Description of a new species of the genus Macrosiphum Passerini, 1860 (Hemiptera: Aphidoidea: Aphididae), with a key to the Macrosiphum species occurring in Transcaucasia

Apterous viviparous females of Macrosiphum dzhibladzeae Barjadze sp. n. living on Euphorbia macroceras (Euphorbiaceae) are described and illustrated. A key to the apterous viviparous females of Macrosiphum species living on Euphorbia spp. worldwide is given. A previous key for the apterous viviparous females of the Macrosiphum species recorded from Transcaucasia is provided, modified to include the new species

Courtship with two spoons—Anatomy and presumed function of the bizarre antennae of Cardiocondyla zoserka ant males

Mating in ants often occurs on the wing during nuptial flights or on the ground when scattered female sexuals attract males by pheromones. In both scenarios, there is little opportunity for males to engage in prolonged aggressive competition or elaborate courtship displays. Male morphology is therefore adapted to locating female sexuals and mating, and it lacks specific weapons or other traits associated with courtship. In contrast, sexuals of the ant genus Cardiocondyla typically mate in their natal nests. As a consequence, in many species winged males have been replaced by wingless fighter or territorial males, which kill or expel rival males with their strong mandibles and show complex mating behavior. However, no wingless males are known from Cardiocondyla zoserka from West Africa, and instead, winged males have evolved a bizarre secondary sexual trait: uniquely shaped antennae with spoon-like tips that show heavily sculptured ventral surfaces with numerous invaginations. We here report on the courtship behavior of C. zoserka males and describe antennal glands with class 3 gland cells, which presumably secrete a close range sex pheromone. Antennal glands have not yet been found in males of other ant species, including a close relative of C. zoserka, suggesting that in ants with intranidal mating sexual selection can rapidly lead to highly divergent adaptations and the evolution of novel structures

Morphometry and colony structure of ants of the genus Cardiocondyla (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Georgia

The ant genusCardiocondylais characterised by a remarkable variability of reproductive life histories and colony structures. Little is known about theC. stambuloffiigroup, whose distribution extends from southeast Europe to central and eastern Asia. We here present data on the structure ofCardiocondylacolonies from southern Georgia. Morphometry and sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunits I and II indicates that it is distinct from the other species of this group (C. gibbosa,C. koshewnikovi,C.stambuloffii, andC. tibetana). Microsatellite analysis revealed a high nestmate relatedness and frequent inbreeding, matching the observation of exclusively wingless males and the phylogenetic position of the group in the "Palaearctic clade," in which colonies are typically single-queened

Body size but not colony size increases with altitude in the holarctic ant, Leptothorax acervorum

1. Bergmann's rule states that organisms inhabiting colder environments show an increase in body size or mass in comparison to their conspecifics living in warmer climates. Although originally proposed for homoeothermic vertebrates, this rule was later extended to ectotherms. In social insects, only a few studies have tested this rule and the results were ambiguous. Here, 'body size' can be considered at two different levels (the size of the individual workers or the size of the colony). 2. In this study, data from 53 nests collected along altitudinal gradients in the Alps were used to test the hypotheses that the worker body size and colony size of the ant Leptothorax acervorum increase with increasing altitude and therefore follow Bergmann's rule. 3. The results show that the body size of workers but not the colony size increases with altitude. Whether this pattern is driven by starvation resistance or other mechanisms remains to be investigated

New evidence of parasitoids of pest aphids on roses and grapevine in Turkey (Hem., Aphididae; Hym., Braconidae, Aphidiinae)

Aphidius eglanteriae as a parasitoid of Chaetosiphon tetrarhodum/ Rosa is newly recorded for Turkey. Short information about its parasitism rate and distribution in Isparta Province, Turkey, is given. A nother new information pertains to the association between Aphidius matricariae - Aphis illinoisensis - Vitis vinifera.</em