DOCSLIB.ORG

Tve334 Beutel.Qxp

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Tve334 Beutel.Qxp R. G. BEUTEL Institut für Spezielle Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie, Jena MORPHOLOGY AND EVOLUTION OF THE LARVAL HEAD OF HYDROPHILOIDEA AND HISTEROIDEA (COLEOPTERA: STAPHYLINIFORMIA) R. G. Beutel, 1999. Morphology and evolution of the larval head of Hydrophiloidea and Histeroidea (Coleoptera: Staphyliniformia). – Tijdschrift voor Entomologie 142: 9-30, figs. 1- 29, table 1. [ISSN 0040-7496]. Published 22 September 1999. Internal and external features of the larval head of Spercheus emarginatus, Hydrochus sp., Helophorus sp., and of Hister sp. are described in detail. Character transformations of these struc- tures apparently play an important role in the evolution of Hydrophiloidea and Histeroidea. A basal position of Spercheidae within this lineage of Staphyliniformia is suggested by a considerable number of plesiomorphic features: head subprognathous, adnasalia and nasale absent, gula broad and short, posterior tentorial arms arise close to hind margin of head capsule, tentorial bridge fair- ly broad and straight, maxillary groove deep, with well developed articulating membrane, uniden- tate mandibular retinaculum, cardo undivided, moveability between cardo and stipes fully re- tained, stipes not tube-like, maxillary palp inserted laterally, lacinia strongly developed and hook-like, prepharynx short, anatomical mouth dilatable, brain located within head capsule, glands present in labial region. Some of these character states are also found in larvae of Hydrochus but not in other larvae of Hydrophiloidea and Histeroidea. A cladistic analysis, which is exclu- sively based on larval characters, results in the following branching pattern (strict consensus tree): Scarabaeidae + (Agyrtidae + Leiodidae + Hydraenidae + (Spercheidae + (Hydrochidae + (Histeri- dae + Synteliidae + Sphaeritidae) + (Helophoridae + ((Georissidae + Epimetopidae) + Hydrophil- idae)))))). A monophyletic unit which comprises Histeroidea and subgroups of Hydrophiloidea is in contrast to other phylogenetic hypotheses. It cannot be fully excluded that derived character states which are related with predacious habits have independently evolved in both superfamilies. R. G. Beutel, Institut für Spezielle Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie, FSU Jena, D-07743 Jena, Germany. E-mail: [email protected] Key words. – Morphology; larval head; Hydrophiloidea; Histeroidea; phylogeny. Hydrophiloidea is a superfamily of the polyphagan 1997b). Hydrophiloid larvae hatch from a silk cocoon series Staphyliniformia (Lawrence & Newton 1995, whereas eggs are deposited uncovered by histeroid fe- Hansen 1997a) and comprises about 2400 described males. The larvae of both groups are carnivorous and de- species (Hansen 1991). Adults are found in aquatic, velop fast. However, histeroid larvae seem to be special- semiaquatic, or terrestrial habitats, and some repre- ized on maggots (Newton 1991), a food preference which sentatives of the subfamily Sphaeridiinae have spe- is also found in some sphaeridiines but not in other groups cialised on life in dung or decaying matters (Hansen of Hydrophiloidea. 1997b). In most cases, larvae are found in the same The systematic concept of the superfamily Hy- environment as the adults. However the feeding drophiloidea, the interrelationships of subgroups, and habits differ considerably. Adults rely on various sorts the affinities with Histeroidea were discussed contro- of plant material, mainly decaying tissue (Hansen versially in older and more recent studies (Böving & 1997b), whereas larvae of most subgroups are carniv- Craighead 1931, Crowson 1955, Lawrence & New- orous (Böving & Henriksen 1938, Bertrand 1972, ton 1982, 1995, Hansen 1991, 1997a, Beutel 1994, Hansen 1997b). Archangelsky 1998). The phylogenetic analyses pre- A sister group relationship between Histeroidea and sented by Hansen (1991, 1997a) are based on many Hydrophiloidea was postulated by Hansen (1997a). external features of adults and some external charac- However, the life styles of both groups are clearly differ- ters of larvae. External features of immature stages ent. All stages of Histeroidea are terrestrial and the adults were also described and analysed by Archangelsky are predominantly or exclusively predacious (Hansen (1997, 1998). Internal features of larvae (and adults) 9 Downloaded from Brill.com10/01/2021 02:36:09AM via free access T E, 142, 1999 are treated in very few studies and not in great detail Histeridae (e.g. Quennedey 1965, Moulins 1959). They were Hister sp. (?) (identified with Klausnitzer 1978, not considered in cladistic analyses so far. Important several genera are missing in the key) structural and functional transformations of the larval Hololepta aequalis (Say, 1825) head have apparently taken place in the evolution of Scarabaeidae Hydrophiloidea (Beutel 1994). Therefore, this con- Liocola sp. tribution is aiming at an improved knowledge of the anatomy and morphology of larvae in order to pro- Specimens of Spercheus emarginatus, Helophorus, and vide a broader basis for phylogenetic analyses. Hololepta were embedded in Historesin, cut at 5 ␮m, The cladistic analysis presented in this study is main- and stained with methylene-blue and acid fuchsine. ly aiming at a more reliable character state polarity as- Available specimens of larvae of Hydrochus were mount- sessment. The results have to be considered as prelimi- ed on microscope slides. Larvae of other taxa were dis- nary for several reasons. Only larval features, mainly of sected. Drawings were made using an ocular grid. the head are included. Different higher ranking taxa are Von Kéler’s muscular nomenclature is used in the only represented by the larvae of one or a few species ex- text and the corresponding number are used in the il- amined (e.g. Hydrophilidae, Histeridae) and many data lustrations (Von Kéler 1963). concerning internal features are missing. This is due to The phylogenetic analysis was carried out using the the general lack of anatomical studies and the restricted cladistic computer programs PAUP version 3.1 (Swof- availability of larvae, especially of material suitable for ford 1991) and MacClade version 3 (Maddison & histological work. Detailed study of internal structures Maddison 1992). of larvae of Hydrochidae, Georissidae, Epimetopidae, Synteliidae, and Sphaeritidae should be considered as MORPHOLOGICAL RESULTS an important future project. Spercheus emarginatus MATERIAL AND TECHNIQUES Head capsule, external features (figs. 1, 7) Species examined Head slightly inclined, subprognathous, moderately Hydraenidae: compressed dorsoventrally, rounded laterally. Sclero- Davidraena sp. tized parts brownish to testaceous. Setae unusually thin, Hydraena sp. distribution irregular (fig. 1). Dorsal side of head capsule Ochthebius sp. covered with minute spines. Five stemmata present. An- Agyrtidae teriormost stemma large, located on a prominent, an- Necrophilus hydrophiloides terolateral elevation. Posterodorsal stemma adjacent Guérin-Menneville, 1835 with an unpigmented, semitransparent area. Labrum Silphidae fused to clypeus, posterior margin defined by indistinct- Silpha obscura Linnaeus, 1758 ly impressed transverse line. Clypeofrontal suture com- Spercheidae pletely absent. Anterior tentorial grooves not apparent. Spercheus emarginatus (Schaller, 1783) Frontal suture very indistinct in 3rd instar larvae, oblit- Hydrochidae erated posteriorly. Conspicuous transverse sulcus pre- Hydrochus elongatus (Schaller, 1783) sent in the posterodorsal area of the head capsule. Coro- H. megaphallus Berge Henegouwen, 1988 nal suture absent. Maxillae inserted in deep maxillary H. ignicollis Motschulsky, 1860 grooves, with well developed articulating membrane (mounted on slides) (fig. 7). Distinct ridge present lateral to the maxillary Helophoridae grooves. Gula broad and sclerotized. Posterior tentorial Helophorus sp. grooves widely separated, fairly long and fissure-shaped, H. aequalis Thomson, 1868 scarcely discernible externally. H. redtenbacheri Kuwert, 1885 (3rd instar) Georissidae Internal skeletal structures (figs. 13, 17, 21) Georissus crenulatus Rossi, 1794 Posterior tentorial arms arise immediately close to Sphaeridiinae hind margin of head capsule, connected with the Sphaeridium sp. postoccipital ridge posterolaterally. Tentorial bridge Hydrophilinae straight and fairly broad (figs. 17, 21). Anterior arms Berosus sp. moderately strong. Dorsal arms normally developed, Hydrochara caraboides (Linnaeus, 1758) attached to dorsal wall of head capsule close to Hydrophilus piceus (Linnaeus, 1758) frontal suture. 10 Downloaded from Brill.com10/01/2021 02:36:09AM via free access BEUTEL: Larval head of Hydrophiloidea and Histeroidea Labrum (figs. 1, 13, 21) almost vertical bundles, O: posterior tentorial arm, Fused with clypeus, rounded anteriorly, without below M 17, I: mesally and ventromesally on pro- nasal or adnasal lobes. Lateral margin with several ximal part of stipes; M 19: M. craniolacinialis, O: ventrally directed, triangular, sclerotized processes posterolaterally from head capsule, I: base of lacinia; (fig. 21). M 20: M. stipitolacinialis: absent; M 22: M. stipi- Musculature: absent topalpalis externus, O: mesally from stipes, lateral to insertion of M. craniolacinialis, I: ventrally on base of Antenna (figs. 1, 13) palpifer; M 23: M. stipitopalpalis internus, O: mesal- 3-segmented, anteriorly directed, fairly slender. In- ly from stipes, close to origin of M 22, I: anterodor- serted on a conspicuous prominence resembling a basal sally on base of palpifer. antennomere. Antennomere
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Thorne Moors :A Palaeoecological Study of A
    T...o"..e MO<J "S " "",Ae Oe COlOOIC'" S T<.OY OF A e"ONZE AGE slTE - .. "c euc~ , A"O a • n ,• THORNE MOORS :A PALAEOECOLOGICAL STUDY OF A BRONZE AGE SITE A contribution to the history of the British Insect fauna P.c. Buckland, Department of Geography, University of Birmingham. © Authors Copyright ISBN ~o. 0 7044 0359 5 List of Contents Page Introduction 3 Previous research 6 The archaeological evidence 10 The geological sequence 19 The samples 22 Table 1 : Insect remains from Thorne Moors 25 Environmental interpretation 41 Table 2 : Thorne Moors : Trackway site - pollen and spores from sediments beneath peat and from basal peat sample 42 Table 3 Tho~ne Moors Plants indicated by the insect record 51 Table 4 Thorne Moors pollen from upper four samples in Sphagnum peat (to current cutting surface) 64 Discussion : the flooding mechanism 65 The insect fauna : notes on particular species 73 Discussion : man, climate and the British insect fauna 134 Acknowledgements 156 Bibliography 157 List of Figures Frontispiece Pelta grossum from pupal chamber in small birch, Thorne Moors (1972). Age of specimen c. 2,500 B.P. 1. The Humberhead Levels, showing Thorne and Hatfield Moors and the principal rivers. 2 2. Thorne Moors the surface before peat extraction (1975). 5 3. Thorne Moors the same locality after peat cutting (1975). 5 4. Thorne Moors location of sites examined. 9 5. Thorne Moors plan of trackway (1972). 12 6. Thorne Moors trackway timbers exposed in new dyke section (1972) • 15 7. Thorne Moors the trackway and peat succession (1977).
    [Show full text]
  • Eucinetidae (Coleoptera) of the Maritime Provinces of Canada
    J. Acad. Entomol. Soc. 6: 16-21 (2010) Eucinetidae (Coleoptera) of the Maritime Provinces of Canada Christopher G. Majka ABSTRACT Four species of Eucinetidae (plate-thigh beetles) are recorded for the Maritime Provinces of Canada. Eucinetus haemorrhoidalis is newly recorded in Prince Edward Island, the first record of this family in the province; Eucinetus morio LeConte is newly recorded in New Brunswick; and Nycteus punctulatus (LeConte) is newly recorded in Nova Scotia, and in the Maritime Provinces as a whole. A key to species is provided, as are colour habitus photographs of all the species found in the region. The composition of the eucinetid fauna of the region, and its place within the saproxylic beetle fauna, are briefly discussed. RÉSUMÉ Quatre espèces d’Eucinetidae ont été signalées dans les provinces Maritimes du Canada. L’Eucinetus haemorrhoidalis est une nouvelle espèce relevée sur l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard, la première mention de cette famille dans la province; l’Eucinetus morio LeConte est une nouvelle espèce signalée au Nouveau- Brunswick; le Nycteus punctulatus (LeConte) est une nouvelle espèce signalée en Nouvelle-Écosse ainsi que dans l’ensemble des Maritimes. Une clé des espèces ainsi que des photographies en couleurs de l’habitus de toutes les espèces présentes dans la région sont présentées. La composition de la faune eucinétidée de la région et sa place parmi la faune de coléoptères saproxyliques sont brièvement examinées. INTRODUCTION The Eucinetidae (plate-thigh beetles) are a family in the superfamily Scirtoidea. The common name refers to one of the distinctive features of the family; greatly expanded metacoxal plates that cover most of the first visible abdominal segment, beneath which the hind legs can be retracted.
    [Show full text]
  • A New Genus and Species of Asiocoleidae (Coleoptera) From
    ISRAEL JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY, Vol. 50 (2), pp. 1–9 (21 July 2020) This contribution is published to honor Prof. Vladimir Chikatunov, a scientist, a colleague and a friend, on the occasion of his 80th birthday. The first finding of an asiocoleid beetle (Coleoptera: Asiocoleidae) in the Upper Permian Belmont Insect Beds, Australia, with descriptions of a new genus and species Aleksandr G. Ponomarenko1, Evgeny V. Yan1, Olesya D. Strelnikova1 & Robert G. Beattie2 1A.A. Borissiak Palaeontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Profsoyuznaya ul. 123, Moscow, 117997 Russia. E-mail: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] 2The Australian Museum, 1 William Street, Sydney, New South Wales, 2010 Australia. E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] ABSTRACT A new genus and species of Archostematan beetles, Gondvanocoleus chikatunovi n. gen. & sp., is described from an isolated elytron from the Upper Permian Belmont locality in Australia. Gondvanocoleus n. gen. differs from other members of the family Asiocoleidae in having only one row of cells in the middle part of the elytral field 3 and in having unorganized cells not forming rows near the elytral apex. Further relationships of the new genus with other asiocoleids are discussed. The fossil record of the Asiocoleidae is briefly overviewed. KEYWORDS: Coleoptera, Archostemata, Asiocoleidae, beetles, new genus, new species, Permian, Lopingian, Australia, Gondwana, fossil record. РЕЗЮМЕ Новый род и вид жуков-архостемат, Gondvanocoleus chikatunovi n. gen. & sp., описаны по изолированному надкрылью из верхнепермского мес то­ нахождения Бельмонт в Австралии. Gondvanocoleus n. gen. отличается от остальных родов семейства Asiocoleidae присутствием только одного ряда ячей в средней части предшовного поля и не организованных в ряды ячей в апикальной части надкрылья.
    [Show full text]
  • Local and Landscape Effects on Carrion-Associated Rove Beetle (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) Communities in German Forests
    insects Article Local and Landscape Effects on Carrion-Associated Rove Beetle (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) Communities in German Forests Sandra Weithmann 1,* , Jonas Kuppler 1 , Gregor Degasperi 2, Sandra Steiger 3 , Manfred Ayasse 1 and Christian von Hoermann 4 1 Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, 89069 Ulm, Germany; [email protected] (J.K.); [email protected] (M.A.) 2 Richard-Wagnerstraße 9, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; [email protected] 3 Department of Evolutionary Animal Ecology, University of Bayreuth, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany; [email protected] 4 Department of Conservation and Research, Bavarian Forest National Park, 94481 Grafenau, Germany; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 15 October 2020; Accepted: 21 November 2020; Published: 24 November 2020 Simple Summary: Increasing forest management practices by humans are threatening inherent insect biodiversity and thus important ecosystem services provided by them. One insect group which reacts sensitively to habitat changes are the rove beetles contributing to the maintenance of an undisturbed insect succession during decomposition by mainly hunting fly maggots. However, little is known about carrion-associated rove beetles due to poor taxonomic knowledge. In our study, we unveiled the human-induced and environmental drivers that modify rove beetle communities on vertebrate cadavers. At German forest sites selected by a gradient of management intensity, we contributed to the understanding of the rove beetle-mediated decomposition process. One main result is that an increasing human impact in forests changes rove beetle communities by promoting generalist and more open-habitat species coping with low structural heterogeneity, whereas species like Philonthus decorus get lost.
    [Show full text]
  • RESEARCH ARTICLE Hydrochidae
    TAES 142: 167-213 RESEARCH ARTICLE ISSO 0002-8320 http://taes.entomology-aes.org/ Hydrochidae (Coleoptera) of Mississippi REESE J. WorthinGton1, JOHN L. HELLMAN2, PAUL K. LAGO 1 1Department of Biology, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677. Corresponding author email: [email protected]. 2Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742. ABSTRACT Mississippi Hydrochidae are poorly known. In this paper, we attempt to untangle some of the taxonomic difficulties caused by recent dubious works of D. Makhan and to validate an undescribed species from previously unpublished research. The 12 species occurring in Mississippi are reviewed and one new species, H. falsus Hellman sp.n., is described. Six new synonymies are established as follows: Hydrochus hanoewanti Makhan, 1994 is a junior synonym of Hydrochus rugosus Mulsant, 1844; Hydrochus monishi Makhan, 1995 is a junior synonym of Hydrochus foveatus Haldeman, 1852; Hydrochus equicarinatus Blatchley, 1928 is a junior synonym of Hydrochus simplex LeConte, 1855; Hydrochus daviniaae Makhan, 1995 is a junior synonym of Hydrochus vagus LeConte, 1851; Hydrochus bakkeri Makhan, 1995 is a junior synonym of Hydrochus obscurus Sharp, 1882; and Hydrochus soesae (Makhan), 2004 is a junior synonym of Hydrochus scabratus Mulsant, 1844. Hydrochus inaequalis LeConte, 1855 is removed from synonymy with Hydrochus foveatus Haldeman, 1852 and resurrected as a proper species. Neotypes are designated for H. rugosus Mulsant, 1844, H. rufipes Melsheimer, 1844, and H. scabratus Mulsant, 1844. A lectotype is designated for H. foveatus Haldeman, 1852. Species descriptions, illustrations of male genitalia, distribution maps and a key to species are presented. Additional notes on Makhan species and holotypes, including unavailable types, are provided.
    [Show full text]
  • Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Glaphyridae) from the Mesozoic of China G
    ISSN 00310301, Paleontological Journal, 2011, Vol. 45, No. 2, pp. 179–182. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd., 2011 Original Russian Text © G.V. Nikolajev, D. Ren, 2011, published in Paleontologicheskii Zhurnal, 2011, No. 2, pp. 57–60. The Oldest Species of the Genus Glaphyrus Latr. (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Glaphyridae) from the Mesozoic of China G. V. Nikolajeva, b and D. Rena aCollege of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, 105 Xisanhuanbeilu, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, China email: [email protected] bAlFarabi Kazakh National University (Dept. of Biology), pr. AlFarabi 71, Almaty, 050038 Kazakhstan email: [email protected] Received February 10, 2010 Abstract—Glaphyrus ancestralis sp. nov. is described from the Yixian Formation (Upper Jurassic or Lower Cretaceous). The species is not only one of the earliest records of the family Glaphyridae but also the oldest representative of an extant genus of the family. Keywords: China, Mesozoic, Yixian, Scarabaeoidea, Glaphyridae, beetles. DOI: 10.1134/S0031030111010126 INTRODUCTION entiation of the new species from the type species of Cretoglaphyrus by the structure of the labrum and The Glaphyridae is a small family represented in clypeus, but also a discovery of an interesting trait not the presentday fauna by slightly over 200 species previously noticed in Cretoglaphyrus: the elytra do not group taxa of six genera. The genus Lichnanthe Bur conceal the mesepimera, which are well visible in dorsal meister, 1844 is endemic to the Nearctic and contains only nine extant species (Carlson, 2002). The areas of view between the pronotum and elytra. Among the distribution of the type genus and the genera Anthypna extant Glaphyridae this character state is found in only Eschscholtz, 1818, Eulasia Truqui, 1848, and two genera, Lichnanthe and Glaphyrus.
    [Show full text]
  • Reticulated Beetles, Family Cupedidae
    © Copyright, Princeton University Press. No part of this book may be distributed, posted, or reproduced in any form by digital or mechanical means without prior written permission of the publisher. FAMILY CUPEDIDAE RETICULATED BEETLES, FAMILY CUPEDIDAE (CUE-PEH-DIH-DEE) Cupedids are a small and unusual family of primitive beetles with more than 30 species worldwide, two of which are found in eastern North America. Adults and larvae bore into fungus-infested wood beneath the bark of limbs and logs. FAMILY DIAGNOSIS Adult cupedids are slender, parallel- SIMILAR FAMILIES sided, strongly flattened, roughly sculpted, and clothed ■ net-winged beetles (Lycidae) – head not visible in broad, scalelike setae. Head and pronotum narrower from above (p.229) than elytra. Antennae thick, filiform with 11 antennomeres. ■ hispine leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae) Prothorax distinctly margined or keeled on sides, underside – antennae short, clavate; head narrower than with grooves to receive legs. Elytra broader than prothorax, pronotum (p.429) strongly ridged with square punctures between. Tarsal formula 5-5-5; claws simple. Abdomen with five overlapping COLLECTING NOTES Adult cupedids are found in late ventrites. spring and summer by chopping into old decaying logs and stumps, netted in flight near infested wood, and beaten from dead branches. They are sometimes common at light. FAUNA FOUR SPECIES IN FOUR GENERA (NA); TWO SPECIES IN TWO GENERA (ENA) Cupes capitatus Fabricius (7.0–11.0 mm) is elongate, narrow, bicolored with reddish or golden head and remainder of body grayish black. Adults active late spring and summer, 60 found under bark and on bare trunks of standing dead oaks (Quercus); attracted to light.
    [Show full text]
  • The Evolution and Genomic Basis of Beetle Diversity
    The evolution and genomic basis of beetle diversity Duane D. McKennaa,b,1,2, Seunggwan Shina,b,2, Dirk Ahrensc, Michael Balked, Cristian Beza-Bezaa,b, Dave J. Clarkea,b, Alexander Donathe, Hermes E. Escalonae,f,g, Frank Friedrichh, Harald Letschi, Shanlin Liuj, David Maddisonk, Christoph Mayere, Bernhard Misofe, Peyton J. Murina, Oliver Niehuisg, Ralph S. Petersc, Lars Podsiadlowskie, l m l,n o f l Hans Pohl , Erin D. Scully , Evgeny V. Yan , Xin Zhou , Adam Slipinski , and Rolf G. Beutel aDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152; bCenter for Biodiversity Research, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152; cCenter for Taxonomy and Evolutionary Research, Arthropoda Department, Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, 53113 Bonn, Germany; dBavarian State Collection of Zoology, Bavarian Natural History Collections, 81247 Munich, Germany; eCenter for Molecular Biodiversity Research, Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, 53113 Bonn, Germany; fAustralian National Insect Collection, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia; gDepartment of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute for Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany; hInstitute of Zoology, University of Hamburg, D-20146 Hamburg, Germany; iDepartment of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Wien, Wien 1030, Austria; jChina National GeneBank, BGI-Shenzhen, 518083 Guangdong, People’s Republic of China; kDepartment of Integrative Biology, Oregon State
    [Show full text]
  • Stow Cum Quy Fen Pond Survey
    Stow Cum Quy Fen pond survey A report for the Freshwater Habitats Trust July 2017 (Version 2) 1. Introduction Stow-cum-Quy Fen Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) covers 29.6 hectares and is located 7.5 km north-east of the centre of Cambridge. It features a number of ponds, the largest being a coprolite pit from which phosphate-rich deposits were excavated in the mid to late 19th century for fertiliser (O’Connor, 2001 & 2011). Originally believed to be fossilised dinosaur dung, the ‘coprolite’ seams were in fact phosphatic nodules derived from the remains of marine molluscs, cephalopods and other organisms deposited during the Jurassic (Cambridgeshire Archaeology Field Group, 2015). The elongate shape of some smaller ponds suggests that these too originated as coprolite pits but others are likely to be stock watering ponds. This survey was commissioned by the Freshwater Habitats Trust as part of the Flagship Ponds project. Fieldwork for was undertaken by Jonathan Graham (botanical survey) and Martin Hammond (invertebrates) on 17th May 2017. This was followed by a second visit on 21st June 2017 to seek out additional species. 2. Survey methods Eight ponds (refer to location map below) were surveyed using PSYM (Predictive System for Multimetrics), the standard methodology for evaluating the ecological quality of ponds and small lakes (Environment Agency, 2002). A PSYM survey involves: Obtaining environmental data such as pond area, altitude, grid reference, substrate composition, cover of emergent vegetation, degree of shade, accessibility to livestock and water pH Collecting a sample of aquatic macro-invertebrates using a standard protocol (three minutes’ netting divided equally between each ‘meso-habitat’ within the pond basin, plus one minute searching the water surface and submerged debris) Recording wetland plants PSYM generates six ‘metrics’ (measurements) representing important indicators of ecological quality.
    [Show full text]
  • Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae) Are Specialist Predators of Snails
    Eur. J. Entomol. 112(1): 145–150, 2015 doi: 10.14411/eje.2015.016 ISSN 1210-5759 (print), 1802-8829 (online) Larvae of the water scavenger beetle, Hydrophilus acuminatus (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae) are specialist predators of snails TOSHIO INODA1, YUTA INODA1 and JUNE KATHYLEEN RULLAN 2 1 Shibamata 5-17-10, Katsushika, Tokyo 125-0052, Japan; e-mail: [email protected] 2 University of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines; e-mail: [email protected] Key words. Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae, Hydrophilus acuminatus, feeding preferences, snail specialist Abstract. Hydrophilus acuminatus larvae are known to feed on aquatic prey. However, there is no quantitative study of their feeding habits. In order to determine the feeding preferences and essential prey of larvae of H. acuminatus, both field and laboratory experi- ments were carried out. Among the five potential species of prey,Austropeplea ollula (Mollusca: Lymnaeidae), Physa acuta (Mollusca: Physidae), Asellus hilgendorfi (Crustacea: Asellidae), Palaemon paucidens (Crustacea: Palaemonidae) and larvae of Propsilocerus akamusi (Insecta: Chironomidae), the first instar larvae of H. acuminatus strongly prefered the Austropeplea and Physa snails in both cafeteria and single-prey species experiments. Larvae that were provided with only snails also successfully developed into second instar larvae, while larvae fed Palaemon, Propsilocerus larvae or Asellus died during the first instar. In addition, the size of adult H. acuminatus reared from first-instar larvae and fed only snails during their entire development was not different from that of adult H. acuminatus collected in the field. This indicates that even though the larvae ofH. acuminatus can feed on several kinds of invertebrates, they strongly prefer snails and without them cannot complete their development.
    [Show full text]
  • Comparison of Coleoptera Emergent from Various Decay Classes of Downed Coarse Woody Debris in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA
    University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Center for Systematic Entomology, Gainesville, Insecta Mundi Florida 11-30-2012 Comparison of Coleoptera emergent from various decay classes of downed coarse woody debris in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA Michael L. Ferro Louisiana State Arthropod Museum, [email protected] Matthew L. Gimmel Louisiana State University AgCenter, [email protected] Kyle E. Harms Louisiana State University, [email protected] Christopher E. Carlton Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/insectamundi Ferro, Michael L.; Gimmel, Matthew L.; Harms, Kyle E.; and Carlton, Christopher E., "Comparison of Coleoptera emergent from various decay classes of downed coarse woody debris in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA" (2012). Insecta Mundi. 773. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/insectamundi/773 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Center for Systematic Entomology, Gainesville, Florida at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Insecta Mundi by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. INSECTA A Journal of World Insect Systematics MUNDI 0260 Comparison of Coleoptera emergent from various decay classes of downed coarse woody debris in Great Smoky Mountains Na- tional Park, USA Michael L. Ferro Louisiana State Arthropod Museum, Department of Entomology Louisiana State University Agricultural Center 402 Life Sciences Building Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, U.S.A. [email protected] Matthew L. Gimmel Division of Entomology Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology University of Kansas 1501 Crestline Drive, Suite 140 Lawrence, KS, 66045, U.S.A.
    [Show full text]
  • Coleoptera: Introduction and Key to Families
    Royal Entomological Society HANDBOOKS FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF BRITISH INSECTS To purchase current handbooks and to download out-of-print parts visit: http://www.royensoc.co.uk/publications/index.htm This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 UK: England & Wales License. Copyright © Royal Entomological Society 2012 ROYAL ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON Vol. IV. Part 1. HANDBOOKS FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF BRITISH INSECTS COLEOPTERA INTRODUCTION AND KEYS TO FAMILIES By R. A. CROWSON LONDON Published by the Society and Sold at its Rooms 41, Queen's Gate, S.W. 7 31st December, 1956 Price-res. c~ . HANDBOOKS FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF BRITISH INSECTS The aim of this series of publications is to provide illustrated keys to the whole of the British Insects (in so far as this is possible), in ten volumes, as follows : I. Part 1. General Introduction. Part 9. Ephemeroptera. , 2. Thysanura. 10. Odonata. , 3. Protura. , 11. Thysanoptera. 4. Collembola. , 12. Neuroptera. , 5. Dermaptera and , 13. Mecoptera. Orthoptera. , 14. Trichoptera. , 6. Plecoptera. , 15. Strepsiptera. , 7. Psocoptera. , 16. Siphonaptera. , 8. Anoplura. 11. Hemiptera. Ill. Lepidoptera. IV. and V. Coleoptera. VI. Hymenoptera : Symphyta and Aculeata. VII. Hymenoptera: Ichneumonoidea. VIII. Hymenoptera : Cynipoidea, Chalcidoidea, and Serphoidea. IX. Diptera: Nematocera and Brachycera. X. Diptera: Cyclorrhapha. Volumes 11 to X will be divided into parts of convenient size, but it is not possible to specify in advance the taxonomic content of each part. Conciseness and cheapness are main objectives in this new series, and each part will be the work of a specialist, or of a group of specialists.
    [Show full text]