Estimating distribution area in six Argia damselflies (Insecta: Odonata: Coenagrionidae) including A. garrisoni, a threatened species

Los caballitos del diablo y las libélulas (Insecta: Odonata) enfrentan varias amenazas. Una herramienta para evaluar riesgo, es el área de distribución. Usamos el modelado de nicho ecológico para estimar el rango de distribución de 6 especies de caballitos del diablo del género Argia, en Norte América: A. cuprea, A. funcki, A. garrisoni, A. harknessi, A. munda y A. rhoadsi. Estas especies no están incluidas en la Lista Roja de la Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza (UICN), excepto A. garrisoni que se categorizó como de preocupación menor (“least concern”). Nuestros resultados indicaron distribuciones amplias para todas las especies, excepto A. garrisoni (8,038 km2 después de un análisis refinado de hábitat disponible). Una distribución amplia puede explicarse por propiedades de nicho similares en todas las especies. Este no es el caso para A. garrisoni cuya situación es preocupante. Esta especie se encontró en el estado mexicano de San Luis Potosí en 1999 y no se ha recolectado desde entonces por lo que debería buscarse para saber si sus poblaciones están en riesgo. Mientras tanto, y de acuerdo a los criterios de la UICN, A. garrisoni debería ser incluida en la categoría de vulnerable.Damselflies and dragonflies (Insecta: Odonata) are currently facing a number of threats. One tool to provide a straightforward assessment of risk is distribution area. Here we have used ecological niche modeling to estimate distribution range for 6 species of Argia damselflies distributed in North America: A. cuprea, A. funcki, A. garrisoni, A. harknessi, A. munda, and A. rhoadsi. These species are not included in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, except for A. garrisoni which has been categorized as Least Concern. Our results indicated large distribution areas for all species, except for A. garrisoni, (8,038 km2 after a refinement analysis looking for suitable habitat). Large distribution can be explained by similar niche properties shared by all study species. This is not the case for A. garrisoni whose situation seems worrying. This species was found in the Mexican state of San Luis Potosí in 1999 and there have been no further observations so it deserves further inspection to see whether populations are at risk. In the meantime, and according to the IUCN criteria, A. garrisoni should be placed under a vulnerable category

Allometry of Male Grasping Apparatus in Odonates Does Not Suggest Physical Coercion of Females

Male abdominal grasping apparatus that are used to secure a female prior, during and after mating, are widespread in arthropods. The scarce evidence regarding its selective regime suggests that they are male adaptations to circumvent female mating decisions, as predicted by the sexual conflict hypothesis. A recent discussion regarding this way of selection suggests that, similar to weapons and traits that have to do with physical endurance, grasping apparatus should show hyperallometry (proportionally larger compared to body size) as an indication of selection towards increased size. We have tested this idea by measuring the length, width and area of the grasping apparatus of five dragonfly species (Anax junius, Rhionaeschna multicolor, Dythemis nigrescens, D. sterilis and Phyllogomphoides pacificus). We used two proxies of body size (wing and body length). Our measures did not indicate any pattern of hyperallometry. Thus, the grasping apparatus in these animals does not seem to be positively selected for increased size as would be expected if they were forcing females to mate. Given this, we discuss three other explanations for the maintenance of the grasping apparatus in odonates: 1) a firm grip that secures the tandem and mating position; 2) courtship devices subject to female choice; and, 3) isolation structures that mechanically prevent interspecific matings. The first hypothesis, however, could not explain the highly elaborated and species specific morphology of grasping apparatus in these animals. Support for the second hypothesis comes from the fact that odonate females have mechanoreceptor sensilla embedded in their mesostigmal plates (the place grabbed by the grasping apparatus). For the third hypothesis, coevolutionary patterns in morphology in the grasping apparatus and mesostigmal plates in some Zygoptera can also be used as support.Fil: Córdoba Aguilar, Alex. Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. Instituto de Ecologia. Departamento de Ecologia Funcional; MéxicoFil: Vrech, David Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; ArgentinaFil: Rivas, Miguel. Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. Instituto de Ecologia. Departamento de Ecologia Funcional; MéxicoFil: Nava Bolaños, Angela. Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. Instituto de Ecologia. Departamento de Ecologia Funcional; MéxicoFil: González Tokman, Daniel. Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. Instituto de Ecologia. Departamento de Ecologia Funcional; MéxicoFil: González Soriano, Enrique. Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. Instituto de Biologia. Departamento de Zoología.; Méxic

Copulatory behaviour increases sperm viability in female spiders

One remarkable reproductive feature in animals with internal fertilization is a reduction in sperm viability over time in females. Whether this reduction is driven by male-male competition and/or cryptic female choice is unclear. From the perspective of cryptic female choice, we postulated that sperm viability is affected by a particular male copulatory behaviour. In this study, we investigated the following aspects: (1) sperm viability in mated females vs. males; (2) whether sperm viability varies temporally after mating; and (3) whether male copulatory behaviour covaries positively with sperm viability within females. We used the spider Holocnemus pluchei, whose males use several copulatory behaviours to court females. We found that females that stored sperm for 4 or 15 days showed no difference in sperm viability but had lower sperm viability compared with males, and males that performed a longer post-insemination behaviour had higher sperm viability inside the female. It is unclear how sperm viability is reduced and how male post-insemination behaviour affects this. It is possible that extending copulation allows males to induce females to keep sperm alive for longer. This result is predicted by theory whereby males induce females to facilitate sperm to reach and fertilize eggs based on male postcopulatory behaviour.Fil: Cargnelutti, Franco Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; ArgentinaFil: Calbacho Rosa, Lucía Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; ArgentinaFil: Uñates, Diego Rafael. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; ArgentinaFil: Costa Schmidt, Luiz Ernesto. Universidade Federal de Pelotas; Brasil. Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, Rio Grande do Sul; BrasilFil: Córdoba-Aguilar, Alex. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Instituto de Ecología; MéxicoFil: Peretti, Alfredo Vicente. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentin

Condition-dependent male copulatory courtship and its benefits for females

Postcopulatory sexual selection has shaped the ornaments used during copulatory courtship. However, we know relatively little about whether these courtship ornaments are costly to produce or whether they provide indirect benefits to females. We used the mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor, to explore this. We challenged males using an entomopathogenic fungus and compared their courtship (frequency of leg and antennal contacts to the female), copulation duration, number of eggs laid, and hatching rate against control males. Infected males copulated for longer yet they reduced their leg and antennal contacts compared to control males. However, there was no obvious relation between infection, copulation duration, and courtship with egg production and hatching success. In general, our results indicate that the ornaments used during postcopulatory courtship are condition-dependent. Moreover, such condition dependence cannot be linked to male fitness.Fil: Cargnelutti, Franco Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; ArgentinaFil: Reyes Ramírez, Alicia. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Cristancho, Shara. Universidad El Bosque; ColombiaFil: Sandoval García, Iván A.. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Rocha Ortega, Maya. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Calbacho Rosa, Lucía Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; ArgentinaFil: Palacino, Freddy. Universidad El Bosque; ColombiaFil: Córdoba Aguilar, Alex. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Méxic

Salud de los trabajadores

Actividad física y su relación con los factores de riesgo cardiovascular de carteros chilenosAnálisis de resultados: riesgos psicosociales en el trabajo Suceso-Istas 21 en Cesfam QuellónAusentismo laboral por enfermedades oftalmológicas, Chile 2009Brote de diarreas por norovirus, posterremoto-tsunami, Constitución, Región del MauleCalidad de vida en profesionales de la salud pública chilenaCaracterización del reposo laboral en personal del SSMN durante el primer semestre de 2010Concentración de nicotina en pelo en trabajadores no fumadores expuestos a humo de tabaco ambientalCondiciones de trabajo y bienestar/malestar docente en profesores de enseñanza media de SantiagoDisfunción auditiva inducida por exposición a xilenoErgonomía aplicada al estudio del síndrome de dolor lumbar en el trabajoEstimación de la frecuencia de factores de riesgo cardiovascular en trabajadores de una empresa mineraExposición a plaguicidas inhibidores de la acetilcolinesterasa en Colombia, 2006-2009Factores de riesgo y daños de salud en conductores de una empresa peruana de transporte terrestre, 2009Las consecuencias de la cultura en salud y seguridad ocupacional en una empresa mineraPercepción de cambios en la práctica médica y estrategias de afrontamientoPercepción de la calidad de vida en la Universidad del BiobíoPesos máximos aceptables para tareas de levantamiento manual de carga en población laboral femeninaRiesgo coronario en trabajadores mineros según la función de Framingham adaptada para la población chilenaTrastornos emocionales y riesgo cardiovascular en trabajadores de la salu

Data base of Tenebrio responses to microplastic feeding

This database illustrates the life history responses of Tenebrio molitor larvae after having a diet composed with microplastics</p

Tenebrio, temperature and courtship PLOS One

These are the data that describe the relation between temperature and courtship behavior in tenebrio beetles</p

The sicker sex: understanding male biases in parasitic infection, resource allocation and fitness.

The "sicker sex" idea summarizes our knowledge of sex biases in parasite burden and immune ability whereby males fare worse than females. The theoretical basis of this is that because males invest more on mating effort than females, the former pay the costs by having a weaker immune system and thus being more susceptible to parasites. Females, conversely, have a greater parental investment. Here we tested the following: a) whether both sexes differ in their ability to defend against parasites using a natural host-parasite system; b) the differences in resource allocation conflict between mating effort and parental investment traits between sexes; and, c) effect of parasitism on survival for both sexes. We used a number of insect damselfly species as study subjects. For (a), we quantified gregarine and mite parasites, and experimentally manipulated gregarine levels in both sexes during adult ontogeny. For (b), first, we manipulated food during adult ontogeny and recorded thoracic fat gain (a proxy of mating effort) and abdominal weight (a proxy of parental investment) in both sexes. Secondly for (b), we manipulated food and gregarine levels in both sexes when adults were about to become sexually mature, and recorded gregarine number. For (c), we infected male and female adults of different ages and measured their survival. Males consistently showed more parasites than females apparently due to an increased resource allocation to fat production in males. Conversely, females invested more on abdominal weight. These differences were independent of how much food/infecting parasites were provided. The cost of this was that males had more parasites and reduced survival than females. Our results provide a resource allocation mechanism for understanding sexual differences in parasite defense as well as survival consequences for each sex