The significance of cephalopod beaks as a research tool: An update

The use of cephalopod beaks in ecological and population dynamics studies has allowed major advances of our knowledge on the role of cephalopods in marine ecosystems in the last 60 years. Since the 1960's, with the pioneering research by Malcolm Clarke and colleagues, cephalopod beaks (also named jaws or mandibles) have been described to species level and their measurements have been shown to be related to cephalopod body size and mass, which permitted important information to be obtained on numerous biological and ecological aspects of cephalopods in marine ecosystems. In the last decade, a range of new techniques has been applied to cephalopod beaks, permitting new kinds of insight into cephalopod biology and ecology. The workshop on cephalopod beaks of the Cephalopod International Advisory Council Conference (Sesimbra, Portugal) in 2022 aimed to review the most recent scientific developments in this field and to identify future challenges, particularly in relation to taxonomy, age, growth, chemical composition (i.e., DNA, proteomics, stable isotopes, trace elements) and physical (i.e., structural) analyses. In terms of taxonomy, new techniques (e.g., 3D geometric morphometrics) for identifying cephalopods from their beaks are being developed with promising results, although the need for experts and reference collections of cephalopod beaks will continue. The use of beak microstructure for age and growth studies has been validated. Stable isotope analyses on beaks have proven to be an excellent technique to get valuable information on the ecology of cephalopods (namely habitat and trophic position). Trace element analyses is also possible using beaks, where concentrations are significantly lower than in other tissues (e.g., muscle, digestive gland, gills). Extracting DNA from beaks was only possible in one study so far. Protein analyses can also be made using cephalopod beaks. Future challenges in research using cephalopod beaks are also discussed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The significance of cephalopod beaks as a research tool: An update

The use of cephalopod beaks in ecological and population dynamics studies has allowed major advances of our knowledge on the role of cephalopods in marine ecosystems in the last 60 years. Since the 1960’s, with the pioneering research by Malcolm Clarke and colleagues, cephalopod beaks (also named jaws or mandibles) have been described to species level and their measurements have been shown to be related to cephalopod body size and mass, which permitted important information to be obtained on numerous biological and ecological aspects of cephalopods in marine ecosystems. In the last decade, a range of new techniques has been applied to cephalopod beaks, permitting new kinds of insight into cephalopod biology and ecology. The workshop on cephalopod beaks of the Cephalopod International Advisory Council Conference (Sesimbra, Portugal) in 2022 aimed to review the most recent scientific developments in this field and to identify future challenges, particularly in relation to taxonomy, age, growth, chemical composition (i.e., DNA, proteomics, stable isotopes, trace elements) and physical (i.e., structural) analyses. In terms of taxonomy, new techniques (e.g., 3D geometric morphometrics) for identifying cephalopods from their beaks are being developed with promising results, although the need for experts and reference collections of cephalopod beaks will continue. The use of beak microstructure for age and growth studies has been validated. Stable isotope analyses on beaks have proven to be an excellent technique to get valuable information on the ecology of cephalopods (namely habitat and trophic position). Trace element analyses is also possible using beaks, where concentrations are significantly lower than in other tissues (e.g., muscle, digestive gland, gills). Extracting DNA from beaks was only possible in one study so far. Protein analyses can also be made using cephalopod beaks. Future challenges in research using cephalopod beaks are also discussed

Chalepogenus roitmani Roig Alsina

Chalepogenus roitmani Roig Alsina (Figs. 1–5) Chalepogenus roitmani Roig Alsina, 1999: 77 Description. Male. Total length 8.7–9.5 mm (n= 5), forewing length 7.0– 7.8 mm (n= 5). Coloration. Head black, with following yellow marks: labrum, clypeus (except tentorial pits), lower paraocular area (from clypeus to level of antennal socket), supraclypeal area (varying from central mark to band between subantennal sutures), small median mark on malar area, scape, except longitudinal dark band on inner surface, and basal mark on mandible. Pedicel dark; flagellum dark brown with yellowish-brown lower surface. Thorax and propodeum blackish, except anterior yellow mark on tegula and in some specimens small yellow spot on pronotal lobe. Coxae and trochanters blackish, forefemur blackish with yellow apex, middle femur with basal half blackish and yellow apex, and hind femur yellow with basal fifth or less blackish. Tibiae and tarsi yellow, except foretibia with inner longitudinal dark band, hind tibia with dorso-apical dark area, and hind tarsus brown. Metasoma blackish with discal yellow marks broadened laterally on T 1 –T 7, as follows: T 1 and T 2 with lateral mark, marks on T 2 larger, confluent in some specimens, T 3 –T 7, with transverse bands. S 6 with yellow lateral mark. Wings membrane strongly infuscate; veins dark brown and pterostigma yellowish brown. Vestiture. Hairs whitish on labrum, clypeus and supraclypeal area, yellowish-brown on rest of head. Labrum and apical half of clypeus with dense, plumose hairs, basal part of clypeus, face and vertex with mixed plumose and simple long hairs, denser around antennal sockets, longer ones 2.2–2.5 times as long as DF. Thorax, propodeum and metasoma with light yellowish-brown hairs. Scutum with two types of hairs: with very short, homogeneous, dense, felt-like hairs, and with intermixed erect, simple, long hairs, as long as 0.7–1.2 times DF. Scutellum with similar pubescence, but with distinct lateral tuft. Hairs long on pleura, 2.2 times DF, shorter on propodeum and metaposnotum (1.5 times DF). Terga hairy, without glabrous areas, T 2 –T 3 with short lateral hair-bands; T 4 –T 6 with dense apical hair-bands. S 2 –S 6 with median bands of very dense hairs, occupying most of visible part of sternum, except base and narrow apex, that on S 2 extended on central two thirds, and those on S 3 –S 5 more extended laterally; hairs of bands longer laterally and curved towards middle; S 6 with hairs shorter, restricted to apex. Structure. Median ocellus in frontal view at level of line uniting top of eyes. Vertex not elevated behind ocelli. Proportion of scape, pedicel and first three flagellomeres, 2.7: 0.7: 1: 0.5: 0.8. Preapical tooth of mandible with rounded apex. Pygidial plate with well defined, carinate margins. S 7 with single lateral lobe, bearing rounded apico-mesial projection (Fig. 4). S 8 between apical lobes not membranous. Genital capsule (Fig. 5) with median dorsal sinus narrow, apical projection of parapennial lobe absent, gonostylus 0.7 times as long as gonocoxite. Material studied. New records: ARGENTINA. Buenos Aires, 5 females, Chascomús, 19 -XI- 2002, M. Devoto (on Cypella herbertii). 5 females, Chascomús, 9 -XII- 2002, M. Devoto (on Cypella herbertii and Sisyrinchium platense). 1 female, Ea. Las Chilcas, Pila, 25 -XI- 2008, H. J. Marrero (on Lotus glaber). 1 female, Ea. San Claudio, Carlos Casares, 3 - XII- 2008, G. Cilla (on Taraxacum officinale), 1 male, Ea. Las Chilcas, Pila, 2 -II- 2008, H. J. Marrero (on Sisyrinchium platense), 1 male, Ea. Las Chilcas, Pila, 30 -XI- 2008, H. J. Marrero (on Vernonia sp.), 1 male, Ea. Las Chilcas, Pila, 10 - XII- 2009, H. J. Marrero (on Acmella decumbens). 1 female, Ea. Las Chilcas, Pila, 10 -XII- 2009, H. J. Marrero (on Cypella herbertii). 1 male, Ea. Las Chilcas, Pila, 11 -XII- 2009, H. J. Marrero (on Lotus glaber). 1 female, Ea. Las Chilcas, Pila, 10 -XII- 2009, H. J. Marrero (on Cypella herbertii). 1 male, Ea. Las Chilcas, Pila, 7 -I- 2010, H. J. Marrero (on Cypella herbertii). 4 males, Ea. Las Chilcas, Pila, 28 -XI- 2010, J.P. Torretta (on Sisyrinchium platense, Lotus glaber, Acmella decumbens). In the key to species of Chalepogenus of Roig Alsina (1999), males of C. roitmani run to couplet three, agreeing with the characteristics indicated for the male of C. muelleri. The key can be amended in the following way: 3 Pubescence of scutum very short, squamiform, felt-like, with scattered long hairs. Lower paraocular area with yellow mark from clypeus to antennal socket.................................................................................................................. 3 ’ - Pubescence of scutum long and dense. Lower paraocular area dark or, at most, with small yellow mark next to clypeus.......................................................................................................................................................................... 4 3 ’ Smaller species (5.5–6.2 mm long). Legs dark reddish-brown, without yellow marks. T 1 –T 2 without yellow marks. Scape dark......................................................................................................................................................... muelleri - Larger species (8.7–9.5 mm long). Femora and tibiae extensively marked with yellow. T 1 –T 2 with yellow marks. Scape extensively yellow .................................................................................................................................. roitmani Bionomical observations. Males and females were observed copulating on the flower heads of Acmella decumbens [Asteraceae], corroborating the sex association based on the morphology. Females of C. roitmani were observed collecting oils on flowers of Cypella herbertii and Sisyrhinchium platense [Iridaceae] in the Estancia Las Chilcas, Department of Pila in the province of Buenos Aires. Discussion. The muelleri species-group of Chalepogenus is supported by two apomorphic characters of the males: the seventh sternum has a single lateral lobe, which bears an apico-mesial projection, and the parapennial lobe of the gonocoxite is reduced (Roig-Alsina 1999). The male of C. roitmani presents both features, indicating that the species belongs in the group, being closely related to C. unicolor and C. muelleri. Moreover, C. roitmani and C. muelleri share strongly dichromic sexes, not known in other Tapinotaspidini, suggesting that they are sister species within the group. The pygidial plate of the male C. roitmani is margined by a distinct carina, both apically and laterally, as in the other two species of the muelleri group. The lack of defined lateral margins on the pygidial plate has been indicated by Roig Alsina (1999) as one of several apomorphic features that unite all other species of Chalepogenus, suggesting that the muelleri group represents the basal lineage of the genus. The new flower records and observations corroborate the previous association (Roig Alsina 1999) of this oilcollecting bee with plants of the family Iridaceae as oil sources.Published as part of Torretta, Juan Pablo, Marrero, Hugo J. & Alsina, Arturo Roig, 2011, Chalepogenus roitmani Roig Alsina (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Tapinotaspidini): description of the male and new geographical records for the species, pp. 21-24 in Zootaxa 2797 on pages 21-23, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.27702

New austral-most records of the genus Heterostylum Macquart (Diptera: Bombyiliidae) in Argentina

Bee flies of the genus Heterostylum Macquart are medium-sized species (10?15 mm) characterized primarily by a robust body covered with long pile and by an indented hind margin of the eye (Cunha et al. 2007). There are several studies on the immatures of some species of Heterostylum (Bohart et al. 1960; Yeates & Greathead 1997), which are considered ectoparasites of fossorial solitary bee larvae and pupae (Yeates & Greathead 1997).Fil: Torretta, Juan Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Ambiente. Cátedra de Botánica Agrícola; ArgentinaFil: Haedo, Joana Paola. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida; Argentina. Laboratorio de Interacciones Bióticas en Agroecosistemas; ArgentinaFil: Marrero, Hugo Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida; Argentina. Laboratorio de Interacciones Bióticas en Agroecosistemas; ArgentinaFil: Lamas, Carlos J. E.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasi

Effectiveness landscape of crop pollinator assemblages: Implications to pollination service management

There is a growing consensus that the world is facing a pollination crisis. To mitigate crop pollination deficits, some management strategies include the massive introduction of managed bee species, yet quite often they are applied blindly, as information on crop pollination effectiveness for each single pollinator species of assemblages is usually not available. Therefore, the introduction on managed species is not always the best option to improve crop yields. Here, by using the highly pollinator-dependent alfalfa crop (Medicago sativa L.) as a case study, we propose the use of the effectiveness landscape framework to identify key crop pollinator species. According to this framework, in a mutualistic interaction, each species´ effectiveness is represented by the product of a quantitative component and a qualitative one, these being measures of the outcomes of this interaction. We applied this framework for two managed and four wild bee species that visit alfalfa in fields southwest of Buenos Aires province, Argentina. We dissected the quantity components of the pollinator effectiveness landscape by estimating two quantitative subcomponents: visitation rate and flower tripping rate. Also, we estimate pod set as a qualitative component without dissecting it in subcomponents. Our results showed that the contribution of both components and the resulting pollinator effectiveness varied among pollinator species, indicating a contrasting effectiveness of different bee species on alfalfa pollination. For example, pollinator effectiveness was higher for managed than for wild bees, as consequence of their very high visitation rate, however, wild bee flower tripping rate and pod set were as high as managed ones. In fact, wild bees were more effective in promoting flower tripping than one of the managed bees (A. mellifera). This approach allowed us to assess which effectiveness components and subcomponents make pollinator species more or less effective, thus providing valuable information to identify key species to be enhanced to help in closing yield gaps. We suggest that the application of the effectiveness landscape framework would be useful to develop strategies to improve crop pollination service in pollinator-dependent crop systems.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Ledipasvir and Sofosbuvir Plus Ribavirin for Treatment of HCV Infection in Patients With Advanced Liver Disease

There are no effective and safe treatments for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection of patients who have advanced liver disease. In this phase 2, open-label study, we assessed treatment with the NS5A inhibitor ledipasvir, the nucleotide polymerase inhibitor sofosbuvir, and ribavirin in patients infected with HCV genotypes 1 or 4. Cohort A enrolled patients with cirrhosis and moderate or severe hepatic impairment who had not undergone liver transplantation. Cohort B enrolled patients who had undergone liver transplantation: those without cirrhosis; those with cirrhosis and mild, moderate, or severe hepatic impairment; and those with fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis. Patients were assigned randomly (1:1) to receive 12 or 24 weeks of a fixed-dose combination tablet containing ledipasvir and sofosbuvir, once daily, plus ribavirin. The primary end point was sustained virologic response at 12 weeks after the end of treatment (SVR12). We enrolled 337 patients, 332 (99%) with HCV genotype 1 infection and 5 (1%) with HCV genotype 4 infection. In cohort A (nontransplant), SVR12 was achieved by 86%–89% of patients. In cohort B (transplant recipients), SVR12 was achieved by 96%–98% of patients without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis, by 85%−88% of patients with moderate hepatic impairment, by 60%–75% of patients with severe hepatic impairment, and by all 6 patients with fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis. Response rates in the 12- and 24-week groups were similar. Thirteen patients (4%) discontinued the ledipasvir and sofosbuvir combination prematurely because of adverse events; 10 patients died, mainly from complications related to hepatic decompensation. The combination of ledipasvir, sofosbuvir, and ribavirin for 12 weeks produced high rates of SVR12 in patients with advanced liver disease, including those with decompensated cirrhosis before and after liver transplantation. ClinTrials.gov: NCT01938430