Presence of a stridulatory apparatus in the manca stages of isopods (Crustacea, Isopoda, Oniscidea)

Armadillo officinalis Duméril, 1816 (Armadillidae) is a widespread terrestrial isopod species in the Mediterranean basin and on the western coasts of the Black Sea. The species is adapted to live in xeric environments and has mainly nocturnal habits. This species is capable of producing stridulations, which is nowadays recognized as a synapomorphy of the genus. In both sexes, these vibrations are produced by a line of scales on the propodus of pereopod 4 and 5. The main goals of this study are: to describe the manca stages of Armadillo officinalis; to detect the presence of the stridulatory apparatus in the manca stages; to evaluate the differences of such apparatus in the various manca stages. The manca stages (I, II, III) of Armadillo officinalis are described for the first time showing: i, the shortest duration (known in literature) of the manca stage I (approximately 30 minutes); ii, the presence of a rudimental stridulatory organ that may be of great importance in terms of evolutionary aspects and adaptation to terrestrial life. Notes on the reproductive biology are also reported. Furthermore, some considerations on future perspectives for A. officinalis as a model species in biotremology are also discussed

Biotremology in arthropods.

Effective communication is essential in animal life to allow fundamental behavioral processes and survival. Communicating by surface-borne vibrations is likely the most ancient mode of getting and exchanging information in both invertebrates and vertebrates. In this review, we concentrate on the use of vibrational communication in arthropods as a form of intraspecific and interspecific signaling, with a focus on the newest discoveries from our research group in terrestrial isopods (Crustacea: Isopoda: Oniscidea), a taxon never investigated before in this context. After getting little attention in the past, biotremology is now an emerging field of study in animal communication, and it is receiving increased interest from the scientific community dealing with these behavioral processes. In what follows, we illustrate the general principles and mechanisms on which biotremology is based, using definitions, examples, and insights from the literature in arthropods. Vibrational communication in arthropods has mainly been studied in insects and arachnids. For these taxa, much evidence of its use as a source of information from the surrounding environment exists, as well as its involvement in many behavioral roles, such as courtship and mating, conspecific recognition, competition, foraging, parental care, and danger perception. Recently, and for the first time, communication through surface-borne waves has been studied in terrestrial isopods, using a common Mediterranean species of the Armadillidae family as a pilot species, Armadillo officinalis Duméril, 1816, In Dictionnaire des Sciences naturelles (pp. 115-117). Mainly, for this species, we describe typical behavioral processes, such as turn alternation, aggregation, and stridulation, where vibrational communication appears to be involved

New species and records of Eubelidae from Djibouti, eastern Africa (Isopoda: Oniscidea)

The terrestrial isopods of Djibouti are still very poorly known. Two new species of Eubelidae are here described: Periscyphis ugoliniii n. sp. and Koweitoniscus agnellii n. sp. A third species is recorded, Periscyphis sudanensis Taiti, Ferrara & Allspach, 1997, previously known only from two localities in Sudan

Terrestrial isopods (Crustacea, Isopoda, Oniscidea) in the botanical garden of Pisa

The author studied the species of terrestrial isopods collected in the botanical garden of Pisa. Samplings started in April 2014 up to June 2015. Previous records in the literature were also considered. Fourteen species belonging to 10 genera and 7 families are listed. Seven species was recorded during the period of 1914-1926 (Haplophthalmus danicus, Haplophthalmus mengii, Chaetophiloscia cellaria, Platyarthrus hoffmannseggii, Leptotrichus panzerii, Cylisticus convexus, Armadillidium depressum) and 8 ones was found during the sampling period of the present study (Philoscia affinis, Chaetophiloscia elongata, Sardoniscus verhoeffi, Platyarthrus aiasensis, Agabiformius lentus, Porcellionides pruinosus, Armadillidium depressum, Armadillidium vulgare). Only one species was found again. Furthermore, some remarks on the distribution of these Oniscidean species found are provided

Terrestrial isopods of the family Eubelidae Budde-Lund, 1899 from Iran, with description of a new species (Isopoda, Oniscidea)

In the present work, terrestrial isopods of the family Eubelidae are investigated in Iran. The genera Periscyphis and Somalodillo are reported for the first time. More localities are presented for Koweitoniscus tamei (Omer-Cooper, 1923) while K. shafieii Kashani, sp. n. is described and figured. A map indicating the sampling localities for the species is presented

Changes in turn alternation pattern in terrestrial isopods as a response to substrate-borne vibrations

Armadillo officinalis, is a xeric woodlouse (Isopoda, Oniscidea) that can produce vibrations, audible even by the human ear, by means of a ledge of scales situated on the propodus of the fourth and fifth pereopod. This work investigates the behavior of this species in terms of turn alternation in response to substrate-borne vibrations, in a multiple T-maze. We collected data about the turn alternation, meant as number of times that the animal turns on the opposite side in a predefined path, in four groups of animals: i) adults of A. officinalis exposed and ii) not exposed to micro- vibrations, iii) juveniles of A. officinalis exposed to micro-vibrations, and iv) adults of Armadillidium vulgare exposed to micro-vibrations. Hence, we were able to assess the pattern of the turn alternation at a level of i) exposure to micro-vibrations (not exposed vs. exposed), ii) animal’s state (adults vs. juveniles), and iii) species (A. vulgare vs. A. officinalis). A Poisson regression with robust standard errors was used. The models highlighted a statistically significant association between turn alternation and the micro-vibration, animal’s state, and species, with a higher number of turn alternations in the adults of A. officinalis exposed to micro-vibrations compared to i) the adults of A. officinalis not exposed, ii) the juveniles exposed, and iii) A. vulgare exposed. The adults of A. officinalis seem to be very sensible to vibrations, unlike A. vulgare. The sensitiveness also seems increasing passing from the juvenile state to the adult condition. This might be related to the peculiarity of this species to emit vibrations. The reactivity of A. officinalis to an external substrate-borne vibration as well as its capability to produce vibrations might be linked to an interspecific signaling and/or an intraspecific communication

Epidemiological, genetic and epigenetic aspects of the research on healthy ageing and longevity

Healthy ageing and longevity in humans result from a number of factors, including genetic background, favorable environmental and social factors and chance

A fast GNU method to draw accurate scientific illustrations for taxonomy

Nowadays only digital figures are accepted by the most important journals of taxonomy. These may be produced by scanning conventional drawings, made with high precision technical ink-pens, which normally use capillary cartridge and various line widths. Digital drawing techniques that use vector graphics, have already been described in literature to support scientists in drawing figures and plates for scientific illustrations; these techniques use many different software and hardware devices. The present work gives step-by-step instructions on how to make accurate line drawings with a new procedure that uses bitmap graphics with the GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP). This method is noteworthy: it is very accurate, producing detailed lines at the highest resolution; the raster lines appear as realistic ink-made drawings; it is faster than the traditional way of making illustrations; everyone can use this simple technique; this method is completely free as it does not use expensive and licensed software and it can be used with different operating systems. The method has been developed drawing figures of terrestrial isopods and some examples are here given

Novas espécies e novos registros de isópodes terrestres (Crustacea, Isopoda, Oniscidea) do Brasil

A large collection of terrestrial isopods from diff erent Brazilian regions was examined. Two new species of Amazoniscus Lemos de Castro, 1967 (Scleropactidae) are described: A. zimmeri Campos-Filho, Montesanto & Araujo sp. nov. from the state of Pará and A. schmidti Campos-Filho, Montesanto & Taiti sp. nov. from the state of Minas Gerais. Pseudotyphloscia alba (Dollfus, 1898) (Philosciidae) is fi rstly recorded from Brazil. The systematic position of Venezillo tuberosus (Budde-Lund, 1904) is discussed and transferred to Ctenorillo Verhoeff , 1942. Androdeloscia lejeunei (Lemos de Castro & Souza, 1986) and Diploexochus echinatus Brandt, 1833 from the state of Pará, are redescribed.Novas espécies e novos registros de isópodes terrestres (Crustacea, Isopoda, Oniscidea) do Brasil. Uma grande coleção de isópodes terrestres de diferentes regiões brasileiras foi examinada. Duas novas espécies de Amazoniscus Lemos de Castro, 1967 (Scleropactidae) são descritas: A. zimmeri Campos-Filho, Montesanto & Araujo sp. proveniente do Estado do Pará e A. schmidti Campos-Filho, Montesanto & Taiti sp. nov. o Estado de Minas Gerais. Pseudotyphloscia alba (Dollfus, 1898) (Philosciidae) tem o seu primeiro registro para o Brasil. A posição sistemática de Venezillo tuberosus (Budde-Lund, 1904) é discutida e transferida para Ctenorillo Verhoeff , 1942. Androdeloscia lejeunei (Lemos de Castro & Souza, 1986) e Diploexochus echinatus Brandt, 1833 do Estado do Pará, são redescritas