A review of Paul Lassenius Kramp’s hydrozoan types (Taxonomic status, location and condition of the material) and a biography of the Danish Zoologist

During his scientific career, largely from 1910–1970, the Danish cnidarian specialist P.L. Kramp authored 94 scientific papers, and more than 30 other kinds of publications, such as reports and popular articles. Kramp was affiliated with the marine department of the Zoological Museum of the University of Copenhagen (now: The Natural History Museum of Denmark, NHMD), an institution intensely involved at the time in expeditions, in the assembling and maintenance of collections, and in the revision of a wide range of animal groups. Kramp took part in several expeditions in different parts of the world. He had opportunities to receive training in sampling and preservation techniques, to perform observations on living or at least freshly preserved material, and to collect specimens. Kramp dedicated most of his long career to studying the taxonomy of medusae, with some attention also to their polyp stages, describing 101 nominal hydrozoan taxa, including one order, four families and fifteen genera. Sixty-five of these taxa (one order, three families, twelve genera, 48 species and one subspecies) are still accepted in the original nominal form. Kramp raised the international reputation of his museum and his scientific results are still appreciated today

Survey on the presence of MACE and kdr mutations in populations of the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) from Emilia-Romagna peach orchards: preliminary results

The green peach aphid (Myzus persicae), is lastly one of well studied insect model to dissect insecticide resistance mechanisms. As a result, a few in-vitro diagnostic tools were added to the traditional in-vivo bioassays to monitor the presence of resistance in populations of this pest. Since different control strategies and different resistance mechanisms are often involved, both biochemical and molecular approaches must be followed. Biochemical assays can be used to asses esterase detoxifying/sequestering activity as well as the acetylcholinesterase insensitivity to some insecticides. Molecular screening by RFLP-PCR, may be also effectively performed to detect previously identified target site mutations. Herewith we analyzed aphid populations collected in peach orchards from Emilia-Romagna (the most important peach growing area in Italy) for the presence of elevated esterase expression and acetylcholinesterase insensitivity to pirmicarb. Gene mutation occurrence in acetylcholinesterase (S431F) and in voltage-dependent sodium channel (kdr), conferring resistance to dimethylcarbammates.and pyretroids respectively, have been also.checked. Information regarding the co-selection of different insecticide resistance mechanisms are thought supporting technical assistance services, to select the most suitable pest management strategies against M. persicae

Surveys of the presence of Hyalesthes obsoletus Signoret (Rhynchota: Cixiidae) and other hoppers in Lombardy (Northern Italy)

A monitoring programme was carried out in Lombardy from 2000 to study the presence and biology of the leafhoppers involved in phytoplasma transmission to grape. From 2003 also biomolecular analyses were performed to assess the frequency of \u201cpositive\u201d insects using PCR. Special attention was given to Hyalesthes obsoletus Signoret (Rhynchota: Cixiidae), a leafhopper whose presence in vineyards is worrying because it is well known from literature that this insect can transmit to the grape the \u201cbois noir\u201d, a phytoplasma disease whose symptoms are very similar to those produced by the \u201cgolden flavescence\u201d. During the surveys this species was only occasionally collected directly from grape, but it was quite abundant on weeds, mainly Urtica sp. and in a lesser extent, Convolvulus arvensis and Calystegia sp.. The percentage of \u201cpositive\u201d specimens was quite different in the various localities but on the average the percentage of positive ones was rather low. According to these results, H. obsoletus does not seem to play a major role in transmitting the \u201cbois noir\u201d in Lombardy, as the insect can be found only occasionally on grape, and moreover because the percentage of \u201cpositive\u201d specimens, at least in some areas, is very low