RSS 1.0Life sciences
The Museum’s vast collections of vertebrates, invertebrates, plants and microbes support our staff's unique expertise in evolutionary biology, biodiversity and systematics.
Recent Submissions
-
Goniozus omanensis (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) an important parasitoid of the lesser date moth Batrachedra amydraula Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Batrachedridae) in OmanA new species of bethylid parasitoid wasp, Goniozus omanensis Polaszek sp. n., is described based on morphology and DNA sequence data. The species is currently known only from the lesser date moth Batrachedra amydraula, a pest of economic importance, but can be reared on two factitious host species. G. omanensis is compared with G. swirskiana, known from the same host in Israel. We summarise current knowledge of G. omanensis life-history, and its potential as an agent of biological pest control.
-
Metaphycus macadamiae (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) – a biological control agent of macadamia felted coccid Acanthococcus ironsidei (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae) in HawaiiA new species of encyrtid wasp, Metaphycus macadamiae Polaszek & Noyes sp. n., (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae: Encyrtinae) is described as a solitary endoparasitoid of the invasive macadamia felted coccid, Acanthococcus ironsidei (Hemiptera: Eriococcidae) in Hawaii. This parasitoid is native to Australia, and the species description is based on material collected from a Macadamia integrifolia Maiden & Betche (Proteaceae) plantation in New South Wales, Australia, the native region of the host tree and insect. It is described here because it is a potential biological control agent against this pest where it has recently invaded Hawaii and South Africa.
-
Telenomus nizwaensis (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), an important egg parasitoid of the pomegranate butterfly Deudorix livia Klug (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) in OmanThe pomegranate butterfly Deudorix ( Virachola) livia is the major pest of pomegranate, a crop of economic importance, in Oman. A species of parasitoid wasp in the hymenopteran family Scelionidae is responsible for high levels of mortality of its eggs. This wasp is described herein as Telenomus nizwaensis Polaszek sp. n., based on morphology and DNA sequence data. T. nizwaensis is currently known only from D. livia, which is also a pest of economic importance on other crops in North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Mediterranean. We summarise current knowledge of T. nizwaensis life-history and its potential to provide biological pest control.
-
How to escape from insect egg parasitoids: a review of potential factors explaining parasitoid absence across the InsectaThe egg is the first life stage directly exposed to the environment in oviparous animals, including many vertebrates and most arthropods. Eggs are vulnerable and prone to mortality risks. In arthropods, one of the most common egg mortality factors is attack from parasitoids. Yet, parasitoids that attack the egg stage are absent in more than half of all insect (sub)orders. In this review, we explore possible causes explaining why eggs of some insect taxa are not parasitized. Many insect (sub)orders that are not attacked by egg parasitoids lack herbivorous species, with some notable exceptions. Factors we consider to have led to escape from egg parasitism are parental egg care, rapid egg development, small egg size, hiding eggs, by e.g. placing them into the soil, applying egg coatings or having thick chorions preventing egg penetration, eusociality, and egg cannibalism. A quantitative network analysis of host–parasitoid associations shows that the five most-speciose genera of egg parasitoids display patterns of specificity with respect to certain insect orders, especially Lepidoptera and Hemiptera, largely including herbivorous species that deposit their eggs on plants. Finally, we discuss the many counteradaptations that particularly herbivorous species have developed to lower the risk of attack by egg parasitoids.
-
Draft mitogenomes of the invasive ant Lepisiota frauenfeldi (Mayr 1855) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)We present the draft mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) of two <i>Lepisiota frauenfeldi</i> (Mayr 1855) workers from two separate invasive populations detected in Western Australia (Perth OK569858) and Queensland (Brisbane OK5569859), Australia. The draft mitogenomes ranged between 16,657 and 17,090 bp and contained 37 genes (13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNAs (tRNAs), and two ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes). As with other arthropod mitogenomes, we observed high A + T content (A: 39.4-39.8%, T: 40.55-41.5%). We confirmed the species identity by molecular diagnostics based on the partial mtCOI gene that showed >99% similarity between the Australian populations and other <i>L. frauenfeldi</i> sequences reported to date, and in the process identified putative origins of the invasive populations as Pakistan and India for the WA and Qld incursions respectively that suggested separate introductions.
-
Amplicon Sequencing of Variable 16S rRNA from Bacteria and ITS2 Regions from Fungi and Plants, Reveals Honeybee Susceptibility to Diseases Results from Their Forage Availability under Anthropogenic LandscapesEuropean Apis mellifera and Asian Apis cerana honeybees are essential crop pollinators. Microbiome studies can provide complex information on health and fitness of these insects in relation to environmental changes, and plant availability. Amplicon sequencing of variable regions of the 16S rRNA from bacteria and the internally transcribed spacer (ITS) regions from fungi and plants allow identification of the metabiome. These methods provide a tool for monitoring otherwise uncultured microbes isolated from the gut of the honeybees. They also help monitor the composition of the gut fungi and, intriguingly, pollen collected by the insect. Here, we present data from amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA from bacteria and ITS2 regions from fungi and plants derived from honeybees collected at various time points from anthropogenic landscapes such as urban areas in Poland, UK, Spain, Greece, and Thailand. We have analysed microbial content of honeybee intestine as well as fungi and pollens. Furthermore, isolated DNA was used as the template for screening pathogens: Nosema apis, N. ceranae, N. bombi, tracheal mite (Acarapis woodi), any organism in the parasitic order Trypanosomatida, including Crithidia spp. (i.e., Crithidia mellificae), neogregarines including Mattesia and Apicystis spp. (i.e., Apicistis bombi). We conclude that differences between samples were mainly influenced by the bacteria, plant pollen and fungi, respectively. Moreover, honeybees feeding on a sugar based diet were more prone to fungal pathogens (Nosema ceranae) and neogregarines. In most samples Nosema sp. and neogregarines parasitized the host bee at the same time. A higher load of fungi, and bacteria groups such as Firmicutes (Lactobacillus); γ-proteobacteria, Neisseriaceae, and other unidentified bacteria was observed for Nosema ceranae and neogregarine infected honeybees. Healthy honeybees had a higher load of plant pollen, and bacteria groups such as: Orbales, Gilliamella, Snodgrassella, and Enterobacteriaceae. Finally, the period when honeybees switch to the winter generation (longer-lived forager honeybees) is the most sensitive to diet perturbations, and hence pathogen attack, for the whole beekeeping season. It is possible that evolutionary adaptation of bees fails to benefit them in the modern anthropomorphised environment.
-
The Pupal Pigmentation Pattern and Pupal Development in the Species of Aphytis Howard (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae)Species identification of Aphytis on the basis of adult morphology is extremely difficult, especially in the A. lingnanensis group, with several cryptic species. Pupal pigmentation could be used as one of the taxonomic characters for Aphytis species, and in some instances, pupal pigmentation actually provided the first clue to the distinctness of cryptic Aphytis species. The present study investigated the full-grown larvae or younger pupae of Aphytis species, and pupal pigmentation and pupal development were observed and photographed. Four characteristic pigmentation patterns of Aphytis pupae were summarized including: entirely yellow, partly dark brown, entirely or predominantly black, and partly black. The species in the chilensis and mytilaspidis groups, and some unassigned species, generally have entirely, or predominantly and or partly black pupae. The species in the chrysomphali, funicularis, and proclia groups generally have the pupae entirely yellow. The species of the lingnanensis group have the pupae both entirely yellow, e.g., A. fisheri, and partly dark brown pupae, e.g., A. lingnanensis, A. holoxanthus and A. melinus. The pupae of Aphytis species in this study had a developmental duration of about 5–8 days at 27 ± 1 °C, 70 ± 5% RH and a photoperiod of 10L: 14D. It was found that the pupal skin was always melanized at the beginning stage, generally in the first day, among the pigmented pupae of Aphytis species. As development continued, the pigmentation became darker and the eye colour changed from pale red/brown to green. No significant intra-specific variation in pupal colour pattern was detected despite relatively high numbers of specimens examined, many from multiple, and different, origins. Overall, our study indicates that pupal pigmentation could be more helpful in species identification of Aphytis.
-
Two new species and a new record of the Encarsia longifasciata-group (Hymenoptera, Aphelinidae) from Malaysia and ChinaThe genus Encarsia Förster, 1878, which is the largest genus of the family Aphelinidae, contains 453 valid species worldwide. Most species of Encarsia with known biology are primary endoparasitoids of Aleyrodidae and Diaspididae. Species of the Encarsia longifasciata-group from Malaysia and China are reviewed. This is the first record of this group from Malaysia. Two new species, E. borneensis Geng & Li sp. n. and E. pauroseta Geng & Li sp. n., are described and illustrated. Encarsia longifasciata is newly recorded from Malaysia (Borneo). An updated key to the longifasciata-group species (females) worldwide is provided.
-
Effect of Different Constant Temperatures on Life History and Life Table Parameters of Trichogramma euproctidis (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae)Abstract: Temperature has a profound effect on performance and behavior of egg parasitoids. Egg parasitoids are a well-known alternative for the control of lepidopterous pests. Selected life history parameters of Trichogramma euproctidis (Girault) (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), an established egg parasitoid species in Khuzestan- Southwest Iran, were appraised at eight constant temperatures (22.5, 25, 27.5, 30, 32.5, 35, 37.5, and 40°C) using Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) eggs as the host. We found significant effects of temperature on the number of parasitized eggs, development time, sex ratio, progeny’s longevity, and fecundity. T. euproctidis developed on E. kuehniella eggs at all temperatures tested, but performed best at 32.5°C. At this temperature, they parasitized the most eggs, produced the most female progeny, and had high rates of survival. Our findings revealed that temperature significantly affected the longevity of female progeny and fecundity of T. euproctidis. A life table analysis confirmed that temperature resulted in optimal effects on T. euproctidis life history. Net reproductive rate (R0) of T. euproctidis was different among the temperatures tested. The intrinsic rate of increase (r) was positively correlated with temperature from 22.5 to 32.5°C and then decreased from 35 to 40°C. Generation time (T) and doubling time (DT) decreased as temperature increased from 22.5 to 37.5°C and then increased at 40°C. These data suggest that this strain of T. euproctidis is adapted to high temperatures and harsh environmental conditions and has the potential to be used in integrated management programs in Southwest Iran.
-
Innovation and elaboration on the avian tree of lifeWidely documented, megaevolutionary jumps in phenotypic diversity continue to perplex researchers because it remains unclear whether these marked changes can emerge from microevolutionary processes. Here, we tackle this question using new approaches for modeling multivariate traits to evaluate the magnitude and distribution of elaboration and innovation in the evolution of bird beaks. We find that elaboration, evolution along the major axis of phenotypic change, is common at both macro- and megaevolutionary scales, whereas innovation, evolution away from the major axis of phenotypic change, is more prominent at megaevolutionary scales. The major axis of phenotypic change among species beak shapes at megaevolutionary scales is an emergent property of innovation across clades. Our analyses suggest that the reorientation of phenotypes via innovation is a ubiquitous route for divergence that can arise through gradual change alone, opening up further avenues for evolution to explore.
-
Charting the Course of Pinniped Evolution: insights from molecular phylogeny and fossil record integrationAbstract Pinnipeds (seals, sea lions, walruses, and their fossil relatives) are one of the most successful mammalian clades to live in the oceans. Despite a well-resolved molecular phylogeny and a global fossil record, a complete understanding of their macroevolutionary dynamics remains hampered by a lack of formal analyses that combine these two rich sources of information. We used a meta-analytic approach to infer the most densely sampled pinniped phylogeny to-date (36 recent and 93 fossil taxa) and used phylogenetic paleobiological methods to study their diversification dynamics and biogeographic history. Pinnipeds mostly diversified at constant rates. Walruses however experienced rapid turnover in which extinction rates ultimately exceeded speciation rates from 12-6 Ma, possibly due to changing sea-levels and/or competition with otariids (eared seals). Historical biogeographic analyses including fossil data allowed us to confidently identify the North Pacific and the North Atlantic (plus or minus Paratethys) as the ancestral ranges of Otarioidea (eared seals + walrus) and crown phocids (earless seals), respectively. Yet, despite the novel addition of stem pan-pinniped taxa, the region of origin for Pan-Pinnipedia remained ambiguous. These results suggest further avenues of study in pinnipeds and provide a framework for investigating other groups with substantial extinct and extant diversity.
-
Intraspecific variation in the cochleae of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) and its implications for comparative studies across odontocetesIn morphological traits, variation within species is generally considered to be lower than variation among species, although this assumption is rarely tested. This is particularly important in fields like palaeontology, where it is common to use a single individual as representative of a species due to the rarity of fossils. Here, we investigated intraspecific variation in the cochleae of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena). Interspecific variation of cochlear morphology is well characterised among odontocetes (toothed whales) because of the importance of the structure in echolocation, but generally these studies use only a single cochlea to represent each species. In this study we compare variation within the cochleae of 18 specimens of P. phocoena with variations in cochlear morphology across 51 other odontocete species. Using both 3D landmark and linear measurement data, we performed Generalised Procrustes and principal component analyses to quantify shape variation. We then quantified intraspecific variation in our sample of P. phocoena by estimating disparity and the coefficient of variation for our 3D and linear data respectively. Finally, to determine whether intraspecific variation may confound the results of studies of interspecific variation, we used multivariate and univariate analyses of variance to test whether variation within the specimens of P. phocoena was significantly lower than that across odontocetes. We found low levels of intraspecific variation in the cochleae of P. phocoena, and that cochlear shape within P. phocoena was significantly less variable than across odontocetes. Although future studies should attempt to use multiple cochleae for every species, our results suggest that using just one cochlea for each species should not strongly influence the conclusions of comparative studies if our results are consistent across Cetacea.
-
The dynamic adaptive landscape of cetacean body sizeAdaptive landscapes are central to evolutionary theory, forming a conceptual bridge between micro- and macroevolution.<sup>1</sup><sup>,</sup><sup>2</sup><sup>,</sup><sup>3</sup><sup>,</sup><sup>4</sup> Evolution by natural selection across an adaptive landscape should drive lineages toward fitness peaks, shaping the distribution of phenotypic variation within and among clades over evolutionary timescales.<sup>5</sup> The location and breadth of these peaks in phenotypic space can also evolve,<sup>4</sup> but whether phylogenetic comparative methods can detect such patterns has largely remained unexplored.<sup>6</sup> Here, we characterize the global and local adaptive landscape for total body length in cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and relatives), a trait that spans an order of magnitude, across their ∼53-million-year evolutionary history. Using phylogenetic comparative methods, we analyze shifts in long-term mean body length<sup>7</sup> and directional changes in average trait values<sup>8</sup> for 345 living and fossil cetacean taxa. Remarkably, we find that the global macroevolutionary adaptive landscape of cetacean body length is relatively flat, with very few peak shifts occurring after cetaceans entered the oceans. Local peaks are more numerous and manifest as trends along branches linked to specific adaptations. These results contrast with previous studies using only extant taxa,<sup>9</sup> highlighting the vital role of fossil data for understanding macroevolution.<sup>10</sup><sup>,</sup><sup>11</sup><sup>,</sup><sup>12</sup> Our results indicate that adaptive peaks are dynamic and are associated with subzones of local adaptations, creating moving targets for species adaptation. In addition, we identify limits in our ability to detect some evolutionary patterns and processes and suggest that multiple approaches are required to characterize complex hierarchical patterns of adaptation in deep time.
-
Microchromosome fusions underpin convergent evolution of chameleon karyotypesAbstract Evolutionary shifts in chromosome compositions (karyotypes) are major drivers of lineage and genomic diversification. Fusion of ancestral chromosomes is one hypothesized mechanism for the evolutionary reduction of the total chromosome number, a frequently implied karyotypic shift. Empirical tests of this hypothesis require model systems with variable karyotypes, known chromosome features, and a robust phylogeny. Here we used chameleons, diverse lizards with exceptionally variable karyotypes ($2n=20\text{-}62$), to test whether chromosomal fusions explain the repeated evolution of karyotypes with fewer chromosomes than ancestral karyotypes. Using a multidisciplinary approach including cytogenetic analyses and phylogenetic comparative methods, we found that a model of constant loss through time best explained chromosome evolution across the chameleon phylogeny. Next, we tested whether fusions of microchromosomes into macrochromosomes explained these evolutionary losses using generalized linear models. Multiple comparisons supported microchromosome fusions as the predominant agent of evolutionary loss. We further compared our results to various natural history traits and found no correlations. As such, we infer that the tendency of microchromosomes to fuse was a quality of the ancestral chameleon genome and that the genomic predisposition of ancestors is a more substantive predictor of chromosome change than the ecological, physiological, and biogeographical factors involved in their diversification.
-
Primum non nocere: Technologically advanced non-invasive pheromone traps for sustainable monitoring of the European threatened hermit beetles Osmoderma barnabita / eremita (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)A smart pheromone trap designed for the monitoring of Osmoderma barnabita / eremita has been successfully developed and testedin situ. The trap's design and operational principles allowa photo-recording of the capture moment and logging parameters of air temperature and humidity at the moment of capture. These dataare then seamlessly transmitted to a server via mobile network. The adaptability of environmental parameter recording allows customization to suit specific requirements of a given study. Rigorous testing of these traps within three Natura 2000 sites in Latvia in 2003has substantiated their robust performance and efficiency. Notably, the traps exhibit versatility and can be modified and tailored for monitoring various insect species, utilizing both pheromones and lures as attractants. This innovation holds promise for advancing ecological research and monitoring endeavours pertaining to diverse insect populations.
-
Revisional notes on the genus Microhoria Chevrolat, 1877 (Insecta: Coleoptera: Anthicidae) from the Eastern Mediterranean and Turkey, with new descriptions, an annotated catalogue, and a keyThe species of Microhoria Chevrolat, 1877 from the Eastern Mediterranean including Turkey and Sinai Peninsula, are reviewed, keyed, and catalogued for the first time. Statuschange is proposed for Microhoria rubronotata (Pic, 1896) stat. nov. New synonyms are proposed for Microhoria emaciata (Pic, 1896) (= Anthicus leuthneri var. creticus Pic, 1903 syn. nov.), M. latipennis (Pic, 1892) (= A. leuthneri var. dissimilis Pic, 1897 syn. nov.), M. ottomana (LaFerté-Sénectère, 1849) (= A. tenebricosus Pic, 1897 syn. nov.), and M. rubronotata (Pic, 1896) stat. nov. (= A. humerifer Pic, 1902 syn. nov.). Lectotypes are designated for the following 11 taxa: Microhoria akbesiana (Pic, 1896), M. angulapex (C. Koch, 1935), M. boyadjeani (Pic, 1904), M. corallicollis (Reitter, 1889), M. delagrangei(Pic, 1892), M. emaciata (Pic, 1896), M. inobscura (Pic, 1908), M. ionica (Pic, 1901), M. kaifensis (Pic, 1896), M. rubriceps (Pic, 1896), and M. schmiedeknechti (Pic, 1899). The following ten species new to science are described: Microhoria bremeri sp. nov., M. capreolus Telnov & Degiovanni sp. nov., M. janssoni sp. nov., M. machairodus Telnov & Degiovanni sp. nov., M. punctatissima sp. nov., M. quercus sp. nov., M. walkeri sp. nov. (all from Turkey), M. muehlei Telnov & Degiovanni sp. nov., M. orbitalis sp. nov. (both from Iran), and M. paxvobiscum sp. nov. (Iraq). Taxonomic status of Anthicus terminatus var. latebrunneus Pic, 1901 is discussed. Illustrations of numerous taxa are provided for the first time. In total, 41 species confirmed from the Eastern Mediterranean and records of another six species require further confirmation. In addition, several new faunistic records are provided.
-
A new subspecies of Boletoxenus mixtus Grimm, 2014 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Tenebrioninae)Boletoxenus mixtus dynastes ssp. nov., a new subspecies of mycetophagous Bolitophagini darkling beetles from mainland SE Asia, is described and illustrated.
-
New and poorly-known taxa of Lagriinae Latreille, 1825 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) predominantly from the collections of the Naturkundemuseum Erfurt. 1In the present paper, the following nine new species from the subfamily Lagriinae are described and illustrated: Acutogria weigeli, Bothrichara dani, B. doberai, B. skalei, Oreogria astrapia, Xenocerogria koteka spp. nov. (all from New Guinea), Arthromacra anoulak sp. nov. (Laos), Bothynogria annamita sp. nov. (Vietnam) and Cerogria s. l. critica sp. nov. (Sulawesi). Cerogria (Drepanomela) cribratula (Schaufuss, 1887) (Sulawesi) is redescribed, and a lectotype designation is made for this species. New records presented for three poorly known Papuan and one Indian Subcontinent species. A brief discussion on generic features of some of the new taxa is presented.
-
A new, remarkable Chlorophila Semenov, 1891 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Lagriinae) from ChinaChlorophila Semenov, 1891 is a small genus of emerald-green Lagriinae Latreille, 1825: Tenebrionidae Latreille, 1802 restricted to the mountain systems of China, the Himalayas, and northern Indochina. In the present paper a remarkable new species, Chlorophila gemma sp. nov. from mainland China, is described and illustrated.
-
Quantitative photography for rapid, reliable measurement of marine macro‐plastic pollutionAbstract Plastics are now ubiquitous in the environment and have been studied in wildlife and in ecosystems for more than 50 years. Measurement of size, shape and colour data for individual fragments of plastic is labour‐intensive, unreliable and prone to observer bias, particularly when it comes to assessment of colour, which relies on arbitrary and inconsistently defined colour categorisations. There is a clear need for a standard method for data collection on plastic pollution, particularly one that can be readily automated given the number of samples involved. This study describes a new method for standardised photography of marine plastics in the 1–100 mm size range (meso‐ and macro‐plastics), including colour correction to account for any image‐to‐image variation in lighting that may impact colour reproduction or apparent brightness. Automated image analysis is then applied to detect individual fragments of plastic for quantitative measurement of size, shape, and colour. The method was tested on 3793 fragments of debris ingested by Flesh‐footed Shearwaters (Ardenna carneipes) on Lord Howe Island, Australia, and compare results from photos taken in two separate locations using different equipment. Photos were acquired of up to 250 fragments at a time with a spatial resolution of 70 μm/pixel and were colour‐corrected using a reference chart to ensure accurate reproduction of colour. The automated image analysis pipeline was found to have a 98% success rate at detecting fragments, and the different size and shape parameters that can be outputted by the pipeline were compared in terms of usefulness. The evidence shown in this study should strongly encourage the uptake of this method for cataloguing macro‐scale plastic pollution, as it provides substantially higher quality data with accurate, reliable measurements of size, shape and colour for individual plastics that can be readily compared between disparate datasets.
