The Various Means by Which Nature Prevents an Excessiveincrease Of
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Diptera: Calyptratae)
Systematic Entomology (2020), DOI: 10.1111/syen.12443 Protein-encoding ultraconserved elements provide a new phylogenomic perspective of Oestroidea flies (Diptera: Calyptratae) ELIANA BUENAVENTURA1,2 , MICHAEL W. LLOYD2,3,JUAN MANUEL PERILLALÓPEZ4, VANESSA L. GONZÁLEZ2, ARIANNA THOMAS-CABIANCA5 andTORSTEN DIKOW2 1Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany, 2National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, U.S.A., 3The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME, U.S.A., 4Department of Biological Sciences, Wright State University, Dayton, OH, U.S.A. and 5Department of Environmental Science and Natural Resources, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain Abstract. The diverse superfamily Oestroidea with more than 15 000 known species includes among others blow flies, flesh flies, bot flies and the diverse tachinid flies. Oestroidea exhibit strikingly divergent morphological and ecological traits, but even with a variety of data sources and inferences there is no consensus on the relationships among major Oestroidea lineages. Phylogenomic inferences derived from targeted enrichment of ultraconserved elements or UCEs have emerged as a promising method for resolving difficult phylogenetic problems at varying timescales. To reconstruct phylogenetic relationships among families of Oestroidea, we obtained UCE loci exclusively derived from the transcribed portion of the genome, making them suitable for larger and more integrative phylogenomic studies using other genomic and transcriptomic resources. We analysed datasets containing 37–2077 UCE loci from 98 representatives of all oestroid families (except Ulurumyiidae and Mystacinobiidae) and seven calyptrate outgroups, with a total concatenated aligned length between 10 and 550 Mb. About 35% of the sampled taxa consisted of museum specimens (2–92 years old), of which 85% resulted in successful UCE enrichment. -
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Egypt. Acad. J. biolog. Sci., 1(2): 109 - 123 (2008) E. mail. [email protected] ISSN: 1687 – 8809 Received: 20/10/ 2008 Biochemical differences between the virgin queens and workers of the Ant, Camponotus maculatus (Fabricius) Laila Sayed Hamouda Department of Entomology , Faculty of Science , Ain Shams Univ., Cairo , Egypt. ABSTRACT The present data showed that the activities of all the tested enzymes except acetylcholinesterase (α,β-esterases, acid phosphatase and glutathione S-transeferase) were significantly higher in the whole body homogenates of the virgin queens ant, Camponotus maculatus (Fabricius) than that recorded for the workers. Also, the concentration of total soluble proteins of the virgin queens was higher than of workers. These proteins were electrophoretically separated into 22 bands (258.6 to 35.4KDa) in the virgin queen samples while they were separated into 19 bands (216.7 to 35.4KDa) in the worker samples. Ten protein bands were common between the two castes (108.1, 103.9, 99.8, 94.6, 63.7, 61.3, 55.9, 48.1, 40.6 and 35.4KDa) and the remaining bands were characteristic for each caste .Finally, there was difference in the genomic DNA of the two studied castes. Key words: Differentiation – Queen – Worker – Enzymes – SDS Electrophoresis –DNA– Ants INTRODUCTION Ants are social insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related families of wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. The highly organized colonies and nests of ants consist of millions of individuals. They are mostly sterile females (workers, soldiers, and other castes) with some fertile males (drones) and one or more fertile females (queens).Ants dominate most ecosystems, forming 15-20% of the terrestrial animal biomass .Their success has been attributed to their social structure, ability to modify their habitats, tap resources and defend themselves (Ant- Wikipedia ,the free encyclopedia). -
A Molecular Phylogeny of Equatorial African Lacertidae, with the Description of a New Genus and Species from Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo
Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 163, 913–942. With 7 figures A molecular phylogeny of Equatorial African Lacertidae, with the description of a new genus and species from eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo ELI GREENBAUM1*, CESAR O. VILLANUEVA1, CHIFUNDERA KUSAMBA2, MWENEBATU M. ARISTOTE3 and WILLIAM R. BRANCH4,5 1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, 500 West University Avenue, El Paso, TX 79968, USA 2Laboratoire d’Herpétologie, Département de Biologie, Centre de Recherche en Sciences Naturelles, Lwiro, République Démocratique du Congo 3Institut Superieur d’Ecologie pour la Conservation de la Nature, Katana Campus, Sud Kivu, République Démocratique du Congo 4Bayworld, P.O. Box 13147, Humewood 6013, South Africa 5Research Associate, Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa Received 25 July 2010; revised 21 November 2010; accepted for publication 18 January 2011 Currently, four species of the lacertid lizard genus Adolfus are known from Central and East Africa. We sequenced up to 2825 bp of two mitochondrial [16S and cytochrome b (cyt b)] and two nuclear [(c-mos (oocyte maturation factor) and RAG1 (recombination activating gene 1)] genes from 41 samples of Adolfus (representing every species), two species each of Gastropholis and Holaspis, and in separate analyses combined these data with GenBank sequences of all other Eremiadini genera and four Lacertini outgroups. Data from DNA sequences were analysed with maximum parsimony (PAUP), maximum-likelihood (RAxML) and Bayesian inference (MrBayes) criteria. Results demonstrated that Adolfus is not monophyletic: Adolfus africanus (type species), Adolfus alleni, and Adolfus jacksoni are sister taxa, whereas Adolfus vauereselli and a new species from the Itombwe Plateau of Democratic Republic of the Congo are in a separate lineage. -
Lasius Fuliginosus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Shapes Local Ant Assemblages
NORTH-WESTERN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 10 (2): 404-412 ©NwjZ, Oradea, Romania, 2014 Article No.: 141104 http://biozoojournals.ro/nwjz/index.html Lasius fuliginosus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) shapes local ant assemblages Piotr ŚLIPIŃSKI1,*, Bálint MARKÓ2, Kamil RZESZOWSKI1, Hanna BABIK1 and Wojciech CZECHOWSKI1 1. Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wilcza 64, 00-679 Warsaw, Poland, E-mails: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]. 2. Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Clinicilor str. 5-7, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania, E-mail: [email protected]. * Corresponding author, P. Ślipiński, E-mail: [email protected] Received: 20. December 2013 / Accepted: 22. March 2014 / Available online: 17. October 2014 / Printed: December 2014 Abstract. Interspecific competition is a major structuring force in ant assemblages. The assemblages are organized hierarchically, with territorial species as top competitors. In boreal areas and in the temperate deciduous forest biome common territorials are species of the subgenus Formica s. str. They are well known for their negative impact on lower-ranked ant species. Less is known, though the structuring role of Lasius fuliginosus, another territorial ant species. Some earlier studies have shown or suggested that it may restrictively affect subordinate species (including direct predation toward them) even stronger than wood ants do. In the present study we compared species compositions and nest densities of subordinate ant species within and outside territories of L. fuliginosus. The results obtained confirmed that this species visibly impoverishes both qualitatively (reduced species richness, altered dominance structures) and quantitatively (decreased nest densities) ant assemblages within its territories. -
Disaggregation of Bird Families Listed on Cms Appendix Ii
Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals 2nd Meeting of the Sessional Committee of the CMS Scientific Council (ScC-SC2) Bonn, Germany, 10 – 14 July 2017 UNEP/CMS/ScC-SC2/Inf.3 DISAGGREGATION OF BIRD FAMILIES LISTED ON CMS APPENDIX II (Prepared by the Appointed Councillors for Birds) Summary: The first meeting of the Sessional Committee of the Scientific Council identified the adoption of a new standard reference for avian taxonomy as an opportunity to disaggregate the higher-level taxa listed on Appendix II and to identify those that are considered to be migratory species and that have an unfavourable conservation status. The current paper presents an initial analysis of the higher-level disaggregation using the Handbook of the Birds of the World/BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World Volumes 1 and 2 taxonomy, and identifies the challenges in completing the analysis to identify all of the migratory species and the corresponding Range States. The document has been prepared by the COP Appointed Scientific Councilors for Birds. This is a supplementary paper to COP document UNEP/CMS/COP12/Doc.25.3 on Taxonomy and Nomenclature UNEP/CMS/ScC-Sc2/Inf.3 DISAGGREGATION OF BIRD FAMILIES LISTED ON CMS APPENDIX II 1. Through Resolution 11.19, the Conference of Parties adopted as the standard reference for bird taxonomy and nomenclature for Non-Passerine species the Handbook of the Birds of the World/BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World, Volume 1: Non-Passerines, by Josep del Hoyo and Nigel J. Collar (2014); 2. -
Notes on Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Gambia (Western Africa)
ANNALS OF THE UPPER SILESIAN MUSEUM IN BYTOM ENTOMOLOGY Vol. 26 (online 010): 1–13 ISSN 0867-1966, eISSN 2544-039X (online) Bytom, 08.05.2018 LECH BOROWIEC1, SEBASTIAN SALATA2 Notes on ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Gambia (Western Africa) http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1243767 1 Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Taxonomy, University of Wrocław, Przybyszewskiego 65, 51-148 Wrocław, Poland e-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Abstract: A list of 35 ant species or morphospecies collected in Gambia is presented, 9 of them are recorded for the first time from the country:Camponotus cf. vividus, Crematogaster cf. aegyptiaca, Dorylus nigricans burmeisteri SHUCKARD, 1840, Lepisiota canescens (EMERY, 1897), Monomorium cf. opacum, Monomorium cf. salomonis, Nylanderia jaegerskioeldi (MAYR, 1904), Technomyrmex pallipes (SMITH, 1876), and Trichomyrmex abyssinicus (FOREL, 1894). A checklist of 82 ant species recorded from Gambia is given. Key words: ants, faunistics, Gambia, new country records. INTRODUCTION Ants fauna of Gambia (West Africa) is poorly known. Literature data, AntWeb and other Internet resources recorded only 59 species from this country. For comparison from Senegal, which surrounds three sides of Gambia, 89 species have been recorded so far. Both of these records seem poor when compared with 654 species known from the whole western Africa (SHUCKARD 1840, ANDRÉ 1889, EMERY 1892, MENOZZI 1926, SANTSCHI 1939, LUSH 2007, ANTWIKI 2017, ANTWEB 2017, DIAMÉ et al. 2017, TAYLOR 2018). Most records from Gambia come from general web checklists of species. Unfortunately, they lack locality data, date of sampling, collector name, coordinates of the locality and notes on habitats. -
Nutritional Ecology of the Carpenter Ant Camponotus Pennsylvanicus (De Geer): Macronutrient Preference and Particle Consumption
Nutritional Ecology of the Carpenter Ant Camponotus pennsylvanicus (De Geer): Macronutrient Preference and Particle Consumption Colleen A. Cannon Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Entomology Richard D. Fell, Chairman Jeffrey R. Bloomquist Richard E. Keyel Charles Kugler Donald E. Mullins June 12, 1998 Blacksburg, Virginia Keywords: diet, feeding behavior, food, foraging, Formicidae Copyright 1998, Colleen A. Cannon Nutritional Ecology of the Carpenter Ant Camponotus pennsylvanicus (De Geer): Macronutrient Preference and Particle Consumption Colleen A. Cannon (ABSTRACT) The nutritional ecology of the black carpenter ant, Camponotus pennsylvanicus (De Geer) was investigated by examining macronutrient preference and particle consumption in foraging workers. The crops of foragers collected in the field were analyzed for macronutrient content at two-week intervals through the active season. Choice tests were conducted at similar intervals during the active season to determine preference within and between macronutrient groups. Isolated individuals and small social groups were fed fluorescent microspheres in the laboratory to establish the fate of particles ingested by workers of both castes. Under natural conditions, foragers chiefly collected carbohydrate and nitrogenous material. Carbohydrate predominated in the crop and consisted largely of simple sugars. A small amount of glycogen was present. Carbohydrate levels did not vary with time. Lipid levels in the crop were quite low. The level of nitrogen compounds in the crop was approximately half that of carbohydrate, and exhibited seasonal dependence. Peaks in nitrogen foraging occurred in June and September, months associated with the completion of brood rearing in Camponotus. -
Larvae of the Green Lacewing Mallada Desjardinsi (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) Protect Themselves Against Aphid-Tending Ants by Carrying Dead Aphids on Their Backs
Appl Entomol Zool (2011) 46:407–413 DOI 10.1007/s13355-011-0053-y ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER Larvae of the green lacewing Mallada desjardinsi (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) protect themselves against aphid-tending ants by carrying dead aphids on their backs Masayuki Hayashi • Masashi Nomura Received: 6 March 2011 / Accepted: 11 May 2011 / Published online: 28 May 2011 Ó The Japanese Society of Applied Entomology and Zoology 2011 Abstract Larvae of the green lacewing Mallada desj- Introduction ardinsi Navas are known to place dead aphids on their backs. To clarify the protective role of the carried dead Many ants tend myrmecophilous homopterans such as aphids against ants and the advantages of carrying them for aphids and scale insects, and utilize the secreted honeydew lacewing larvae on ant-tended aphid colonies, we carried as a sugar resource; in return, the homopterans receive out some laboratory experiments. In experiments that beneficial services from the tending ants (Way 1963; Breton exposed lacewing larvae to ants, approximately 40% of the and Addicott 1992; Nielsen et al. 2010). These mutualistic larvae without dead aphids were killed by ants, whereas no interactions between ants and homopterans reduce the larvae carrying dead aphids were killed. The presence of survival and abundance of other arthropods, including the dead aphids did not affect the attack frequency of the non-honeydew-producing herbivores and other predators ants. When we introduced the lacewing larvae onto plants (Bristow 1984; Buckley 1987; Suzuki et al. 2004; Kaplan colonized by ant-tended aphids, larvae with dead aphids and Eubanks 2005), because the tending ants become more stayed for longer on the plants and preyed on more aphids aggressive and attack arthropods that they encounter on than larvae without dead aphids. -
List of Indian Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Himender Bharti
List of Indian Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Himender Bharti Department of Zoology, Punjabi University, Patiala, India - 147002. (email: [email protected]/[email protected]) (www.antdiversityindia.com) Abstract Ants of India are enlisted herewith. This has been carried due to major changes in terms of synonymies, addition of new taxa, recent shufflings etc. Currently, Indian ants are represented by 652 valid species/subspecies falling under 87 genera grouped into 12 subfamilies. Keywords: Ants, India, Hymenoptera, Formicidae. Introduction The following 652 valid species/subspecies of myrmecology. This species list is based upon the ants are known to occur in India. Since Bingham’s effort of many ant collectors as well as Fauna of 1903, ant taxonomy has undergone major myrmecologists who have published on the taxonomy changes in terms of synonymies, discovery of new of Indian ants and from inputs provided by taxa, shuffling of taxa etc. This has lead to chaotic myrmecologists from other parts of world. However, state of affairs in Indian scenario, many lists appeared the other running/dynamic list continues to appear on web without looking into voluminous literature on http://www.antweb.org/india.jsp, which is which has surfaced in last many years and currently periodically updated and contains information about the pace at which new publications are appearing in new/unconfirmed taxa, still to be published or verified. Subfamily Genus Species and subspecies Aenictinae Aenictus 28 Amblyoponinae Amblyopone 3 Myopopone -
Blow Fly (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in Thailand: Distribution, Morphological Identification and Medical Importance Appraisals
International Journal of Parasitology Research ISSN: 0975-3702 & E-ISSN: 0975-9182, Volume 4, Issue 1, 2012, pp.-57-64. Available online at http://www.bioinfo.in/contents.php?id=28. BLOW FLY (DIPTERA: CALLIPHORIDAE) IN THAILAND: DISTRIBUTION, MORPHOLOGICAL IDENTIFICATION AND MEDICAL IMPORTANCE APPRAISALS NOPHAWAN BUNCHU Department of Microbiology and Parasitology and Centre of Excellence in Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Muang, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand. *Corresponding Author: Email- [email protected] Received: April 03, 2012; Accepted: April 12, 2012 Abstract- The blow fly is considered to be a medically-important insect worldwide. This review is a compilation of the currently known occur- rence of blow fly species in Thailand, the fly’s medical importance and its morphological identification in all stages. So far, the 93 blow fly species identified belong to 9 subfamilies, including Subfamily Ameniinae, Calliphoridae, Luciliinae, Phumosiinae, Polleniinae, Bengaliinae, Auchmeromyiinae, Chrysomyinae and Rhiniinae. There are nine species including Chrysomya megacephala, Chrysomya chani, Chrysomya pinguis, Chrysomya bezziana, Achoetandrus rufifacies, Achoetandrus villeneuvi, Ceylonomyia nigripes, Hemipyrellia ligurriens and Lucilia cuprina, which have been documented already as medically important species in Thailand. According to all cited reports, C. megacephala is the most abundant species. Documents related to morphological identification of all stages of important blow fly species and their medical importance also are summarized, based upon reports from only Thailand. Keywords- Blow fly, Distribution, Identification, Medical Importance, Thailand Citation: Nophawan Bunchu (2012) Blow fly (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in Thailand: Distribution, Morphological Identification and Medical Im- portance Appraisals. International Journal of Parasitology Research, ISSN: 0975-3702 & E-ISSN: 0975-9182, Volume 4, Issue 1, pp.-57-64. -
Systematics of Zoothera Thrushes, and a Synthesis of True Thrush Molecular Systematic Relationships
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 49 (2008) 377–381 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/ympev Short Communication Systematics of Zoothera thrushes, and a synthesis of true thrush molecular systematic relationships Gary Voelker a,*, John Klicka b a Department of Biology, University of Memphis, 3700 Walker Avenue, Memphis, TN 38152, USA b Barrick Museum of Natural History, Box 454012, University of Nevada Las Vegas, 4504 Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89154-4012, USA 1. Introduction Questions regarding inter-specific relationships remain within both Catharus and Myadestes. At the inter-generic level, Klicka The true thrushes (Turdinae; Sibley and Monroe, 1990) are a et al. (2005) conducted analyses of true thrush relationships, using speciose lineage of songbirds, with a near-cosmopolitan distribu- the Sialia–Myadestes–Neocossyphus clade (hereafter referred to as tion. Following the systematic placement of true thrushes as a the ‘‘Sialia clade”) as the outgroup. While clearly a true thrush line- close relative of Old World flycatchers and chats (Muscicapinae) age, the Sialia clade is very divergent from other true thrush lin- by the DNA–DNA hybridization work of Sibley and Ahlquist eages. Homoplasy caused by the use of this divergent clade as a (1990), a number of molecular systematic studies have focused root could explain at least some of the as yet unresolved inter-gen- on various aspects of true thrush relationships. These studies have eric relationships within true thrushes. included phylogenetic assessments of genera membership in true Our main objective in this study is to use dense taxon sampling thrushes, assessments of relationships among and within true across true thrushes to resolve inter- and intra-generic relation- thrush genera, and the recognition of ‘‘new” species (Bowie et al., ships that remain unclear. -
Nest Site Selection During Colony Relocation in Yucatan Peninsula Populations of the Ponerine Ants Neoponera Villosa (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
insects Article Nest Site Selection during Colony Relocation in Yucatan Peninsula Populations of the Ponerine Ants Neoponera villosa (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Franklin H. Rocha 1, Jean-Paul Lachaud 1,2, Yann Hénaut 1, Carmen Pozo 1 and Gabriela Pérez-Lachaud 1,* 1 El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Conservación de la Biodiversidad, Avenida Centenario km 5.5, Chetumal 77014, Quintana Roo, Mexico; [email protected] (F.H.R.); [email protected] (J.-P.L.); [email protected] (Y.H.); [email protected] (C.P.) 2 Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale (CRCA), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse; CNRS, UPS, 31062 Toulouse, France * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +52-98-3835-0440 Received: 15 January 2020; Accepted: 19 March 2020; Published: 23 March 2020 Abstract: In the Yucatan Peninsula, the ponerine ant Neoponera villosa nests almost exclusively in tank bromeliads, Aechmea bracteata. In this study, we aimed to determine the factors influencing nest site selection during nest relocation which is regularly promoted by hurricanes in this area. Using ants with and without previous experience of Ae. bracteata, we tested their preference for refuges consisting of Ae. bracteata leaves over two other bromeliads, Ae. bromeliifolia and Ananas comosus. We further evaluated bromeliad-associated traits that could influence nest site selection (form and size). Workers with and without previous contact with Ae. bracteata significantly preferred this species over others, suggesting the existence of an innate attraction to this bromeliad. However, preference was not influenced by previous contact with Ae. bracteata. Workers easily discriminated between shelters of Ae. bracteata and A.