President's Message

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

President's Message ISSN 2372-2517 (Online), ISSN 2372-2479 (Print) METALEPTEAMETALEPTEA THE NEWSLETTER OF THE ORTHOPTERISTS’ SOCIETY * Table of Contents is now clickable, which will President’s Message take you to a desired page. By MICHAEL SAMWAYS President [1] PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE [email protected] [2] SOCIETY NEWS he Orthoptera sensu [2] 2015 Orthoptera Species File lato is one of the most Grant Funded prominent of all the terrestrial invertebrate [3] MEETING REPORTS groups. Above all, [3] Orthopteroid Symposium TT the many species are Recap from ESA, 2014 by DEREK A. important functionally in interaction WOLLER networks in many terrestrial ecosys- [14] Report on “CURSO-TALLER DE MANEJO DE LANGOSTA Y tems, from tropical rain forest to tem- CHAPULÍN” by HOJUN SONG perate grasslands, and even in caves. dynamic planet, of a vitality, honed [15] Report from the Annual Meet- Their diversity of life styles is really by evolution. This makes the Orthop- ing of the National Grasshopper amazing, with different species be- tera one of the most exciting animal Management Board by ALEX V. ing variously carnivores, omnivores, LATCHININSKY groups to research. Yet there are still herbivores, and saprovores. They can many questions surrounding their be cryptic, whether green in the trees [16] OS GRANT REPORTS biology that are poorly-explored. In or brown in the litter layer, and some [16] To be “Pavarotti” in a crowded the case of some of the katydids, for are even aposematic, containing toxic concert hall? Song competition be- example, they are amazingly efficient or distasteful compounds that deter tween bushcricket males in natural singers and listeners, having wings potential predators. Indeed, they also choruses: first field season and that have been shaped by natural laboratory recordings by play an important role as food for selection to produce remarkably com- MARIANNA ANICHINI many vertebrate predators. Still oth- plex songs that have an astonishing ers are tunnellers, not only for their amplitude of 110 db at source. Then [17] CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE protection, but as in the case of mole they hear using a funnel-like ear. Not [17] Rare Color Form of Atlanticus crickets, also for more efficient sound only this, but they can also be good Katydid Observed by WIL projection through a horn-shaped HERSHBERGER fliers. This is a remarkable trade-off tunnel. Inevitably, this means that [18] How a non-sound-producing between having wings that are both the orthopteran form has been sculp- grasshopper can inspire a musical good for singing and for flying. In the tured over many millennia to give the piece by RICARDO MARIÑO-PÉREZ case of mole crickets, not only can morphological exuberance that we see some sing and fly well, but they also today across the world. [20] TREASURER’S REPORT do so apparently un-encumbered by Of course, one other feature that their large spade-like feet used for makes orthopteran species so interest- [21] EDITORIAL digging their tunnel! ing is that many are also singers. This The Orthopterists’ Society (OS) is means that not only is the physical devoted to this faunistic exuberance landscape graced by their presence, and enables all enthusiasts and scien- but so is the soundscape. The myriad tists from around the world to share of songs, many of which have compo- thoughts and ideas on this remarkable nents that are well above our hear- group. There is a meeting of minds ing range, give a sense of a living, Volume 35 (1) / January 2015 1 METALEPTEA to explore further the variety of life require conservation action. This has the OS: the Orthoptera Species File forms, behaviours, physiologies, and led to a strong link between the OS (OSF). The OSF is a global catalogue biochemistries. Yet some species and the World Conservation Union of all known Orthoptera species, have major pest status and have had, (IUCN)/Species Survival Commis- which continually grows through and continue to so, an influence on sion’s Grasshopper Specialist Group, input of many OS members. This human culture and survival. The OS a global network devoted to assessing database is a hallmark facility of the welcomes those researchers and prac- threat status of species and develop- OS, and open to all members. titioners who aim to understand and ing conservation strategies in the face Wishing all Orthopterists around control these pestiferous species. of global change. In turn, the informa- the world a peaceful and prosperous At the other end of the spectrum tion gathered by this group, as well 2015, and many exciting discoveries are those species which are under as by many other devoted orthopter- of the orthopteran world! threat from human disturbance and ists, feeds into an amazing facility of 2015 Orthoptera Species File Grant Funded By MARIA MARTA CIGLIANO Orthoptera Species File Officer [email protected] he OSF grants commit- • Martin Husemann (Martin-Luther distributional and taxonomical data of tee received fourteen University, Halle-Wittenberg, Institute Balkan Orthoptera species” (photos of grants applications from of Biology/Zoology, Germany) will types and live insects, recordings and eleven countries (Alge- contribute photos and distribution distribution records). ria, Argentina, Brazil, records of Oedipodini from Europe, • Pedro Guilherme Souza-Dias TT Colombia, China, Africa, Asia and North America. (University of São Paulo, Zoology France, Germany, Hungary, Mozam- • Piotr Naskrecki & Ricardo Guta Department, Brazil) will contribute bique, Spain, and the U.S.A.) and (E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Laboratory, photos of types of Phalangopsinae de- the following seven proposals were Museum of Comparative Zoology, posited in Brazilian Museums, photos funded. These proposals were primar- Harvard University, USA; Gorongosa of live individuals and distribution ily selected based on the relation to National Park, Mozambique) will records of Brazilian Phalangopsinae the amount of data expected to be contribute on “Acoustic and photo- related to the research project on added into the Orthoptera Species graphic documentation of the Orthop- “The Brazilian fauna of phalangopsid File or to a Species File for another tera of Central Mozambique” (from crickets (Grylloidea, Phalangopsidae): group within Polyneoptera. They Gorongosa National Park). distribution, diversity and aspects of were also considered if the proposal • Martina Pocco (División En- natural history.” was related somehow to a taxonomic tomología, Museo de La Plata & research project and/or the candidate CEPAVE, Argentina) will contribute demonstrated knowledge of the taxa photos of Neotropical grasshop- involved. per types and other specimens in the Academy of Natural Sciences • Juliana Chamorro & Rodrigo of Drexel University, Philadelphia, Romero (Universidade Federal de USA, in particular Romaleinae, along Viçosa, Brazil, Universidad de Cal- with distribution records, as well as das, Colombia) will contribute photos photos of live specimens of Argentine and distribution records of Brazil- grasshopper species on “Illustrating ian katydids related to the research Neotropical Acridoidea species with project on “The wings and phallus of emphasis on Romaleinae in OSF”. Neotropical katydids (Orthoptera: Tet- • Gellért Puskás (Hungarian Natu- tigonioidea)” ral History Museum, Hungary) will • Klaus-Gerhard Heller (Germany) contribute on “Photo documentation will contribute sound recordings on of types in the Hungarian Natural Procolpia inclarata (Walker, 1870) (Romalei- dae), December 11th, 2013 “Calling songs of West Palearctic Tet- History Museum as well as the Otto Near Pluma Hidalgo, Oaxaca, Mexico. (Photo tigonioidea” . Herman collection and collecting Credit: Ricardo Mariño-Pérez) Volume 35 (1) / January 2015 2 METALEPTEA Orthopteroid Symposium Recap from ESA, 2014 By DEREK A. WOLLER Texas A&M University College Station, TX, USA [email protected] uring the annual Ento- any given moment, a good crowd for Gryllidae, Dermaptera, Phasmida, mological Society of such a large meeting during which Anostostomatidae, Mantodea, Steno- America (ESA) confer- there are probably, at minimum, 20 pelmatidae, and Embioptera. Equally ence in Portland, Or- other talks/symposia running simulta- impressive were the myriad of topics egon, USA on November neously. being studied (in approximate presen- DD 18th, 2014, a 4-hour Naturally, the speakers deserve most tation order): acoustics, divergence symposium (“Utilizing orthopteroid of the credit for drawing in the crowd time estimates, speciation, phylo- insects to overcome grand challenges since they did the majority of the geography, phylogenetics, thermal in an ever-evolving world.”) occurred work in that respect. Tyler kicked off tolerance, entomophagy, nutrition, that was focused solely on orthop- the event with an excellent overview vibrational communication, DNA bar- teroids, organized by myself and my of orthopteropids followed by our 11 coding, and cryptic diversity. If you’d collaborators: Tyler Raszick (Dept. invited speakers and Ricardo. We had like to learn more about these subjects of Entomology/Sword Lab, Texas a good mix of students, post-docs, and and topics, please refer below to the A&M University, tjraszick@gmail. seasoned researchers (Fig. 1), includ- brief abstract and figure provided by com), Ricardo Mariño-Pérez (Dept. of ing two who came from outside the each speaker (organized in order of Biology/Song Lab, UCF, pselliopus@ U.S. (Mexico and Australia): Katy presentation). yahoo.com.mx), and JoVonn Hill Frederick-Hudson, Oscar Salomon Our primary
Recommended publications
  • Sureshan Mantid Fauna of Orissa 1524
    NEW RECORD ZOOS' PRINT JOURNAL 22(1): 2539-2543 Order: Mantodea Family: Amorphoscelidae MANTID (INSECTA: MANTODEA) FAUNA Subfamily: Amorphoselinae 1. Amorphoscelis annulicornis Stål * OF ORISSA WITH SOME NEW RECORDS 1871. Amorphoscelis annulicornis Stål , Ofvers. K. Vetensk Akad. FOR THE STATE Forh., 28: 401. 1915. Amorphoscelis indica Giglio-Tos. Bull. Soc. Entomol. Ital., 46: 33. P.M. Sureshan 1, T. Samanta 2 and C. Radhakrishnan 3 1956. Amorphoscelis keiseri Beier. Verh. Naturf. Ges. Basel. 67: 33. 1, 2 Estuarine Biological Station, Zoological Survey of India, Material examined: 1 male; 1 female, EBS Campus, ZSI, Gopalpur-on-Sea, Orissa 761002, India Gopalpur-on-Sea, Ganjam district, Orissa, India, 13.viii.2005, 3 Western Ghats Field Research Station, Zoological Survey of India, (Regn. No. 3937,M), 7.vii.2005 (Regn. No. 3911,F), coll. P.M. Kozhikode, Kerala 673002, India Sureshan (under light) Email: 1 [email protected] (corresponding author) Distribution: India: Assam, Bihar, Daman & Diu, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Meghalaya, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, West Mantids (Insecta: Mantodea) popularly called Praying Bengal; Sri Lanka. mantids are predatory insects, actively feeding on a variety Measurements: BL: M - 20, F - 20; FW: M - 13.5, F - 13.5; PN: of other insects, including other mantids. They play a valuable M - 2, F - 2. role in checking the numbers of some insect groups like Diagnostic characters: Body deep brownish, ventral side black. grasshoppers, moths, flies, aphids, etc., which form their major Frontal sclerite narrow, superior edge arched, sinuate on either groups of prey. Despite having rich fauna of mantids, our side. Head with large rounded tubercles. Two tubercles on knowledge on the diversity, variability and biological anterior and posterior border of pronotum, transverse and attributes of Indian mantids is far from satisfactory.
    [Show full text]
  • Mantodea (Insecta), with a Review of Aspects of Functional Morphology and Biology
    aua o ew eaa Ramsay, G. W. 1990: Mantodea (Insecta), with a review of aspects of functional morphology and biology. Fauna of New Zealand 19, 96 pp. Editorial Advisory Group (aoimes mae o a oaioa asis MEMBERS AT DSIR PLANT PROTECTION Mou Ae eseac Cee iae ag Aucka ew eaa Ex officio ieco — M ogwo eae Sysemaics Gou — M S ugae Co-opted from within Systematics Group Dr B. A ooway Κ Cosy UIESIIES EESEAIE R. M. Emeso Eomoogy eame ico Uiesiy Caeuy ew eaa MUSEUMS EESEAIE M R. L. ama aua isoy Ui aioa Museum o iae ag Weigo ew eaa OESEAS REPRESENTATIVE J. F. awece CSIO iisio o Eomoogy GO o 1700, Caea Ciy AC 2601, Ausaia Series Editor M C ua Sysemaics Gou SI a oecio Mou Ae eseac Cee iae ag Aucka ew eaa aua o ew eaa Number 19 Maoea (Iseca wi a eiew o asecs o ucioa mooogy a ioogy G W Ramsay SI a oecio M Ae eseac Cee iae ag Aucka ew eaa emoa us wig mooogy eosigma cooaio siuaio acousic sesiiiy eece eaiou egeeaio eaio aasiism aoogy a ie Caaoguig-i-uicaio ciaio AMSAY GW Maoea (Iseca – Weigo SI uisig 199 (aua o ew eaa ISS 111-533 ; o 19 IS -77-51-1 I ie II Seies UC 59575(931 Date of publication: see cover of subsequent numbers Suggese om o ciaio amsay GW 199 Maoea (Iseca wi a eiew o asecs o ucioa mooogy a ioogy Fauna of New Zealand [no.] 19. —— Fauna o New Zealand is eae o uicaio y e Seies Eio usig comue- ase e ocessig ayou a ase ie ecoogy e Eioia Aisoy Gou a e Seies Eio ackowege e oowig co-oeaio SI UISIG awco – sueisio o oucio a isiuio M C Maews – assisace wi oucio a makeig Ms A Wig – assisace wi uiciy a isiuio MOU AE ESEAC CEE SI Miss M oy
    [Show full text]
  • Working List of Prairie Restricted (Specialist) Insects in Wisconsin (11/26/2015)
    Working List of Prairie Restricted (Specialist) Insects in Wisconsin (11/26/2015) By Richard Henderson Research Ecologist, WI DNR Bureau of Science Services Summary This is a preliminary list of insects that are either well known, or likely, to be closely associated with Wisconsin’s original native prairie. These species are mostly dependent upon remnants of original prairie, or plantings/restorations of prairie where their hosts have been re-established (see discussion below), and thus are rarely found outside of these settings. The list also includes some species tied to native ecosystems that grade into prairie, such as savannas, sand barrens, fens, sedge meadow, and shallow marsh. The list is annotated with known host(s) of each insect, and the likelihood of its presence in the state (see key at end of list for specifics). This working list is a byproduct of a prairie invertebrate study I coordinated from1995-2005 that covered 6 Midwestern states and included 14 cooperators. The project surveyed insects on prairie remnants and investigated the effects of fire on those insects. It was funded in part by a series of grants from the US Fish and Wildlife Service. So far, the list has 475 species. However, this is a partial list at best, representing approximately only ¼ of the prairie-specialist insects likely present in the region (see discussion below). Significant input to this list is needed, as there are major taxa groups missing or greatly under represented. Such absence is not necessarily due to few or no prairie-specialists in those groups, but due more to lack of knowledge about life histories (at least published knowledge), unsettled taxonomy, and lack of taxonomic specialists currently working in those groups.
    [Show full text]
  • Insects for Human Consumption
    Chapter 18 Insects for Human Consumption Marianne Shockley1 and Aaron T. Dossey2 1Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA, 2All Things Bugs, Gainesville, FL, USA 18.1. INTRODUCTION The utilization of insects as a sustainable and secure source of animal-based food for the human diet has continued to increase in popularity in recent years (Ash et al., 2010; Crabbe, 2012; Dossey, 2013; Dzamba, 2010; FAO, 2008; Gahukar, 2011; Katayama et al., 2008; Nonaka, 2009; Premalatha et al., 2011; Ramos- Elorduy, 2009; Smith, 2012; Srivastava et al., 2009; van Huis, 2013; van Huis et al., 2013; Vantomme et al., 2012; Vogel, 2010; Yen, 2009a, b). Throughout the world, a large portion of the human population consumes insects as a regular part of their diet (Fig. 18.1). Thousands of edible species have been identified (Bukkens, 1997; Bukkens and Paoletti, 2005; DeFoliart, 1999; Ramos-Elorduy, 2009). However, in regions of the world where Western cultures dominate, such as North America and Europe, and in developing countries heavily influenced by Western culture, mass media have negatively influenced the public’s percep- tion of insects by creating or reinforcing fears and phobias (Kellert, 1993; Looy and Wood, 2006). Nonetheless, the potentially substantial benefits of farming and utilizing insects as a primary dietary component, particularly to supplement or replace foods and food ingredients made from vertebrate livestock, are gain- ing increased attention even in Europe and the United States. Thus, we present this chapter to
    [Show full text]
  • Of Agrocenosis of Rice Fields in Kyzylorda Oblast, South Kazakhstan
    Acta Biologica Sibirica 6: 229–247 (2020) doi: 10.3897/abs.6.e54139 https://abs.pensoft.net RESEARCH ARTICLE Orthopteroid insects (Mantodea, Blattodea, Dermaptera, Phasmoptera, Orthoptera) of agrocenosis of rice fields in Kyzylorda oblast, South Kazakhstan Izbasar I. Temreshev1, Arman M. Makezhanov1 1 LLP «Educational Research Scientific and Production Center "Bayserke-Agro"», Almaty oblast, Pan- filov district, Arkabay village, Otegen Batyr street, 3, Kazakhstan Corresponding author: Izbasar I. Temreshev ([email protected]) Academic editor: R. Yakovlev | Received 10 March 2020 | Accepted 12 April 2020 | Published 16 September 2020 http://zoobank.org/EF2D6677-74E1-4297-9A18-81336E53FFD6 Citation: Temreshev II, Makezhanov AM (2020) Orthopteroid insects (Mantodea, Blattodea, Dermaptera, Phasmoptera, Orthoptera) of agrocenosis of rice fields in Kyzylorda oblast, South Kazakhstan. Acta Biologica Sibirica 6: 229–247. https://doi.org/10.3897/abs.6.e54139 Abstract An annotated list of Orthopteroidea of rise paddy fields in Kyzylorda oblast in South Kazakhstan is given. A total of 60 species of orthopteroid insects were identified, belonging to 58 genera from 17 families and 5 orders. Mantids are represented by 3 families, 6 genera and 6 species; cockroaches – by 2 families, 2 genera and 2 species; earwigs – by 3 families, 3 genera and 3 species; sticks insects – by 1 family, 1 genus and 1 species. Orthopterans are most numerous (8 families, 46 genera and 48 species). Of these, three species, Bolivaria brachyptera, Hierodula tenuidentata and Ceraeocercus fuscipennis, are listed in the Red Book of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Celes variabilis and Chrysochraon dispar indicated for the first time for a given location. The fauna of orthopteroid insects in the studied areas of Kyzylorda is compared with other regions of Kazakhstan.
    [Show full text]
  • The Genus Metallyticus Reviewed (Insecta: Mantodea)
    See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228623877 The genus Metallyticus reviewed (Insecta: Mantodea) Article · September 2008 CITATIONS READS 11 353 1 author: Frank Wieland Pfalzmuseum für Naturkunde - POLLICHIA-… 33 PUBLICATIONS 113 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE All in-text references underlined in blue are linked to publications on ResearchGate, Available from: Frank Wieland letting you access and read them immediately. Retrieved on: 24 October 2016 Species, Phylogeny and Evolution 1, 3 (30.9.2008): 147-170. The genus Metallyticus reviewed (Insecta: Mantodea) Frank Wieland Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institut für Zoologie & Anthropologie und Zoologisches Museum der Georg-August-Universität, Abteilung für Morphologie, Systematik und Evolutionsbiologie, Berliner Str. 28, 37073 Göttingen, Germany [[email protected]] Abstract Metallyticus Westwood, 1835 (Insecta: Dictyoptera: Mantodea) is one of the most fascinating praying mantids but little is known of its biology. Several morphological traits are plesiomorphic, such as the short prothorax, characters of the wing venation and possibly also the lack of discoidal spines on the fore femora. On the other hand, Metallyticus has autapomor- phies which are unique among extant Mantodea, such as the iridescent bluish-green body coloration and the enlargement of the first posteroventral spine of the fore femora. The present publication reviews our knowledge of Metallyticus thus providing a basis for further research. Data on 115 Metallyticus specimens are gathered and interpreted. The Latin original descriptions of the five Metallyticus species known to date, as well as additional descriptions and a key to species level that were originally published by Giglio-Tos (1927) in French, are translated into English.
    [Show full text]
  • The Complete Mitochondrial Genome of Psychomantis Borneensis (Mantodea: Hymenopodidae)
    Mitochondrial DNA Part B Resources ISSN: (Print) 2380-2359 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tmdn20 The complete mitochondrial genome of Psychomantis borneensis (Mantodea: Hymenopodidae) Le-Ping Zhang, Yin-Yin Cai, Dan-Na Yu, Kenneth B. Storey & Jia-Yong Zhang To cite this article: Le-Ping Zhang, Yin-Yin Cai, Dan-Na Yu, Kenneth B. Storey & Jia-Yong Zhang (2018) The complete mitochondrial genome of Psychomantis borneensis (Mantodea: Hymenopodidae), Mitochondrial DNA Part B, 3:1, 42-43, DOI: 10.1080/23802359.2017.1419094 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/23802359.2017.1419094 © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Published online: 21 Dec 2017. Submit your article to this journal Article views: 12 View related articles View Crossmark data Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=tmdn20 Download by: [134.117.97.124] Date: 08 January 2018, At: 06:28 MITOCHONDRIAL DNA PART B: RESOURCES, 2018 VOL. 3, NO. 1, 42–43 https://doi.org/10.1080/23802359.2017.1419094 MITOGENOME ANNOUNCEMENT The complete mitochondrial genome of Psychomantis borneensis (Mantodea: Hymenopodidae) Le-Ping Zhanga, Yin-Yin Caia, Dan-Na Yua,b, Kenneth B. Storeyc and Jia-Yong Zhanga,b,c aCollege of Chemistry and Life Science, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, Zhejiang Province, China; bKey Lab of Wildlife Biotechnology, Conservation and Utilization of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, Zhejiang Province, China; cDepartment of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada ABSTRACT ARTICLE HISTORY The complete mitochondrial genome of Psychomantis borneensis (Mantodea: Hymenopodidae) was suc- Received 8 December 2017 cessfully sequenced.
    [Show full text]
  • Invertebrate Distribution and Diversity Assessment at the U. S. Army Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site a Report to the U
    Invertebrate Distribution and Diversity Assessment at the U. S. Army Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site A report to the U. S. Army and U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service G. J. Michels, Jr., J. L. Newton, H. L. Lindon, and J. A. Brazille Texas AgriLife Research 2301 Experiment Station Road Bushland, TX 79012 2008 Report Introductory Notes The invertebrate survey in 2008 presented an interesting challenge. Extremely dry conditions prevailed throughout most of the adult activity period for the invertebrates and grass fires occurred several times throughout the summer. By visual assessment, plant resources were scarce compared to last year, with few green plants and almost no flowering plants. Eight habitats and nine sites continued to be sampled in 2008. The Ponderosa pine/ yellow indiangrass site was removed from the study after the low numbers of species and individuals collected there in 2007. All other sites from the 2007 survey were included in the 2008 survey. We also discontinued the collection of Coccinellidae in the 2008 survey, as only 98 individuals from four species were collected in 2007. Pitfall and malaise trapping were continued in the same way as the 2007 survey. Sweep net sampling was discontinued to allow time for Asilidae and Orthoptera timed surveys consisting of direct collection of individuals with a net. These surveys were conducted in the same way as the time constrained butterfly (Papilionidea and Hesperoidea) surveys, with 15-minute intervals for each taxanomic group. This was sucessful when individuals were present, but the dry summer made it difficult to assess the utility of these techniques because of overall low abundance of insects.
    [Show full text]
  • State-Of-The-Art on Use of Insects As Animal Feed
    State-of-the-art on use of insects as animal feed Harinder P.S. Makkar1, Gilles Tran2, Valérie Heuzé2 and Philippe Ankers1 1 Animal Production and Health Division, FAO, Rome 2 Association Française de Zootechnie, Paris, France Full reference of the paper: Animal Feed Science and Technology, Volume 197, November 2014, pages 1-33 Link: http://www.animalfeedscience.com/article/S0377-8401(14)00232-6/abstract http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2014.07.008 Abstract A 60-70% increase in consumption of animal products is expected by 2050. This increase in the consumption will demand enormous resources, the feed being the most challenging because of the limited availability of natural resources, ongoing climatic changes and food-feed-fuel competition. The costs of conventional feed resources such as soymeal and fishmeal are very high and moreover their availability in the future will be limited. Insect rearing could be a part of the solutions. Although some studies have been conducted on evaluation of insects, insect larvae or insect meals as an ingredient in the diets of some animal species, this field is in infancy. Here we collate, synthesize and discuss the available information on five major insect species studied with respect to evaluation of their products as animal feed. The nutritional quality of black soldier fly larvae, the house fly maggots, mealworm, locusts- grasshoppers-crickets, and silkworm meal and their use as a replacement of soymeal and fishmeal in the diets of poultry, pigs, fish species and ruminants are discussed. The crude protein contents of these alternate resources are high: 42 to 63% and so are the lipid contents (up to 36% oil), which could possibly be extracted and used for various applications including biodiesel production.
    [Show full text]
  • Tarantulas and Social Spiders
    Tarantulas and Social Spiders: A Tale of Sex and Silk by Jonathan Bull BSc (Hons) MSc ICL Thesis Presented to the Institute of Biology of The University of Nottingham in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Nottingham May 2012 DEDICATION To my parents… …because they both said to dedicate it to the other… I dedicate it to both ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost I would like to thank my supervisor Dr Sara Goodacre for her guidance and support. I am also hugely endebted to Dr Keith Spriggs who became my mentor in the field of RNA and without whom my understanding of the field would have been but a fraction of what it is now. Particular thanks go to Professor John Brookfield, an expert in the field of biological statistics and data retrieval. Likewise with Dr Susan Liddell for her proteomics assistance, a truly remarkable individual on par with Professor Brookfield in being able to simplify even the most complex techniques and analyses. Finally, I would really like to thank Janet Beccaloni for her time and resources at the Natural History Museum, London, permitting me access to the collections therein; ten years on and still a delight. Finally, amongst the greats, Alexander ‘Sasha’ Kondrashov… a true inspiration. I would also like to express my gratitude to those who, although may not have directly contributed, should not be forgotten due to their continued assistance and considerate nature: Dr Chris Wade (five straight hours of help was not uncommon!), Sue Buxton (direct to my bench creepy crawlies), Sheila Keeble (ventures and cleans where others dare not), Alice Young (read/checked my thesis and overcame her arachnophobia!) and all those in the Centre for Biomolecular Sciences.
    [Show full text]
  • The Phylogeny of Termites
    Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 48 (2008) 615–627 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/ympev The phylogeny of termites (Dictyoptera: Isoptera) based on mitochondrial and nuclear markers: Implications for the evolution of the worker and pseudergate castes, and foraging behaviors Frédéric Legendre a,*, Michael F. Whiting b, Christian Bordereau c, Eliana M. Cancello d, Theodore A. Evans e, Philippe Grandcolas a a Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Département Systématique et Évolution, UMR 5202, CNRS, CP 50 (Entomologie), 45 rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France b Department of Integrative Biology, 693 Widtsoe Building, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA c UMR 5548, Développement—Communication chimique, Université de Bourgogne, 6, Bd Gabriel 21000 Dijon, France d Muzeu de Zoologia da Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Nazaré 481, 04263-000 São Paulo, SP, Brazil e CSIRO Entomology, Ecosystem Management: Functional Biodiversity, Canberra, Australia article info abstract Article history: A phylogenetic hypothesis of termite relationships was inferred from DNA sequence data. Seven gene Received 31 October 2007 fragments (12S rDNA, 16S rDNA, 18S rDNA, 28S rDNA, cytochrome oxidase I, cytochrome oxidase II Revised 25 March 2008 and cytochrome b) were sequenced for 40 termite exemplars, representing all termite families and 14 Accepted 9 April 2008 outgroups. Termites were found to be monophyletic with Mastotermes darwiniensis (Mastotermitidae) Available online 27 May 2008 as sister group to the remainder of the termites. In this remainder, the family Kalotermitidae was sister group to other families. The families Kalotermitidae, Hodotermitidae and Termitidae were retrieved as Keywords: monophyletic whereas the Termopsidae and Rhinotermitidae appeared paraphyletic.
    [Show full text]
  • Phylogeny of Ensifera (Hexapoda: Orthoptera) Using Three Ribosomal Loci, with Implications for the Evolution of Acoustic Communication
    Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 38 (2006) 510–530 www.elsevier.com/locate/ympev Phylogeny of Ensifera (Hexapoda: Orthoptera) using three ribosomal loci, with implications for the evolution of acoustic communication M.C. Jost a,*, K.L. Shaw b a Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, USA b Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA Received 9 May 2005; revised 27 September 2005; accepted 4 October 2005 Available online 16 November 2005 Abstract Representatives of the Orthopteran suborder Ensifera (crickets, katydids, and related insects) are well known for acoustic signals pro- duced in the contexts of courtship and mate recognition. We present a phylogenetic estimate of Ensifera for a sample of 51 taxonomically diverse exemplars, using sequences from 18S, 28S, and 16S rRNA. The results support a monophyletic Ensifera, monophyly of most ensiferan families, and the superfamily Gryllacridoidea which would include Stenopelmatidae, Anostostomatidae, Gryllacrididae, and Lezina. Schizodactylidae was recovered as the sister lineage to Grylloidea, and both Rhaphidophoridae and Tettigoniidae were found to be more closely related to Grylloidea than has been suggested by prior studies. The ambidextrously stridulating haglid Cyphoderris was found to be basal (or sister) to a clade that contains both Grylloidea and Tettigoniidae. Tree comparison tests with the concatenated molecular data found our phylogeny to be significantly better at explaining our data than three recent phylogenetic hypotheses based on morphological characters. A high degree of conflict exists between the molecular and morphological data, possibly indicating that much homoplasy is present in Ensifera, particularly in acoustic structures. In contrast to prior evolutionary hypotheses based on most parsi- monious ancestral state reconstructions, we propose that tegminal stridulation and tibial tympana are ancestral to Ensifera and were lost multiple times, especially within the Gryllidae.
    [Show full text]