Changes in the Insect Fauna of a Deteriorating Riverine Sand Dune
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National Monitoring Program for Biodiversity and Non-Indigenous Species in Egypt
UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAM MEDITERRANEAN ACTION PLAN REGIONAL ACTIVITY CENTRE FOR SPECIALLY PROTECTED AREAS National monitoring program for biodiversity and non-indigenous species in Egypt PROF. MOUSTAFA M. FOUDA April 2017 1 Study required and financed by: Regional Activity Centre for Specially Protected Areas Boulevard du Leader Yasser Arafat BP 337 1080 Tunis Cedex – Tunisie Responsible of the study: Mehdi Aissi, EcApMEDII Programme officer In charge of the study: Prof. Moustafa M. Fouda Mr. Mohamed Said Abdelwarith Mr. Mahmoud Fawzy Kamel Ministry of Environment, Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) With the participation of: Name, qualification and original institution of all the participants in the study (field mission or participation of national institutions) 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS page Acknowledgements 4 Preamble 5 Chapter 1: Introduction 9 Chapter 2: Institutional and regulatory aspects 40 Chapter 3: Scientific Aspects 49 Chapter 4: Development of monitoring program 59 Chapter 5: Existing Monitoring Program in Egypt 91 1. Monitoring program for habitat mapping 103 2. Marine MAMMALS monitoring program 109 3. Marine Turtles Monitoring Program 115 4. Monitoring Program for Seabirds 118 5. Non-Indigenous Species Monitoring Program 123 Chapter 6: Implementation / Operational Plan 131 Selected References 133 Annexes 143 3 AKNOWLEGEMENTS We would like to thank RAC/ SPA and EU for providing financial and technical assistances to prepare this monitoring programme. The preparation of this programme was the result of several contacts and interviews with many stakeholders from Government, research institutions, NGOs and fishermen. The author would like to express thanks to all for their support. In addition; we would like to acknowledge all participants who attended the workshop and represented the following institutions: 1. -
The Digger Wasps of Saudi Arabia: New Records and Distribution, with a Checklist of Species (Hym.: Ampulicidae, Crabronidae and Sphecidae)
NORTH-WESTERN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 9 (2): 345-364 ©NwjZ, Oradea, Romania, 2013 Article No.: 131206 http://biozoojournals.3x.ro/nwjz/index.html The digger wasps of Saudi Arabia: New records and distribution, with a checklist of species (Hym.: Ampulicidae, Crabronidae and Sphecidae) Neveen S. GADALLAH1,*, Hathal M. AL DHAFER2, Yousif N. ALDRYHIM2, Hassan H. FADL2 and Ali A. ELGHARBAWY2 1. Entomology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt. 2. Plant Protection Department, College of Food and Agriculture Science, King Saud University, King Saud Museum of Arthropod (KSMA), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. *Corresponing author, N.S. Gadalah, E-mail: [email protected] Received: 24. September 2012 / Accepted: 13. January 2013 / Available online: 02. June 2013 / Printed: December 2013 Abstract. The “sphecid’ fauna of Saudi Arabia (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) is listed. A total of 207 species in 42 genera are recorded including previous and new species records. Most Saudi Arabian species recorded up to now are more or less common and widespread mainly in the Afrotropical and Palaearctic zoogeographical zones, the exception being Bembix buettikeri Guichard, Bembix hofufensis Guichard, Bembix saudi Guichard, Cerceris constricta Guichard, Oxybelus lanceolatus Gerstaecker, Palarus arabicus Pulawski in Pulawski & Prentice, Tachytes arabicus Guichard and Tachytes fidelis Pulawski, which are presumed endemic to Saudi Arabia (3.9% of the total number of species). General distribution and ecozones, and Saudi Arabian localities are given for each species. In this study two genera (Diodontus Curtis and Dryudella Spinola) and 11 species are newly recorded from Saudi Arabia. Key words: Ampulicidae, Crabronidae, Sphecidae, faunistic list, new records, Saudi Arabia. Introduction tata boops (Schrank), Bembecinus meridionalis A.Costa, Diodontus sp. -
Functional Morphology and Evolution of the Sting Sheaths in Aculeata (Hymenoptera) 325-338 77 (2): 325– 338 2019
ZOBODAT - www.zobodat.at Zoologisch-Botanische Datenbank/Zoological-Botanical Database Digitale Literatur/Digital Literature Zeitschrift/Journal: Arthropod Systematics and Phylogeny Jahr/Year: 2019 Band/Volume: 77 Autor(en)/Author(s): Kumpanenko Alexander, Gladun Dmytro, Vilhelmsen Lars Artikel/Article: Functional morphology and evolution of the sting sheaths in Aculeata (Hymenoptera) 325-338 77 (2): 325– 338 2019 © Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, 2019. Functional morphology and evolution of the sting sheaths in Aculeata (Hymenoptera) , 1 1 2 Alexander Kumpanenko* , Dmytro Gladun & Lars Vilhelmsen 1 Institute for Evolutionary Ecology NAS Ukraine, 03143, Kyiv, 37 Lebedeva str., Ukraine; Alexander Kumpanenko* [[email protected]]; Dmytro Gladun [[email protected]] — 2 Natural History Museum of Denmark, SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen, Universitet- sparken 15, DK-2100, Denmark; Lars Vilhelmsen [[email protected]] — * Corresponding author Accepted on June 28, 2019. Published online at www.senckenberg.de/arthropod-systematics on September 17, 2019. Published in print on September 27, 2019. Editors in charge: Christian Schmidt & Klaus-Dieter Klass. Abstract. The sting of the Aculeata or stinging wasps is a modifed ovipositor; its function (killing or paralyzing prey, defense against predators) and the associated anatomical changes are apomorphic for Aculeata. The change in the purpose of the ovipositor/sting from being primarily an egg laying device to being primarily a weapon has resulted in modifcation of its handling that is supported by specifc morphological adaptations. Here, we focus on the sheaths of the sting (3rd valvulae = gonoplacs) in Aculeata, which do not penetrate and envenom the prey but are responsible for cleaning the ovipositor proper and protecting it from damage, identifcation of the substrate for stinging, and, in some taxa, contain glands that produce alarm pheromones. -
Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae
Great Basin Naturalist Volume 35 Number 1 Article 16 3-31-1975 The nest and larva of Diploplectron brunneipes (Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) Howard E. Evans Colorado State University, Fort Collins Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/gbn Recommended Citation Evans, Howard E. (1975) "The nest and larva of Diploplectron brunneipes (Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)," Great Basin Naturalist: Vol. 35 : No. 1 , Article 16. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/gbn/vol35/iss1/16 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Western North American Naturalist Publications at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Great Basin Naturalist by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. THE NEST AND LARVA OF DIPLOPLECTRON BRUNNEIPES (CRESSON) (HYMENOPTERA: SPHECIDAE) Howard E. Evans^ Abstract.— Diploplectron brunneipes (Cresson) makes a shallow nest in compact clay-sand con- taining at least two cells. It is provisioned with immature Heteroptera. The larva resembles that of Astata in a general way but differs in several particulars. Wasps of the genus Diploplectron es- the entrance. Each cell contained 6 im- ( ape frequent detection because of their mature bugs, Uhleriola floralis (Uhler) small size (4-7 mm) and secretive behav- (Lygaeidae) [det. J. A. Slater] and a ior. For many years the genus was poorly small larva, one of which was reared to understood, but in 1972 there appeared maturity and is described below. Both of two important papers: Parker presented these cells had been closed off with a bar- a revision of the 15 New World species, rier of sand. -
The Diversity of Insects Visiting Flowers of Saw Palmetto (Arecaceae)
Deyrup & Deyrup: Insect Visitors of Saw Palmetto Flowers 711 THE DIVERSITY OF INSECTS VISITING FLOWERS OF SAW PALMETTO (ARECACEAE) MARK DEYRUP1,* AND LEIF DEYRUP2 1Archbold Biological Station, 123 Main Drive, Venus, FL 33960 2Univ. of the Cumberlands, Williamsburg, KY 40769 *Corresponding author; E-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT A survey of insect visitors on flowers ofSerenoa repens (saw palmetto) at a Florida site, the Archbold Biological Station, showed how nectar and pollen resources of a plant species can contribute to taxonomic diversity and ecological complexity. A list of 311 species of flower visitors was dominated by Hymenoptera (121 spp.), Diptera (117 spp.), and Coleoptera (52 spp.). Of 228 species whose diets are known, 158 are predators, 47 are phytophagous, and 44 are decomposers. Many species that visited S. repens flowers also visited flowers of other species at the Archbold Biological Station. The total number of known insect-flower relation- ships that include S. repens is 2,029. There is no evidence of oligolectic species that are de- pendent on saw palmetto flowers. This study further emphasizes the ecological importance and conservation value of S. repens. Key Words: pollination, flower visitor webs, pollinator diversity, floral resources, saw pal- metto, Serenoa repens RESUMEN Un estudio sobre los insectos que visitan las flores de Serenoa repens (palma enana ameri- cana o palmito de sierra) en un sitio de la Florida, la Estación Biológica Archbold, mostró cómo los recursos de néctar y polen de una especie vegetal puede contribuir a la diversidad taxonómica y complejidad ecológica. Una lista de 311 especies de visitantes de flores fue dominada por los Hymenóptera (121 spp.), Diptera (117 spp.) y Coleoptera (52 spp.). -
Sphecidae (Sensu Stricto)
Zootaxa 4754 (1): 077–090 ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition) https://www.mapress.com/j/zt/ Article ZOOTAXA Copyright © 2020 Magnolia Press ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition) https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4754.1.8 http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:9E1E0828-AD2E-4DB0-98EB-D4432B9C8F32 Biodiversity of the aculeate wasps (Hymenoptera: Aculeata) of the Arabian Peninsula: Apoidea (Spheciformes), Sphecidae (sensu stricto) NEVEEN S. GADALLAH Entomology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt. E-mail: [email protected] Abstract An updated checklist of the Arabian species of Sphecidae is provided here. The list includes 70 identified valid species in 10 genera and four subfamilies: Ammophilinae (4 genera, 35 species), Chloriontinae (1 genus, 6 species), Sceliphrinae (2 genera, 8 species) and Sphecinae (3 genera, 21 species). Distributions, both on the Peninsula and extra-limital, are provided for each species and subspecies; four species (6%) are endemic to the Arabian Peninsula. Key words: Ammophilinae, Chloriontinae, Sceliphrinae, Sphecinae, distribution Sphecidae Latreille, 1802 The Sphecidae (s.s.) are a cosmopolitan family of wasps, comprising the digger wasps, mud daubers and other thread-waisted wasps. A total of 787 extant species in 19 genera and five subfamilies (Ammophilinae, Chlorion- tinae, Sceliphrinae, Sphecinae and Stangeellinae) are currently included in the family (Pulawski 2019). The largest genus, Ammophila W. Kirby, comprises 240 species, followed by Sphex Linnaeus (132 species) (Pulawski 2019), together forming about 47% of the total number of species. Species of the family Sphecidae can easily be distin- guished from other spheciform families by their petiolate metasoma and the large anal lobe of the hind wing (Bohart & Menke 1976; Finnamore 1993). -
Nitrogen Content in Riparian Arthropods Is Most Dependent on Allometry and Order
Wiesenborn: Nitrogen Contents in Riparian Arthropods 71 NITROGEN CONTENT IN RIPARIAN ARTHROPODS IS MOST DEPENDENT ON ALLOMETRY AND ORDER WILLIAM D. WIESENBORN U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Lower Colorado Regional Office, P.O. Box 61470, Boulder City, NV 89006 ABSTRACT I investigated the contributions of body mass, order, family, and trophic level to nitrogen (N) content in riparian spiders and insects collected near the Colorado River in western Arizona. Most variation (97.2%) in N mass among arthropods was associated with the allometric effects of body mass. Nitrogen mass increased exponentially as body dry-mass increased. Significant variation (20.7%) in N mass adjusted for body mass was explained by arthropod order. Ad- justed N mass was highest in Orthoptera, Hymenoptera, Araneae, and Odonata and lowest in Coleoptera. Classifying arthropods by family compared with order did not explain signifi- cantly more variation (22.1%) in N content. Herbivore, predator, and detritivore trophic-levels across orders explained little variation (4.3%) in N mass adjusted for body mass. Within or- ders, N content differed only among trophic levels of Diptera. Adjusted N mass was highest in predaceous flies, intermediate in detritivorous flies, and lowest in phytophagous flies. Nitro- gen content in riparian spiders and insects is most dependent on allometry and order and least dependent on trophic level. I suggest the effects of allometry and order are due to exoskeleton thickness and composition. Foraging by vertebrate predators, such as insectivorous birds, may be affected by variation in N content among riparian arthropods. Key Words: nutrients, spiders, insects, trophic level, exoskeleton, cuticle RESUMEN Se investiguo las contribuciones de la masa de cuerpo, orden, familia y el nivel trófico al con- tenido de nitógeno (N) en arañas e insectos riparianos (que viven en la orilla del rio u otro cuerpo de agua) recolectadaos cerca del Rio Colorado en el oeste del estado de Arizona. -
Podalonia Affinis on the Sefton Coast in 2019
The status and distribution of solitary bee Stelis ornatula and solitary wasp Podalonia affinis on the Sefton Coast in 2019 Ben Hargreaves The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester & North Merseyside October 2019 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thanks to Tanyptera Trust for funding the research and to Natural England, National Trust and Lancashire Wildlife Trust for survey permissions. 2 CONTENTS Summary………………………………………………………………………………………………………….4 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………….5 Aims and objectives………………………………………………………………………….6 Methods…………………………………………………………………………………………..6 Results……………………………………………………………………………………………..7 Discussion………………………………………………………………………………………..9 Follow-up work………………………………………………………………………………11 References……………………………………………………………………………………..11 3 SUMMARY The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester & North Merseyside (Lancashire Wildlife Trust) were commissioned by Liverpool Museum’s Tanyptera project to undertake targeted survey of Nationally Rare (and regionally rare) aculeate bees and wasps on various sites on the Sefton Coast. Podalonia affinis is confirmed as extant on the Sefton Coast; it is definitely present at Ainsdale NNR and is possibly present at Freshfield Dune Heath. Stelis ornatula, Mimesa bruxellensis and Bombus humilis are not confirmed as currently present at the sites surveyed for this report. A total of 141 records were made (see attached data list) of 48 aculeate species. The majority of samples were of aculeate wasps (Sphecidae, Crabronidae and Pompilidae). 4 INTRODUCTION PRIMARY SPECIES (Status) Stelis ornatula There are 9 records of this species for VC59 between 1975 and 2000. All the records are from the Sefton Coast. The host of this parasitic species is Hoplitis claviventris which is also recorded predominantly from the coast (in VC59). All records are from Ainsdale National Nature Reserve (NNR) and Formby (Formby Point and Ravenmeols Dunes). Podalonia affinis There are 15 VC59 records for this species which includes both older, unconfirmed records and more recent confirmed records based on specimens. -
Introduction
PDF file from Evenhuis, N.L. & D.J. Greathead, 1999, World Catalog of Bee Flies (Diptera: Bombyliidae). Backhuys Publishers, Leiden. xlviii + ix 756 pp. INTRODUCTION Bombyliids, or bee flies as they are commonly called, comprise a diverse and speciose assemblage of brachycerous flies. With more than 4,500 species known worldwide, they are one of the largest families of Diptera, surpassed in numbers of species only by the Tipulidae (14,000), Tachinidae (9,200), Syrphidae (5,800), Asilidae (5,600), Ceratopogonidae (5,300), and Dolichopodidae (5,100). They occur in a variety of habitats and ecosystems (from ca. 10 km from the Arctic Ocean in Canada through all latitudes as far south as Tierra del Fuego; and at altitudes from over 3500 m in the Himalayas to 200 m below sea level at the shores of the Dead Sea). They are found on all continents except Antarctica and also many oceanic islands. The family has a remarkable range in size (from some Exoprosopa with wingspans of more than 60 mm to the tiny Apolysis that can be as small as 1.5 mm in length) and variety of shapes (e.g., Systropus mimicking ammophiline wasps; Bombomyia mimic- king bumblebees). The adults of the larger species are powerful and agile fliers, rivaling the syrphid flies in their ability to hover and move in all directions while in flight. With many species possessing colorful patterns of stripes and spots on the wings and bodies, bee flies are often some of the most striking in appearance of all the Diptera. Individuals can often be seen either resting in the open on trails or on rocks or twigs sunning themselves, or feeding on a variety of flowering plants. -
Pick Your Poison: Molecular Evolution of Venom Proteins in Asilidae (Insecta: Diptera)
toxins Article Pick Your Poison: Molecular Evolution of Venom Proteins in Asilidae (Insecta: Diptera) Chris M. Cohen * , T. Jeffrey Cole and Michael S. Brewer * Howell Science Complex, East Carolina University, 1000 E 5th St., Greenville, NC 27858, USA; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] (C.M.C.); [email protected] (M.S.B.) Received: 5 November 2020; Accepted: 20 November 2020; Published: 24 November 2020 Abstract: Robber flies are an understudied family of venomous, predatory Diptera. With the recent characterization of venom from three asilid species, it is possible, for the first time, to study the molecular evolution of venom genes in this unique lineage. To accomplish this, a novel whole-body transcriptome of Eudioctria media was combined with 10 other publicly available asiloid thoracic or salivary gland transcriptomes to identify putative venom gene families and assess evidence of pervasive positive selection. A total of 348 gene families of sufficient size were analyzed, and 33 of these were predicted to contain venom genes. We recovered 151 families containing homologs to previously described venom proteins, and 40 of these were uniquely gained in Asilidae. Our gene family clustering suggests that many asilidin venom gene families are not natural groupings, as delimited by previous authors, but instead form multiple discrete gene families. Additionally, robber fly venoms have relatively few sites under positive selection, consistent with the hypothesis that the venoms of older lineages are dominated by negative selection acting to maintain toxic function. Keywords: Asilidae; transcriptome; positive selection Key Contribution: Asilidae venoms have relatively few sites under positive selection, consistent with the hypothesis that the venoms of older lineages are dominated by negative selection acting to maintain toxic function. -
Checklist of the Spheciform Wasps (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae & Sphecidae) of British Columbia
Checklist of the Spheciform Wasps (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae & Sphecidae) of British Columbia Chris Ratzlaff Spencer Entomological Collection, Beaty Biodiversity Museum, UBC, Vancouver, BC This checklist is a modified version of: Ratzlaff, C.R. 2015. Checklist of the spheciform wasps (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae & Sphecidae) of British Columbia. Journal of the Entomological Society of British Columbia 112:19-46 (available at http://journal.entsocbc.ca/index.php/journal/article/view/894/951). Photographs for almost all species are online in the Spencer Entomological Collection gallery (http://www.biodiversity.ubc.ca/entomology/). There are nine subfamilies of spheciform wasps in recorded from British Columbia, represented by 64 genera and 280 species. The majority of these are Crabronidae, with 241 species in 55 genera and five subfamilies. Sphecidae is represented by four subfamilies, with 39 species in nine genera. The following descriptions are general summaries for each of the subfamilies and include nesting habits and provisioning information. The Subfamilies of Crabronidae Astatinae !Three genera and 16 species of astatine wasps are found in British Columbia. All species of Astata, Diploplectron, and Dryudella are groundnesting and provision their nests with heteropterans (Bohart and Menke 1976). Males of Astata and Dryudella possess holoptic eyes and are often seen perching on sticks or rocks. Bembicinae Nineteen genera and 47 species of bembicine wasps are found in British Columbia. All species are groundnesting and most prefer habitats with sand or sandy soil, hence the common name of “sand wasps”. Four genera, Bembix, Microbembex, Steniolia and Stictiella, have been recorded nesting in aggregations (Bohart and Horning, Jr. 1971; Bohart and Gillaspy 1985). -
The History of Early Bee Diversification Based on Five Genes Plus Morphology
The history of early bee diversification based on five genes plus morphology Bryan N. Danforth†, Sedonia Sipes‡, Jennifer Fang§, and Sea´ n G. Brady¶ Department of Entomology, 3119 Comstock Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 Communicated by Charles D. Michener, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, May 16, 2006 (received for review February 2, 2006) Bees, the largest (>16,000 species) and most important radiation of tongued (LT) bee families Megachilidae and Apidae and the pollinating insects, originated in early to mid-Cretaceous, roughly short-tongued (ST) bee families Colletidae, Stenotritidae, Andreni- in synchrony with the angiosperms (flowering plants). Under- dae, Halictidae, and Melittidae sensu lato (s.l.)ʈ (9). Colletidae is standing the diversification of the bees and the coevolutionary widely considered the most basal family of bees (i.e., the sister group history of bees and angiosperms requires a well supported phy- to the rest of the bees), because all females and most males possess logeny of bees (as well as angiosperms). We reconstructed a robust a glossa (tongue) with a bifid (forked) apex, much like the glossa of phylogeny of bees at the family and subfamily levels using a data an apoid wasp (18–22). set of five genes (4,299 nucleotide sites) plus morphology (109 However, several authors have questioned this interpretation (9, characters). The molecular data set included protein coding (elon- 23–27) and have hypothesized that the earliest branches of bee gation factor-1␣, RNA polymerase II, and LW rhodopsin), as well as phylogeny may have been either Melittidae s.l., LT bees, or a ribosomal (28S and 18S) nuclear gene data.