Our study focuses on a series of biological characteristics that Anomalochrysa hepatica exhibits; herein, we compare these features with those expressed by two other species within the endemic Hawaiian lacewing genus. Some of the characteristics (No. 2-3, below) vary greatly among the three congeners and may be of phylogenetic importance; others (No. 1, below) probably are not. Our study showed the following: (1) Developmental response to temperature. Anomalochrysa hepatica's developmental rates under a range of temperatures parallel those of the congener A. maclachlani, but A. hepatica's thermal threshold is lower. It is possible that both species' developmental responses to temperature are subject to considerable geographic variation and thus are of little phylogenetic significance at the species level. (2) Larval color change. Third instars of A. hepatica undergo a striking color change as they mature. In expressing this trait, A. hepatica resembles its closely related congener, A. maclachlani, but differs from the more distantly related congener, A. frater. This color change may have phylogenetic importance. (3) Reproductive behavior. Courtship and mating in Anomalochrysa comprise a consistent sequence of behavioral elements, some of which differ among the three species. For example, during courtship, A. hepatica produces readily audible clicks that are associated with forward flicking of the forewings; in A. maclachlani, readily audible clicking occurs with simultaneous flicking of the fore- and hind wings; in A. frater wing-flicking is present but we did not perceive audible clicks. Some of the interspecific variation in mating behavior may also involve specific morphological modifications; aspects of both the behavioral and morphological variation may provide useful characters for phylogenetic study. (4) Oviposition and rates of egg survival in the field. Unlike other Chrysopidae, endemic Hawaiian Anomalochrysa, including A. hepatica, typically lay unstalked eggs; however, species vary in their patterns of egg laying. Both A. hepatica and A. maclachlani deposit clustered eggs, whereas A. frater lays eggs singly. In nature, the average rate of hatching per A. hepatica egg mass was ~75%. Several species of introduced predators and a species of trichogrammatid parasitoid attacked these eggs.
Accurate Batesian mimicry is known to impose constraints on some traits of the mimic, such as foraging or reproductive behaviour. It is not known whether life-history traits of inaccurate Batesian mimics are constrained as well. We studied selected life-history traits of three spider species, Liophrurillus flavitarsis, Phrurolithus festivus (both Corinnidae), and Micaria sociabilis (Gnaphosidae), that are inaccurate mimics of ants. Namely, we were interested in how myrmecomorphy (ant-like resemblance) constrains their circadian activity, trophic niche and reproductive behaviour. The spiders were found to have diurnal activity like their models, whereas their close relatives have nocturnal activity. The three mimics do not catch ants, nor do they use food resources of ants, but catch various tiny invertebrates that occur in the vicinity of their models. Their trophic niche seems to be constrained by occurrence among ants. Absence of courtship and long lasting copulation, in a position that does not provide protective resemblance, do not seem to be constrained by mimicry in the three species. Comparative analysis of fecundity in mimetic and non-mimetic spiders showed that clutch size is also not constrained. Unlike in accurate mimics, life-history traits of inaccurate myrmecomorphs appear not to be constrained. and Stano Pekár, Martin Jarab.
The blister beetle genus Teratolytta, belonging to the tribe Lyttini, is revised and a classification is proposed. Two main sections of the genus - one including five groups of species and the other three groups - are tentatively defined. Four new species from Eastern and Southern Anatolia are described (T. carlae sp. n., T. dvoraki sp. n., T. monticola sp. n., T. taurica sp. n.), and a key to the 17 recognized species is proposed. A diagnosis of the species as well as taxonomic remarks are proposed, and a catalogue of localities is presented. In particular, Teratolytta tricolor (Haag-Rutenberg, 1880) comb. n. is re-established as a distinct species, T. cooensis G. Müller, 1936 is confirmed as a synonym of T. gentilis (Frivaldszky, 1877), T. bytinskii Kaszab, 1957 as a synonym of T. senilis (Abeille de Perrin, 1895), and T. holzschuhi Dvořák, 1983 is proposed as a synonym of T. eylandti Semenow, 1894; some infraspecific forms are referred to the variability of T. gentilis and T. flavipes (Mulsant & Rey, 1858). The first instar larva of T. gentilis is described and figured, and the sexual behaviour of this species is also briefly studied.