Genomes of trombidid mites reveal novel predicted allergens and laterally-transferred genes associated with secondary metabolism

Trombidid mites have a unique lifecycle in which only the larval stage is ectoparasitic. In the superfamily Trombiculoidea (“chiggers”), the larvae feed preferentially on vertebrates, including humans. Species in the genus Leptotrombidium are vectors of a potentially fatal bacterial infection, scrub typhus, which affects 1 million people annually. Moreover, chiggers can cause pruritic dermatitis (trombiculiasis) in humans and domesticated animals. In the Trombidioidea (velvet mites), the larvae feed on other arthropods and are potential biological control agents for agricultural pests. Here, we present the first trombidid mites genomes, obtained both for a chigger, Leptotrombidium deliense, and for a velvet mite, Dinothrombium tinctorium

Psychospołeczne warunki rozwoju młodzieży wychowującej się w rodzinach niepełnych. Analiza danych i ich wykorzystywanie w pracy pedagoga

Theoretical deliberation on the process of transformation of family system and how its functioning as well as data obtained in course of empirical research specify conditions of development of youth brought up in single-parent families. Picture of situation of educational development functioning of single-parent families gives theoretical knowledge on deficite of these educational environments. The most common hazards are within psychosocial factors. On the basis of obtained data and scientific theories conclusions were drawn for educational practice and requirement of work with families at the school counselor level were finally expressed. Within the framework of activities addressed to families of changed structure both work with children growing up in described environments must be included and work with single parents. Proposed activities should be of repair and support type

A fossil Paratrombiinae mite (Actinotrichida: Trombidioidea) from the Rovno amber, Ukraine

Konikiewicz, Marta, Mąkol, Joanna (2014): A fossil Paratrombiinae mite (Actinotrichida: Trombidioidea) from the Rovno amber, Ukraine. Zootaxa 3847 (4): 583-589, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3847.4.

Analysis of Performance and Efficiency of Hardware and Software Firewalls

Firewalls are key elements of network security infrastructure. They should guarantee the proper level of security and, at the same time, the satisfying performance in order to not increase the packet delay in the network. In the paper, we present the comparative study on performance and security of a few firewall technologies including hardware, software and virtual solutions. Three important criteria are considered: the maximal throughput of firewall, the introduced delay and the ability to resist Denial of Service attacks. We report results of experiments, present analysis and formulate a few practical conclusions

Tetracanthella doftana sp. nov. (Collembola, Isotomidae) from Romania, with a key to Carpathian Tetracanthella Schött, 1891

Fiera, Cristina, Konikiewicz, Marta, Skarżyński, Dariusz (2013): Tetracanthella doftana sp. nov. (Collembola, Isotomidae) from Romania, with a key to Carpathian Tetracanthella Schött, 1891. Zootaxa 3691 (4): 467-472, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3691.4.

Hypogastrura yosii Stach 1964

<i>Hypogastrura yosii</i> Stach, 1964 <p>Figs 12–17</p> <p> <i>Hypogastrura sheyangensis</i> Jiang, Tang & Chen, 2007 <b>syn. nov.</b></p> <p> <b>Type material.</b> Lectotype (designed here) male on slide, formerly in alcoholic vial labeled “ <i>Hypogastrura yosii</i> Stach, Hangzhou, China, 2.xii.1962, leg. Kowalski”; paralectotype (designed here): juvenile on slide labeled “ <i>Hypogastrura yosii</i> Stach, Nanjing, 21.xi.1962, leg. Kowalski”; (formerly as syntypes, deposited in the collection of the Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland). <i>H. sheyangensis</i> paratypes: 2 females and 2 males on slides, China, Jiangsu Province, Yancheng, Sheyang County, National Nature Reserve of Red-Crowned Cranes, 26.iv.2006, collection number C9465, leg. Ji-Qiang Qu <i>et al.</i> (deposited in the collection of the Department of Biology, Nanjing University, China).</p> <p> <b>Redescription.</b> Body length up to 1.5 mm. Colour violet-black, ventrally paler, eye patches black. Granulation uniform, 5–7 granules between setae p1 on abd. V.</p> <p>Chaetotaxy of head typical of the genus. Setae short and smooth. Body sensilla (s) 2 times longer than ordinary setae, fine and smooth. Dorsal chaetotaxy of th. II and abd. III–VI as in Figs 12, 13. Th. I with 3 + 3 setae. Th. II with setae m3–4 present and m2 absent. Th. III with setae m4 present and m2-3 absent. Setae m6 sometimes present on th. II–III. Setae p3 on abd. IV absent, setae p7 present. Abd. V with setae p2 present and m-setae absent. Subcoxae I, II, III with 1, 2, 3 setae respectively. Microsensillum on th. II present.</p> <p> Ant. IV with simple apical vesicle, subapical organite (or), microsensillum (ms), 9–10 curved short and moderately thick sensilla. Ant. III-organ with two long (outer) and two short (inner) sensilla. Microsensillum on ant. III present. Ant. I with 8 setae (seta p’ present) (Jiang <i>et al.</i> 2007: Figs 10–11).</p> <p> Ocelli 8 + 8. Postantennal organ 1.5–2.5 as large as nearest ocellus, with 4 lobes each with secondary projecting lobe. Small accessory boss present (Fig. 14). Labrum without apical papillae. Labral setae 5, 5, 4, prelabrals 4. Maxillary head with lamella 1 longer than teeth, with long marginal, apical and subapical filaments and denticles in basal part. Lamella 2 slightly longer than teeth, with marginal filaments (Fig. 15). Labium of the <i>tullbergi</i> type. Outer lobe of maxilla with 2 sublobal hairs.</p> <p>Tibiotarsi I, II, III with 19, 19, 18 setae respectively. Tenent hair (A1) slightly longer than claw and only weakly clavate. Claws with inner tooth. Empodial appendage acuminate (without basal lamella), reaching middle of claw (Fig. 16).</p> <p>Ventral tube with 4 + 4 setae. Retinaculum with 4 + 4 teeth.</p> <p>Furca well developed. Dorsal side of dens with coarse, uniform granulation and 7 setae. Mucro with upturned apex and outer lamella. Ratio dens/mucro 1.8–2.5 (Fig. 17).</p> <p>Anal spines small, situated on low basal papillae (Fig. 13).</p> <p> <b>Remarks.</b> The recently described <i>H. sheyangensis</i> (Jiang <i>et al.</i> 2007) shares morphological characteristics with <i>H. yosii</i>; therefore, we conclude that the former is a junior synonym of the latter. The following features: labrum without distal papillae and empodial appendages with narrow basal lamella place <i>H. yosii</i> in the <i>H. manubrialis</i> group. The absence of setae p3 makes <i>H. yosii</i> similar to two Nearctic species: <i>H. matura</i> (Folsom, 1916) and <i>H. utahensis</i> (Wray, 1953) (sensu Christiansen & Bellinger 1998). <i>H. matura</i> has 8 cylindrical sensilla on ant. IV and fine granules on the dens (<i>H. yosii</i>: 9–10 cylindrical sensilla on ant. IV, coarse granules on the dens) and <i>H. utahensis</i> has 3 lobes in the postantennal organ, the m-row of setae on abd. V and only 7 setae on ant. I (in <i>H. yosii</i> 4 lobes in the postantennal organ, abd. V without m-setae, ant. I with 8 setae).</p> <p> <b> Key to <i>Hypogastrura</i> of China 1, 2</b> </p> <p>1. Retinaculum quadridentate.............................................................................. 2</p> <p>- Retinaculum tridentate................................................................................. 5</p> <p> 2. Empodial appendage with narrow basal lamella, head of maxilla with lamellae 4 and 5 shorter than teeth.................................................................................... <i>H. yosii</i> (provinces Zhejiang and Jiangsu)</p> <p>- Empodial appendage with broad basal lamella, head of maxilla with lamellae 4 and 5 longer than teeth.................. 3</p> <p> 3. Seven setae on dens......................................................... <i>H. heptasetata</i> (Jiangsu province)</p> <p>- Six setae on dens...................................................................................... 4</p> <p> 4. Ant. IV with simple apical vesicle and pointed sensilla in ventral file..................... <i>H. hexasetata</i> (Hubei province)</p> <p> - Ant. IV with trilobed apical vesicle and broadened and flattened at tips sensilla in ventral file................................................................................................ <i>H. manghe</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> (Shanxi province)</p> <p> 5. One weakly clavate tenent hair on tibiotarsi............................................. <i>H. verruculata</i> (Shanghai)</p> <p>- More than one clavate tenent hair on tibiotarsi.............................................................. 6</p> <p> 6. Abd. IV–VI with knobbed macrochaetae, tibiotarsi I with three clavate tenent hairs, dens with 5 setae..... <i>H. distincta</i> (Tibet)</p> <p>- Abd. IV–VI without knobbed macrochaetae, tibiotarsi I with two clavate tenent hairs, dens with more than five setae...... 7</p> <p> 7. Tibiotarsi I–III with 2, 4, 4 clavate tenent hairs respectively, dens with six setae........ <i>H. quadritenenta</i> (Jiangsu province)</p> <p> - Tibiotarsi I–III with 2, 3, 3 clavate tenent hairs respectively, dens with seven setae........... <i>H. gracilis</i> (Jiangsu province)</p> <p> 1 <i>Hypogastrura zhangi</i> Zhao, 1998 mentioned in the checklist of Jiang & Yin (2010) has recently been transferred to the genus <i>Ceratophysella</i> Börner, 1932 (Jia <i>et al.</i> 2010).</p> <p> 2 Considering insufficient knowledge on the <i>Hypogastrura</i> of China, the keys of Babenko <i>et al.</i> (1994) and Thibaud <i>et al.</i> (2004) should be used in doubtful cases.</p>Published as part of <i>Jia, Junli, Skarżyński, Dariusz & Konikiewicz, Marta, 2011, A taxonomic study on Hypogastrura Bourlet, 1839 (Collembola, Hypogastruridae) from China, pp. 56-62 in Zootaxa 2981</i> on pages 61-62, DOI: <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/201154">10.5281/zenodo.201154</a&gt

Hypogastrura manghe Jia, Skarżyński & Konikiewicz, 2011, sp. nov.

<i>Hypogastrura manghe</i> sp. nov. <p>Figs 1–11</p> <p> <b>Type material.</b> Holotype female on slide, litter under <i>Quercus variabilis</i> Blume, Mang He Nature Reserve, 900m a. s. l., Taihang Mountains, Jincheng City, Shanxi Province, China, 22.ix.2010, leg. Junli Jia & ChenJun Wang. Paratypes: 5 females and 3 males on slides, 18 specimens in alcohol, same data as holotype. Holotype and 22 paratypes deposited in the collection of the College of Life Science, Shanxi Normal University, Linfen, Shanxi, China, 5 paratypes deposited in the collection of the Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Taxonomy, Wrocław University, Poland.</p> <p> <b>Etymology.</b> The new species is named after Manghe river.</p> <p> <b>Description.</b> Body length up to 2.2 mm. Body color dark brown in live specimens, grey or grey-black with irregular brown-yellow stripe in alcohol, ventrally yellow. Granulation fine and uniform, 8–10 granules between setae p1 on abd. V. Head with slightly protruding tegumentary humps between setae d2, sd1 and oc2</p> <p>Dorsal chaetotaxy of thorax and abdomen as in Figs 1, 2. Chaetotaxy of head typical of the genus. Body setae moderately long, sometimes slightly serrated. Differentiation in micro- and macrochaetae poor. Body sensilla (s) about two times longer than microchaetae, smooth. Th. I with 3 + 3 setae. Th. II with setae m2, m3-4, m6 and additional m2’. Th. III with setae m3, m4, m6 and additional setae in position m2’ or m3’. Abd. I–III with additional setae a3 and p3’. Abd. IV with setae p3, p7 and some supernumerary ones. Subcoxa I–III with 1, 2, 3 setae respectively.</p> <p>Ant. IV with trilobed apical vesicle, subapical organite, microsensillum, 9–11 cylindrical curved sensilla (3 lateral and 6–8 dorsal) and about 30–45 ventroapical modified sensilla. These are broadened and flattened at tips (Figs 6, 7). Ant. III-organ with two long (lateral) and two short (internal) curved sensilla (Fig. 6). Microsensillum on ant. III present (Fig. 7). Ant. I with 7 setae.</p> <p>Ocelli 8 + 8. Postantennal organ with 4 lobes, size subequal to nearest ocellus, accessory tubercle absent (Fig. 9).</p> <p>Labrum without apical papillae. Labral setae 5, 5, 4, prelabrals 4. Head of maxilla with lamellae 1, 2, 4 and 5 distinctly longer than maxillary teeth. Lamellae 1 and 4 with long marginal filaments and denticles, lamellae 2 and 5 with marginal filaments only (Fig. 10). Maxillary outer lobe with 1 sublobal hair. Labial palp typical of the genus with some guard setae (especially b3-4 and d4) broadened at the tips (Fig. 11).</p> <p>Tibiotarsi I, II, III with 19, 19, 18 setae respectively, without distinctly differentiated tenent hair. Claws with inner tooth and two pars of lateral teeth. Empodial appendage with broad basal lamella and apical filament reaching inner tooth or slightly beyond.</p> <p>Ventral tube with 4 + 4 setae. Retinaculum with 4 + 4 teeth.</p> <p>Furca well developed (Fig. 5). Dens with fine and uniform granulation and 6 setae. Mucro narrow, bent inwards with low outer lamella. Granulated basal part displaced inwards, its distal margin forms small sharp processus. Ventroapical part of dens and ventrobasal part of mucro with strong cuticular plates (Figs 3, 4). Ratio dens: mucro 2.2–2.6: 1.</p> <p>Anal spines short set on high basal papillae (Fig. 2).</p> <p> <b>Remarks.</b> <i>H. manghe</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> is a member of the <i>H. trybomi</i> group, since it has a labrum without distal papillae, empodial appendages with broad basal lamella, and setae m6 on th. II–III present. The new species having prolonged maxillary lamellae and 6 setae on the dens resembles <i>H. hexasetata</i> from China (2 paratypes were studied: Hubei Province, Xianfeng County, Laoliba village, 1000 m a.s.l, 23 September 1997, collector unknown, deposited at the collection of the Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institute for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences), but it clearly differs in the shape of the apical vesicle on ant. IV (in <i>H. manghe</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> trilobed; in <i>H. hexasetata</i> simple), the shape of the sensilla in the ventral file on ant. IV (in <i>H. manghe</i> <b>sp. nov</b>. broadened and flattened at tips; in <i>H. hexasetata</i> pointed), and the degree of plurichaetosis (in <i>H. manghe</i> <b>sp. nov.</b> setae m2' on th. II and p3 on abd. I–III present, in <i>H. hexasetata</i> absent).</p>Published as part of <i>Jia, Junli, Skarżyński, Dariusz & Konikiewicz, Marta, 2011, A taxonomic study on Hypogastrura Bourlet, 1839 (Collembola, Hypogastruridae) from China, pp. 56-62 in Zootaxa 2981</i> on page 57, DOI: <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/201154">10.5281/zenodo.201154</a&gt

FIGURES 1–2 in Tetracanthella doftana sp. nov. (Collembola, Isotomidae) from Romania, with a key to Carpathian Tetracanthella Schött, 1891

FIGURES 1–2. Chaetotaxy of thoracic tergum II–abdominal tergum VI: 1, T. andalusiaca; 2, T. doftana sp. nov

A new species and new records of the genus Hypogastrura Bourlet, 1839 (Collembola, Hypogastruridae) from Iran

Kahrarian, Morteza, Vafaei-Shoushtari, Reza, Skarżyński, Dariusz, Konikiewicz, Marta, Soleymannezhadyan, Ebrahim, Mehr, Masoumeh Shayan, Shams, Bahman (2013): A new species and new records of the genus Hypogastrura Bourlet, 1839 (Collembola, Hypogastruridae) from Iran. Zootaxa 3709 (1): 89-94, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3709.1.