Improving Freshwater Quality Assessment Using Dna

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Improving Freshwater Quality Assessment Using Dna LifeWatch Scientific Community Meeting, Rome, 27-29 May 2019 NEXT GENERATION SEQUENCING: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES OF A DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT AND MONITORING Pedro Beja CIBIO – Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, University of Porto & ISA/University of Lisbon CONTEXT: HOT, CROWDED AND FLAT WORLD OPPORTUNITIES: NEW CONCEPTS, TOOLS AND APPROACHES BARCODING AND METABARCODING ARE PROMISING TOOLS EPHEMEROPTERA PLECOPTERA ORTHOPTERA MUSEUM COLLECTIONS ODONATA FIELD TRICHOPTERA LEPIDOPTERA SAMPLING Expert Morphological Stored Specimen taxonomists ID Voucher Online DNA sequencing Sample (leg) 96% ethanol Database > 6,200 specimens (4,900 identified to species level) > ~2200 species; 240 families Borkhausenia crimnodes : native Aproaerema sp. Undescribed from Argentina, first record in species; 1 individual barcoded; Europe detected in bat faeces. ♀ ♂ Isotrias penedana: undescribed Cryptic diversity: possible new species or divergent lineages (3.6% to 13.4%) female detected with barcoding Automated identification of multiple organisms from a single (mixed) sample (e.g., faeces, soil, water or bulk samples) containing: • cellular DNA (living cells/organisms) • extracellular DNA (dead cells/organisms) EXTRACTION HIGH-THROUGHPUT TAXON SEQUENCING IDENTIFICATION “MULTI-SPECIES” SAMPLE PCR BIOINFORMATIC ECOLOGICAL AMPLIFICATION DATA PROCESSING ANALYSIS What is the ecological “quality” of ecosystems and how is it affected by environmental and anthropogenic drivers? Pawlowski et al., 2018, Science of the Total Environment Metabarcoding directly from preservative ethanol to obtain the species composition of the bulk sample while keeping it for further investigation (Martins et al., 2019, Molecular Ecology Resources) PRESERVATIVE ETHANOL SAMPLES BULK SAMPLES 5 sites Detection of taxa targeted by the Water Framewor Directive, taxa suitable to build ecological quality indices (Martins et al., 2019, Molecular Ecology Resources) Variation in species composition among sites was large compared to variation associated with subsampling day, extraction method, extraction replicate and PCR replicate Source of variation df MS Rsq F P Site 4 6.12 0.38 62.35 0.0001 Site:Day 5 0.24 0.02 2.48 0.0001 Site:Day:Method 10 0.19 0.03 1.92 0.0001 Site:Day:Method:Extra 10 0.09 0.01 0.91 0.800 ction Site:Day:Method: 50 0.07 0.06 1.000 Extraction: PCR Residuals 338 0.1 0.51 Total 417 Using several markers (18S, 16S, COI) allows taxonomic coverage from diatoms to vertebrates in the same sample. What is the role of neutral processes, environmental filtering, biotic interactions, response traits and phylogeny in community assembly? Ovaskainen et al. 2017. Ecology Letters, 20, 561-576. Study Area: • Tua Valley Regional Park 70 sampling sites • Vineyards • Olive groves • Cork-oak woodlands • Riparian galleries 1 light trap per site (sunset to sunrise) Sampling: • July, September 2017 • April-September 2018 All sites sampled in 6 days per month (No taxonomic knowledge required) PCR DNA Bioinformatics Illumina DNA sequencing Invertebrate powder (COI, 420 bp) extraction 140 samples processed Other (14) (July and September 2017) Trichoptera 103 • 5.4 Million usable reads 22 Neuroptera • 9500 unique haplotypes 31 • ~1250 unique Arthropod taxa: Orthoptera • ~50% identified to Species 95 Lepidoptera • ~5% to Genus Hemiptera 430 • ~34% to Family 144 • ~8% to Order • ~2% to Class Coleoptera 163 Diptera 239 Total species richness Exclusive species Fourth corner analysis Moth Species assemblages How to predict structure, dynamics and responses to environmental change and ecosystem management? Raimundo et al. 2018. Trends in Ecology and Evolution. Study Area LTER Baixo Sabor (lter_eu_pt_002) Field Methods • Capture of individuals of all bat species (Spring/Summer 2016/17) • Mist-netting • Visits to roosts • Collection of faecal pellets Lab Methods • DNA Extraction, PCR, Metabarcoding • 1 COI marker for bat ID (202bp) • 2 COI markers for Prey ID (157bp; 205bp) 1280 pellets processed (20 bat species) • 24 Million usable reads Other • 1377 unique Arthropod taxa: Orthoptera 139 • ~60% identified to Species 49 Hymenoptera • ~10% only to Genus 53 Lepidoptera • ~15% only to Family Araneae 392 • ~12% only to Order 57 • ~2% only to Class Hemiptera • 4250 unique interactions 147 Coleoptera Diptera 159 354 Prey with frequency of occurrence > 10% 19% 14% 13% 12% Pine Processionary Crane Fly Turnip Moth Vine’s Rustic Moth Thaumetopoea pityocampa Tipula oleracea Agrotis segetum Hoplodrina ambigua 12% 12% 12% 10% 10% Green Lacewing Spittlebug Large Yellow Underwing Mayfly Moth Fly Chrysoperla sp. Neophilaenus sp. Noctua pronuba Caenidae sp1 Psychoda alternata Interaction Network Modularity Creating a Virtual Research Environment to enhance accuracy and reproducibility of NGS data for ecological applications Harnessing the power of miniaturisation to develop real-time sequencing devices for field deployment MinION https://nanoporetech.com/products/minion Connecting Earth Observation Systems with conventional or automated molecular monitoring and assessment of biodiversity Bohan et al., 2017, Trends in Ecology & Evolution THANKS FOR LISTENING!!.
Recommended publications
  • Biological Surveys at Hunsbury Hill Country Park 2018
    FRIENDS OF WEST HUNSBURY PARKS BIOLOGICAL SURVEYS AT HUNSBURY HILL COUNTRY PARK 2018 Ryan Clark Northamptonshire Biodiversity Records Centre April 2019 Northamptonshire Biodiversity Records Centre Introduction Biological records tell us which species are present on sites and are essential in informing the conservation and management of wildlife. In 2018, the Northamptonshire Biodiversity Records Centre ran a number of events to encourage biological recording at Hunsbury Hill Fort as part of the Friends of West Hunsbury Park’s project, which is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Hunsbury Hill Country Park is designated as a Local Wildlife Site (LWS). There are approximately 700 Local Wildlife Sites in Northamptonshire. Local Wildlife Sites create a network of areas, which are important as refuges for wildlife or wildlife corridors. Hunsbury Hill Country Park was designated as a LWS in 1992 for its woodland flora and the variety of habitats that the site possesses. The site also has a Local Geological Site (LGS) which highlights the importance of this site for its geology as well as biodiversity. This will be surveyed by the local geological group in due course. Hunsbury Hill Country Park Local Wildlife Site Boundary 1 Northamptonshire Biodiversity Records Centre (NBRC) supports the recording, curation and sharing of quality verified environmental information for sound decision-making. We hold nearly a million biological records covering a variety of different species groups. Before the start of this project, we looked to see which species had been recorded at the site. We were surprised to find that the only records we have for the site have come from Local Wildlife Site Surveys, which assess the quality of the site and focus on vascular plants, with some casual observations of other species noted too.
    [Show full text]
  • A-Razowski X.Vp:Corelventura
    Acta zoologica cracoviensia, 46(3): 269-275, Kraków, 30 Sep., 2003 Reassessment of forewing pattern elements in Tortricidae (Lepidoptera) Józef RAZOWSKI Received: 15 March, 2003 Accepted for publication: 20 May, 2003 RAZOWSKI J. 2003. Reassessment of forewing pattern elements in Tortricidae (Lepidop- tera). Acta zoologica cracoviensia, 46(3): 269-275. Abstract. Forewing pattern elements of moths in the family Tortricidae are discussed and characterized. An historical review of the terminology is provided. A new system of nam- ing pattern elements is proposed. Key words. Lepidoptera, Tortricidae, forewing pattern, analysis, terminology. Józef RAZOWSKI, Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, S³awkowska 17, 31-016 Kraków, Poland. E-mail: razowski.isez.pan.krakow.pl I. INTRODUCTION Early tortricid workers such as HAWORTH (1811), HERRICH-SCHHÄFFER (1856), and others pre- sented the first terminology for forewing pattern elements in their descriptions of new species. Nearly a century later, SÜFFERT (1929) provided a more eclectic discussion of pattern elements for Lepidoptera in general. In recent decades, the common and repeated use of specific terms in de- scriptions and illustrations by FALKOVITSH (1966), DANILEVSKY and KUZNETZOV (1968), and oth- ers reinforced these terms in Tortricidae. BRADLEY et al. (1973) summarized and commented on all the English terms used to describe forewing pattern elements. DANILEVSKY and KUZNETZOV (1968) and KUZNETZOV (1978) analyzed tortricid pattern elements, primarily Olethreutinae, dem- onstrating the taxonomic significance of the costal strigulae in that subfamily. For practical pur- poses they numbered the strigulae from the forewing apex to the base, where the strigulae often become indistinct. KUZNETZOV (1978) named the following forewing elements in Tortricinae: ba- sal fascia, subterminal fascia, outer fascia (comprised of subapical blotch and outer blotch), apical spot, and marginal line situated in the marginal fascia (a component of the ground colour).
    [Show full text]
  • Autographa Gamma
    1 Table of Contents Table of Contents Authors, Reviewers, Draft Log 4 Introduction to the Reference 6 Soybean Background 11 Arthropods 14 Primary Pests of Soybean (Full Pest Datasheet) 14 Adoretus sinicus ............................................................................................................. 14 Autographa gamma ....................................................................................................... 26 Chrysodeixis chalcites ................................................................................................... 36 Cydia fabivora ................................................................................................................. 49 Diabrotica speciosa ........................................................................................................ 55 Helicoverpa armigera..................................................................................................... 65 Leguminivora glycinivorella .......................................................................................... 80 Mamestra brassicae....................................................................................................... 85 Spodoptera littoralis ....................................................................................................... 94 Spodoptera litura .......................................................................................................... 106 Secondary Pests of Soybean (Truncated Pest Datasheet) 118 Adoxophyes orana ......................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Invasive Plants Established in the United States That Are Found In
    Stellaria media Common chickweed Introduction The genus Stellaria contains approximately 190 species, occurring primarily in the temperate regions. Sixty-four species have been reported in China[12]. Taxonomy Order: Centrospermae Suborder: Caryophyllineae Family: Caryophyllaceae Subfamily: Alsinoideae Vierh. Tribe: Alsineae Pax Subtribe: Stellarinae Aschers. et apex and attenuate or subcordate base, stage of crop growth of wheat, rape and Graebn. lower leaf is petioled. The inflorescence some vegetables. It is also poisonous [39, 108, 187] Genus: Stellaria L. is a terminal cyme. The sepals are, to poultry . Section: Stellaria ovate lanceolate, about 4 mm in length, Subsection: Stellaria slightly obtuse or suborbicular apically Related Species Series: Petiolares Fenal and covered with short glandular hairs S. media var. micrantha (Hayata) T. S. Species: Stellaria media (L.) outside. Shorter than sepals, each Liu & S. S. Ying, native to Taiwan, is Cyr. petal is white, oblong, nearly bisected. a perennial herb. Its petals are nearly Shorter than petals, stamens are 3-5 equal to sepals, which are 2-2.5 mm Description with 3 linear styles. Slightly longer long, whereas S. media var. media has [12] Stellaria media is an annual or biennual than the persistent calyx, capsules are longer sepals and shorter petals . S. herb that can reach 10-30 cm in height. ovate, 6-lobed apically. The flowers media and five additional members The stem is light purplish red with one bloom from June to July and followed of the genus Stellaria are regarded as or two rows of hairs on the surface, and by fruits in July through August. The unwelcome plants in China.
    [Show full text]
  • Nota Lepidopterologica
    ZOBODAT - www.zobodat.at Zoologisch-Botanische Datenbank/Zoological-Botanical Database Digitale Literatur/Digital Literature Zeitschrift/Journal: Nota lepidopterologica Jahr/Year: 2006 Band/Volume: 29 Autor(en)/Author(s): Fibiger Michael, Sammut Paul M., Seguna Anthony, Catania Aldo Artikel/Article: Recent records of Noctuidae from Malta, with five species new to the European fauna, and a new subspecies 193-213 ©Societas Europaea Lepidopterologica; download unter http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/ und www.zobodat.at Notalepid. 29(3/4): 193-213 193 Recent records of Noctuidae from Malta, with five species new to the European fauna, and a new subspecies Michael Fibiger Paul Sammut-, Anthony Seguna \ & Aldo Catania^ ' Molbecha Allé 49, 4180 Sor0, Denmark; e-mail: [email protected] 2 137, 'Fawkner/2\ Dingli Rd., Rabat, RBT 07, Malta; e-mail: [email protected] ^ 'Redeemer', Triq 1-Emigrant, Naxxar, Malta; e-mail: [email protected] ^ 'Rama Rama', Triq Möns. Anton Cilia, Zebbug, Malta; e-mail: [email protected] Abstract. Recent records of Noctuoidea from Malta are given. Five noctuid species are recorded from Europe for the first time: Eublemma conistrota Hampson, 1910, Eiiblemma deserti Rothschild, 1909, Anumeta hilgerti (Rothschild 1909), Hadiila deserticula (Hampson 1905), and Eiixoa canariensis Rebel, 1902. New synonyms are stated: Leptosia velocissima f. tarda Turati, 1926, syn. n. and Leptosia griseimargo Warren, 1912, syn. n., both synonyms of Metachrostis velox (Hübner, 1813); and Pseudohadena (Eremohadena) roseonitens espugnensis Lajonquiere, 1964, syn. n., a synonym of P. (E.) roseonitens roseonitens (Oberthür, 1887). A new subspecies of Xylena exsoleta (Linneaus, 1758), Xylena exsoleta maltensis ssp. n., is established. The literature on Maltese Noctuoidea is reviewed and erronuousely reported species are indicated.
    [Show full text]
  • Xyleninae 73.087 2385 Small Mottled Willow
    Xyleninae 73.087 2385 Small Mottled Willow (Spodoptera exigua) 73.089 2386 Mediterranean Brocade (Spodoptera littoralis) 73.091 2396 Rosy Marbled (Elaphria venustula) 73.092 2387 Mottled Rustic (Caradrina morpheus) 73.093 2387a Clancy's Rustic (Caradrina kadenii) 73.095 2389 Pale Mottled Willow (Caradrina clavipalpis) 73.096 2381 Uncertain (Hoplodrina octogenaria) 73.0961 2381x Uncertain/Rustic agg. (Hoplodrina octogenaria/blanda) 73.097 2382 Rustic (Hoplodrina blanda) 73.099 2384 Vine's Rustic (Hoplodrina ambigua) 73.100 2391 Silky Wainscot (Chilodes maritima) 73.101 2380 Treble Lines (Charanyca trigrammica) 73.102 2302 Brown Rustic (Rusina ferruginea) 73.103 2392 Marsh Moth (Athetis pallustris) 73.104 2392a Porter's Rustic (Athetis hospes) 73.105 2301 Bird's Wing (Dypterygia scabriuscula) 73.106 2304 Orache Moth (Trachea atriplicis) 73.107 2300 Old Lady (Mormo maura) 73.109 2303 Straw Underwing (Thalpophila matura) 73.111 2097 Purple Cloud (Actinotia polyodon) 73.113 2306 Angle Shades (Phlogophora meticulosa) 73.114 2305 Small Angle Shades (Euplexia lucipara) 73.118 2367 Haworth's Minor (Celaena haworthii) 73.119 2368 Crescent (Helotropha leucostigma) 73.120 2352 Dusky Sallow (Eremobia ochroleuca) 73.121 2364 Frosted Orange (Gortyna flavago) 73.123 2361 Rosy Rustic (Hydraecia micacea) 73.124 2362 Butterbur (Hydraecia petasitis) 73.126 2358 Saltern Ear (Amphipoea fucosa) 73.127 2357 Large Ear (Amphipoea lucens) 73.128 2360 Ear Moth (Amphipoea oculea) 73.1281 2360x Ear Moth agg. (Amphipoea oculea agg.) 73.131 2353 Flounced Rustic (Luperina
    [Show full text]
  • First Record of the Sedge Feeder Bactra Verutana Zeller (Lepidoptera
    Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 63 (2019) 104–107 REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE Entomologia A Journal on Insect Diversity and Evolution www.rbentomologia.com Short Communication First record of the sedge feeder Bactra verutana Zeller (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in Chile based on morphology and DNA barcodes a,∗ b Héctor A. Vargas , Marcelo Vargas-Ortiz a Universidad de Tarapacá, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Departamento de Recursos Ambientales, Arica, Chile b Universidad de Concepción, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Departamento de Zoología, Programa de Doctorado en Sistemática y Biodiversidad Concepción, Chile a r a b s t r a c t t i c l e i n f o Article history: The sedge-feeding moth Bactra verutana Zeller, 1875 (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Olethreutinae: Bactrini), Received 4 October 2018 described from Dallas, Texas, USA, is widespread, recorded throughout much North America, Central Accepted 27 February 2019 and South America, including the Caribbean, and Africa. The species is recorded for the first time from Available online 21 March 2019 Chile based on specimens collected in the coastal valleys of the Atacama Desert, where its larvae feed Associate Editor: Livia Pinheiro on Cyperus corymbosus Rottb. var. subnodosus (Nees & Meyen) Kük. (Cyperaceae). A single DNA barcode haplotype, which is widespread in USA, was found in two Chilean specimens sequenced. Keywords: © 2019 Sociedade Brasileira de Entomologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. This is an open Atacama Desert Cyperaceae access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Cyperus corymbosus DNA barcoding Bactra Stephens, 1834 (Olethreutinae: Bactrini) is a widespread sequences (sensu Hebert et al., 2003) were used to assess the rela- genus of Tortricidae (Lepidoptera) with 106 described species tionships of the Chilean specimens.
    [Show full text]
  • Check List of Noctuid Moths (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae And
    Бiологiчний вiсник МДПУ імені Богдана Хмельницького 6 (2), стор. 87–97, 2016 Biological Bulletin of Bogdan Chmelnitskiy Melitopol State Pedagogical University, 6 (2), pp. 87–97, 2016 ARTICLE UDC 595.786 CHECK LIST OF NOCTUID MOTHS (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE AND EREBIDAE EXCLUDING LYMANTRIINAE AND ARCTIINAE) FROM THE SAUR MOUNTAINS (EAST KAZAKHSTAN AND NORTH-EAST CHINA) A.V. Volynkin1, 2, S.V. Titov3, M. Černila4 1 Altai State University, South Siberian Botanical Garden, Lenina pr. 61, Barnaul, 656049, Russia. E-mail: [email protected] 2 Tomsk State University, Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecology, Lenina pr. 36, 634050, Tomsk, Russia 3 The Research Centre for Environmental ‘Monitoring’, S. Toraighyrov Pavlodar State University, Lomova str. 64, KZ-140008, Pavlodar, Kazakhstan. E-mail: [email protected] 4 The Slovenian Museum of Natural History, Prešernova 20, SI-1001, Ljubljana, Slovenia. E-mail: [email protected] The paper contains data on the fauna of the Lepidoptera families Erebidae (excluding subfamilies Lymantriinae and Arctiinae) and Noctuidae of the Saur Mountains (East Kazakhstan). The check list includes 216 species. The map of collecting localities is presented. Key words: Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Erebidae, Asia, Kazakhstan, Saur, fauna. INTRODUCTION The fauna of noctuoid moths (the families Erebidae and Noctuidae) of Kazakhstan is still poorly studied. Only the fauna of West Kazakhstan has been studied satisfactorily (Gorbunov 2011). On the faunas of other parts of the country, only fragmentary data are published (Lederer, 1853; 1855; Aibasov & Zhdanko 1982; Hacker & Peks 1990; Lehmann et al. 1998; Benedek & Bálint 2009; 2013; Korb 2013). In contrast to the West Kazakhstan, the fauna of noctuid moths of East Kazakhstan was studied inadequately.
    [Show full text]
  • Harper's Island Wetlands Butterflies & Moths (2020)
    Introduction Harper’s Island Wetlands (HIW) nature reserve, situated close to the village of Glounthaune on the north shore of Cork Harbour is well known for its birds, many of which come from all over northern Europe and beyond, but there is a lot more to the wildlife at the HWI nature reserve than birds. One of our goals it to find out as much as we can about all aspects of life, both plant and animal, that live or visit HIW. This is a report on the butterflies and moths of HIW. Butterflies After birds, butterflies are probably the one of the best known flying creatures. While there has been no structured study of them on at HIW, 17 of Ireland’s 33 resident and regular migrant species of Irish butterflies have been recorded. Just this summer we added the Comma butterfly to the island list. A species spreading across Ireland in recent years possibly in response to climate change. Hopefully we can set up regular monitoring of the butterflies at HIW in the next couple of years. Butterfly Species Recorded at Harper’s Island Wetlands up to September 2020. Colias croceus Clouded Yellow Pieris brassicae Large White Pieris rapae Small White Pieris napi Green-veined White Anthocharis cardamines Orange-tip Lycaena phlaeas Small Copper Polyommatus icarus Common Blue Celastrina argiolus Holly Blue Vanessa atalanta Red Admiral Vanessa cardui Painted Lady Aglais io Peacock Aglais urticae Small Tortoiseshell Polygonia c-album Comma Speyeria aglaja Dark-green Fritillary Pararge aegeria Speckled Wood Maniola jurtina Meadow Brown Aphantopus hyperantus Ringlet Moths One group of insects that are rarely seen by visitors to HIW is the moths.
    [Show full text]
  • Diversity of the Moth Fauna (Lepidoptera: Heterocera) of a Wetland Forest: a Case Study from Motovun Forest, Istria, Croatia
    PERIODICUM BIOLOGORUM UDC 57:61 VOL. 117, No 3, 399–414, 2015 CODEN PDBIAD DOI: 10.18054/pb.2015.117.3.2945 ISSN 0031-5362 original research article Diversity of the moth fauna (Lepidoptera: Heterocera) of a wetland forest: A case study from Motovun forest, Istria, Croatia Abstract TONI KOREN1 KAJA VUKOTIĆ2 Background and Purpose: The Motovun forest located in the Mirna MITJA ČRNE3 river valley, central Istria, Croatia is one of the last lowland floodplain 1 Croatian Herpetological Society – Hyla, forests remaining in the Mediterranean area. Lipovac I. n. 7, 10000 Zagreb Materials and Methods: Between 2011 and 2014 lepidopterological 2 Biodiva – Conservation Biologist Society, research was carried out on 14 sampling sites in the area of Motovun forest. Kettejeva 1, 6000 Koper, Slovenia The moth fauna was surveyed using standard light traps tents. 3 Biodiva – Conservation Biologist Society, Results and Conclusions: Altogether 403 moth species were recorded Kettejeva 1, 6000 Koper, Slovenia in the area, of which 65 can be considered at least partially hygrophilous. These results list the Motovun forest as one of the best surveyed regions in Correspondence: Toni Koren Croatia in respect of the moth fauna. The current study is the first of its kind [email protected] for the area and an important contribution to the knowledge of moth fauna of the Istria region, and also for Croatia in general. Key words: floodplain forest, wetland moth species INTRODUCTION uring the past 150 years, over 300 papers concerning the moths Dand butterflies of Croatia have been published (e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8).
    [Show full text]
  • Quantifying Dispersal in British Noctuid Moths
    Quantifying dispersal in British noctuid moths Hayley Bridgette Clarke Jones Doctor of Philosophy University of York Biology September 2014 1 Abstract Dispersal is an important process in the ecology and evolution of organisms, affecting species’ population dynamics, gene flow, and range size. Around two thirds of common and widespread British macro-moths have declined in abundance over the last 40 years, and dispersal ability may be important in determining whether or not species persist in this changing environment. However, knowledge of dispersal ability in macro-moths is lacking because dispersal is difficult to measure directly in nocturnal flying insects. This thesis investigated the dispersal abilities of British noctuid moths to examine how dispersal ability is related to adult flight morphology and species’ population trends. Noctuid moths are an important taxon to study because of their role in many ecosystem processes (e.g. as pollinators, pests and prey), hence their focus in this study. I developed a novel tethered flight mill technique to quantify the dispersal ability of a range of British noctuid moths (size range 12 – 27 mm forewing length). I demonstrated that this technique provided measures of flight performance in the lab (measures of flight speed and distance flown overnight) that reflected species’ dispersal abilities reported in the wild. I revealed that adult forewing length was a good predictor of inter- specific differences in flight performance among 32 noctuid moth species. I also found high levels of intra-specific variation in flight performance, and both adult flight morphology and resource-related variables (amount of food consumed by individuals prior to flight, mass loss by adults during flight) contributed to this variation.
    [Show full text]
  • Lepidoptera, Noctuidae)
    Provided for non-commercial research and education use. Not for reproduction, distribution or commercial use. Vol. 11 No. 5 (2018) Egyptian Academic Journal of Biological Sciences is the official English language journal of the Egyptian Society for Biological Sciences, Department of Entomology, Faculty of Sciences Ain Shams University. Entomology Journal publishes original research papers and reviews from any entomological discipline or from directly allied fields in ecology, behavioral biology, physiology, biochemistry, development, genetics, systematics, morphology, evolution, control of insects, arachnids, and general entomology. www.eajbs.eg.net ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Citation: Egypt. Acad. J. Biolog. Sci. (A. Entomology) Vol. 11(5)pp: 103- 125 (2018) Egypt. Acad. J. Biolog. Sci., 11(5):103– 125 (2018) Egyptian Academic Journal of Biological Sciences A. Entomology ISSN 1687- 8809 www.eajbs.eg.net Review of subfamily: Xyleninae of Egypt (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) Abdelfattah, M. A. Salem1, Ashraf, M. El Torkey 2 and Salah, A. Al Azab 2 1. Senior Scientific Officer, Inter African Phytosanitary Council, African Union 2. Insect classification and survey Dept., Plant Protection Res. Inst., Agric. Res. Center E.Mail: [email protected] REVIEW INFO ABSTRACT Review History Based on material from the main reference collections in Egypt, Received:25/7/2018 light traps collections, National museums and other references, 44 species Accepted:29/8/2018 in 6 tribes (Apameini, Caradrinini, Cosmiini, Phlogophorini, Prodeniini and _________ ___ Xylenini) and 21 genera were listed. Some further taxonomic changed re Keywords: proposed. Taxonomic position, synonyms and types are included and Lepidoptera, photographs for available species are provided. This subfamily according to Noctuidae, the new taxonomy of Noctuidae and it is the first time to review in Egypt.
    [Show full text]