of 13 species of the bembidiine subtribes Tachyina (the genera Tachyta Kirby, Tachys Dejean, Polyderis Motschulsky, Elaphropus Motschulsky, Sphaerotachys G. Müller, Paratachys Casey, Porotachys Netolitzky) and Xystosomina (the genus Mioptachys Bates) were studied. Larvae of all studied taxa are described, diagnosed and illustrated. A key to genera is provided separately for the first- and older-instar larvae. Monophyly and phylogenetic position of the subtribes and genera are discussed on the basis of presumably apomorphic character states of larvae. Based on at least six synapomorphic character states the subtribes Tachyina and Xystosomina appear to form a monophyletic group. On the other hand, there are no synapomorphies to propose a sister-group relationship between Tachyina and Xystosomina within the supertribe Trechitae.
Morphology of mature larvae of two Central European species of Scydmaenus Latreille is described and illustrated: S. (s. str.) tarsatus Müller & Kunze and S. (Cholerus) hellwigii (Herbst). Inaccuracies in previous descriptions of S. tarsatus are discussed and the following combination of characters is defined as diagnostic for Scydmaenus: epicranial sutures reaching posteromedian margins of antennal insertions; presence of a single pair of stemmata and epicranial supraantennal pits; anterior row of subtriangular teeth on epipharynx; mandibles falciform and without mesal teeth; antennomere 3 rudimentary; antennal sensory appendage subconical and asymmetrical; maxilla with galea and lacinia; labium strongly constricted between mentum and prementum; thoracic tergites undivided along midline; head capsule, thoracic tergites, laterotergites and abdominal segments except sternite 1 densely setose; thoracic sternites and abdominal sternite1 largely asetose; and lack of urogomphi. We also describe the feeding behaviour of immature S. tarsatus and demonstrate for the first time that Scydmaeninae larvae can feed on live springtails and not armoured mites. In the introduction we provide a summary of the literature on all hitherto known preimaginal stages of Scydmaeninae., Pawel Jaloszynski, Aleksandra Kilian., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
The influence of female mating status on ovarian development of the ladybird, Propylea dissecta (Mulsant) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), was investigated under laboratory conditions. We assessed the extent to which ovariole development was affected by mating and for that we initially created a base line by observing age specific ovariole development. Results show that the number of follicles in each ovariole increased with the age of both virgin and mated females up to the age of 3 days, thereafter, no increase in number of follicles was recorded. Ovariole width also increased with age in both virgin and mated females up to 4 days, thereafter, no increase in ovariole width was recorded. The ovariole width of mated females was significantly greater than that of virgin females. Egg maturation and the egg load started to increase at the age of 8 days in virgin females. Thereafter, it increased with increase in female age. While in mated females, immature eggs were recorded in their ovarioles from the age of 1 to 2 days. In mated females, however, the increase in the number of mature eggs per ovariole and egg load started when they were 3 days old. Egg load continuously increased with increasing female age., Mhd Shahid, Arshi Siddiqui, Omkar, Geetanjali Mishra., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The Asian ladybird Harmonia axyridis is an invasive insect in Europe and the Americas and is a great threat to the environment in invaded areas. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that non native species are resistant to many groups of parasites that attack native insects. However, very little is known about the complex microbial community associated with this insect. This study based on sequencing 16S rRNA genes in extracted metagenomic DNA is the first research on the bacterial flora associated with H. axyridis. Lady beetles were collected during hibernation from wind turbines in Poland. A mean ± SD of 114 ± 35 species of bacteria were identified. The dominant phyla of bacteria recorded associated with H. axyridis were Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. Representatives of these phyla are common in the environment, e.g. in the soil, and are often identified as the dominant bacteria associated with arthropods. We also identified animal pathogenic bacteria, such as Burkholderia, Rhodococcus, Chlamydiae and Anaplasmataceae spp. (Neorickettsia helminthoeca and Ehrlichia ovina). We also identified Wolbachia pipientis in a single beetle. This bacterium is a causative agent of reproductive alterations in arthropods. These results support the enemy release hypothesis in the case of this ladybird invasion. Pathogenic bacteria were recorded in only a few samples. Moreover, male-killing bacteria such as Spiroplasma spp., Wolbachia spp. and Rickettsia spp. were only recorded in single insects so they cannot be responsible for the observed alterations in the sex-ratio of the ladybird population studied., Krzysztof Dudek, Kinga Humińska, Jacek Wojciechowicz, Piotr Tryjanowski., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Several studies have demonstrated that the invasive ladybird Harmonia axyridis is a strong intra-guild predator of native species of ladybird. Laboratory studies have shown that H. axyridis can be an intra-guild predator of aphid predators other than coccinellids, including the hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus and lacewing Chrysoperla carnea. However, little is known about the effect of intra-guild predation (IGP) by H. axyridis on hoverfly and lacewing populations in the field. In the present study molecular analyses were used to detect the DNA of E. balteatus and C. carnea in the gut contents of H. axyridis. Primers for the syrphid and chrysopid prey were designed and feeding experiments performed to determine how long prey DNA remains detectable in the guts of this ladybird. DNA detection was influenced by the life stage of the predator and species of prey. Meal size did not affect detection time, except when fourth instar individuals of H. axyridis were fed 10 eggs or one second instar of C. carnea. Predator weight, sex and morpho-type (melanic/non-melanic) did not influence DNA detection. The half-life of the time for which the DNA of the prey remained detectable was calculated for each predator-prey combination, and ranged from 8.9 to 52.4 h. This method can be used to study the ecological importance of IGP by H. axyridis on aphidophagous predators other than coccinellids in the field., Brecht Ingels ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje seznam literatury