Redescripción de la pupa de Mallochohelea termophila (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

Se describe, fotografía e ilustra la exuvia pupal de Mallochohelea termophila (Spinelli), en especial sobre la base de la serie-tipo. Las pupas de la serie-tipo fueron recolectadas mediante pinzas en un arroyo termal, adheridas a rocas, aproximadamente a 200 m del manatial y las pupas de Uruguay mediante el uso de un cucharón tanto en ambientes lóticos como lénticos. Ellas fueron criadas hasta adultos en el laboratorio. Ésta es la primera descripción detallada de una pupa de una especie de Mallochohelea y el primer registro de la especie para Uruguay. Se destacan semejanzas y diferencias con las pupas de Neobezzia.The pupal exuvia of Mallochohelea termophila (Spinelli) is redescribed, photographed and illustrated mainly based on the type-series. Pupae of the type-series were collected with forceps from a thermal stream and were attached to rocks about 200 m from the spring head. Pupae from Uruguay were collected with a dipper in lotic and lentic environments. They were reared to adults in the laboratory. This is the first detailed pupal description of a species of Mallochohelea, and the first record of this species from Uruguay. Similarities and differences with the pupae of Neobezzia are provided.Fil: Ronderos, Maria Marcela. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Entomología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Spinelli, Gustavo Ricardo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Entomología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Limnología "Dr. Raúl A. Ringuelet". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Instituto de Limnología; Argentin

The last instar larva and pupa of Ora depressa (Coleoptera: Scirtidae), a marsh beetle with underwater pupation

In this contribution we describe and illustrate for the first time, detailed morphology and chaetotaxy of the last instar larva and the pupa of Ora depressa (Fabricius, 1801), and provide diagnostic characters and information on its biology. The last instar larva of O. depressa exhibits the characters traditionally recognized as diagnostic of the genus, i.e. the tip of the mandible obtuse, and the fourth maxillary palpomere long, almost as long as third palpomere. Ora depressa is characterized by a broadly elliptical body, which is widest at the metanotum, being brownish testaceous in color with several brown spots, having the dorsal surface mostly covered with numerous grooved scale-like setae and also several ungrooved scale-like setae, hair-like setae, club-like setae and pore-like sensilla distributed in a specific pattern, and the femur and tibiotarsus bearing a row of natatorial setae. The last instar larva of Ora depressa can be distinguished from those of the other known species of the genus by lobes of clypeolabrum being as long as wide and socket bristles with 2–6 inner teeth. The pupa of O. depressa differs from those of the other known species of the genus in the absence of pronotal horns and by the place where pupation occurs. Ora depressa pupates underwater, hanging from water’s surface with the aid of the laterally expanded pronotum which bears hydrophobic setation along the lateral margins.Fil: Libonatti, María Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada; ArgentinaFil: Jorge, Gabrielle. Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia, Inovações. Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia; BrasilFil: Archangelsky, Miguel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagóica. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Facultad de Ciencias Naturales - Sede Esquel. Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagónica; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Facultad de Ciencias Naturales - Sede Esquel. Departamento de Biología. Laboratorio de Investigaciones en Ecología y Sistemática Animal; ArgentinaFil: Michat, Mariano Cruz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada; Argentin

Pupa of \u3ci\u3ePhaleria Rotundata\u3c/i\u3e Leconte (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

(excerpt) It is not necessary to apologize for making known fragments of the insect fauna of the seabeach of Pacific North America. This fauna commands attention. Among its several aspects are (1) it is linear, extending several thousand kilometers from north to south, but being only a few hundred meters wide, (2) its species are all confined within the seabeach limits, and (3) it is a threatened fauna particularly in southern California where the habitat is being rapidly altered by man for purposes of industry, housing and recreation. P~eservation of specimens from this fauna and recording of observations on its ecology at this time seems of paramount importance. Description of the larva and ecological notes on Phalerh rotundata LeConte have been made (Moore, 1975), but no opportunity to attempt to rear specimens presented itself at that time. Since then, pupae have become available and are described below

Multi-objective optimization shapes ecological variation

Ecological systems contain a huge amount of quantitative variation between and within species and locations, which makes it difficult to obtain unambiguous verification of theoretical predictions. Ordinary experiments consider just a few explanatory factors and are prone to providing oversimplified answers because they ignore the complexity of the factors that underlie variation. We used multi-objective optimization (MO) for a mechanistic analysis of the potential ecological and evolutionary causes and consequences of variation in the life-history traits of a species of moth. Optimal life-history solutions were sought for environmental conditions where different life stages of the moth were subject to predation and other known fitness-reducing factors in a manner that was dependent on the duration of these life stages and on variable mortality rates. We found that multi-objective optimal solutions to these conditions that the moths regularly experience explained most of the life-history variation within this species. Our results demonstrate that variation can have a causal interpretation even for organisms under steady conditions. The results suggest that weather and species interactions can act as underlying causes of variation, and MO acts as a corresponding adaptive mechanism that maintains variation in the traits of organisms

The casemoth, Liothula omnivoa (Psychidae : lepidoptera) : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Zoology at Massey University

Liothula omnivora, one of the two known casemoths endemic to New Zealand, belongs to the Lepidopteran family Psychidae. It is distributed throughout the country, and can be found on a large number of host plants (see later). The other N.Z. casemoth, Orophora concolor, has been found on Wild Irishman and cassinias in the river beds of the South Island (Miller, 1955). L. omnivora was first described by Fereday in 1878, but Meyrick (1890) transferred it to the genus Oiketicus (Guilding, 1827) mis-spelling it Oeceticus. Dr. Allan Watson (1967, pers. comm.) of the British Museum (Natural History) considers that this species should belong in the genus Liothula and the writer has adopted Watson's view in calling it L. omnivora. The type of L. omnivora is in the Canterbury Museum, Christchurch (Entomologische Beihefte 4, Horn and Kahle, 1937). Descriptions of the external morphology of the adult male and female have been made by Fereday (1878), Meyrick (1890) and Hudson (1928). Fereday and Hudson also described the larva, the pupa has been described by Hudson and Quail (1901), and the appearance of the egg briefly noted by Hudson

Eco control of agro pests using imaging, modelling & natural predators

Caterpillars in their various forms: size, shape, and colour cause significant harm to crops and humans. This paper offers a solution for the detection and control of caterpillars through the use of a sustainable pest control system that does not require the application of chemical pesticides, which damage human health and destroy the naturally beneficial insects within the environment. The proposed system is capable of controlling 80% of the population of caterpillars in less than 65 days by deploying a controlled number of larval parasitoid wasps (Cotesia Flavipes, Cameron) into the crop environment. This is made possible by using a continuous time model of the interaction between the caterpillar and the Cotesia Flavipes (Cameron) wasps using a set of simultaneous, non-linear, ordinary differential equations incorporating natural death rates based on the Weibull probability distribution function. A negative binomial distribution is used to model the efficiency and the probability that the wasp will find and parasitize a host larva. The caterpillar is presented in all its life-cycle stages of: egg, larva, pupa and adult and the Cotesia Flavipes (Cameron) wasp is present as an adult larval parasitoid. Biological control modelling is used to estimate the quantity of the Cotesia Flavipes (Cameron) wasps that should be introduced into the caterpillar infested environment to suppress its population density to an economically acceptable level within a prescribed number of days. Keywords

Local outbreaks of Operophtera brumata and Operophtera fagata cannot be explained by low vulnerability to pupal predation

One of the unresolved questions in studies on population dynamics of forest Lepidoptera is why some populations at times reach outbreak densities, whereas others never do. Resolving this question is especially challenging if populations of the same species in different areas or of closely-related species in the same area are considered. The present study focused on three closely-related geometrid moth species, autumnal Epirrita autumnata, winter Operophtera brumata and northern winter moths Operophtera fagata, in southern Finland. There, winter and northern winter moth populations can reach outbreak densities, whereas autumnal moth densities stay relatively low. We tested the hypothesis that a lower vulnerability to pupal predation may explain the observed differences in population dynamics. The results obtained do not support this hypothesis because pupal predation probabilities were not significantly different between the two genera within or without the Operophtera outbreak area or in years with or without a current Operophtera outbreak. Overall, pupal predation was even higher in winter and northern winter moths than in autumnal moths. Differences in larval predation and parasitism, as well as in the reproductive capacities of the species, might be other candidates