83 research outputs found
Pycnomerus thrinax : a new North America zopherid (Coleoptera)
Pycnomerus thrinax Ivie and Slipinski NEW SPECIES is described from the Florida Keys (USA), where it is found in rotting stems of the thatch palm, Thrinax paruiflora Sw. Illustrations and modifications to existing keys are provided
New records and synonyms in the Colydiinae and Pycnomerini (Coleoptera: Zopheridae)
New synonyms are proposed for: Pethelispa arizonica Dajoz 1992 = Pycnomerus arizonicus Stephan 1989 NEW SYNONYMY; Microprius cubanus Slipinski 1985 = Eudesmula california Dajoz 1992 = Microprius rufulus (Motschulsky 1863) NEW SYNONYMIES; andAulonium chilense Dajoz 1980=Aulonium parallelopedium (Say 1826) NEW SYNONYMY. Colobicus parilis Pascoe is recorded from Louisiana, a new distributional record for the New World
Generic homonyms in the Colydiinae (Coleoptera: Zopheridae)
New replacement names are proposed: Megapnosaurus Ivie, Slipinski and Wegrzynowicz NEW REPLACEMENT NAME for Syntarsus Raath 1969 (Ceratosauria: Coelophysidae), not Syntarsus Fairmaire 1869 (Coleoptera: Zopheridae: Colydiinae); and Stephaniolus Ivie, Slipinski and Wegrzynowicz NEW REPLACEMENT NAME for Pseudotaphrus Stephan 1989 (Coleoptera: Zopheridae: Colydiinae) not Pseudotaphrus Cossmann 1888 (Mollusca: Rissoiidae). These result in the new combinations Megapnosaurus
rhodesiensis (Raath 1961) NEW COMBINATION, Megapnosaurus kayentalwtae (Rowe 1989) NEW COMBINATION and Stephanioh£s longus (Stephan 1989) NEW COMBINATION
Pollen as alternative source for submissive species in suboptimal circumstances
Insects are known to be the most important pollinators. However, ants are usually considered to be poor pollinators due to their negative effect on flowers and pollen survival. Plants apply various strategies to repell ants from flowers. Consequently pollen consumption is very rarely observed in ants, and, though they are omnivourus, ants are not commonly considered as
pollenivores. In suboptimal circumstances, though, species might turn to sources rarely used before. Such suboptimal conditions may arise under strong competitive pressure, as the presence of a supercolonial territorial ant species. We studied the food preferences and competitive strategies of ants within a Formica polyctena supercolony in Central Polish woodland by offering them mixed pollen, and then tuna as animal protein source on the next day. F. polyctena was not interested in pollen baits almost at all, however, Myrmica spp. exploited them most heavily where next day F. polyctena was the most abundant on baits. In the case of the tuna baits there
was a negative relationship between the abundance of F. polyctena and Myrmica spp. as predicted by the territorial behaviour of the first species. The results come to support the fact the pollen itself can be used as food source by ants mostly in suboptimal conditions, where food availability is hindered e.g. by superior competitors
The Beetle Tree of Life Reveals the Order Coleoptera Survived End Permain Mass Extinction to Diversify During the Cretaceous Terrestrial Revolution
Here we present a phylogeny of beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) based on DNA sequence data from eight nuclear genes, including six single-copy nuclear protein-coding genes, for 367 species representing 172 of 183 extant families. Our results refine existing knowledge of relationships among major groups of beetles. Strepsiptera was confirmed as sister to Coleoptera and each of the suborders of Coleoptera was recovered as monophyletic. Interrelationships among the suborders, namely Polyphaga (Adephaga (Archostemata, Myxophaga)), in our study differ from previous studies. Adephaga comprised two clades corresponding to Hydradephaga and Geadephaga. The series and superfamilies of Polyphaga were mostly monophyletic. The traditional Cucujoidea were recovered in three distantly related clades. Lymexyloidea was recovered within Tenebrionoidea. Several of the series and superfamilies of Polyphaga received moderate to maximal clade support in most analyses, for example Buprestoidea, Chrysomeloidea, Coccinelloidea, Cucujiformia, Curculionoidea, Dascilloidea, Elateroidea, Histeroidea and Hydrophiloidea. However, many of the relationships within Polyphaga lacked compatible resolution under maximum-likelihood and Bayesian inference, and/or lacked consistently strong nodal support. Overall, we recovered slightly younger estimated divergence times than previous studies for most groups of beetles. The ordinal split between Coleoptera and Strepsiptera was estimated to have occurred in the Early Permian. Crown Coleoptera appeared in the Late Permian, and only one or two lineages survived the end-Permian mass extinction, with stem group representatives of all four suborders appearing by the end of the Triassic. The basal split in Polyphaga was estimated to have occurred in the Triassic, with the stem groups of most series and superfamilies originating during the Triassic or Jurassic. Most extant families of beetles were estimated to have Cretaceous origins. Overall, Coleoptera experienced an increase in diversification rate compared to the rest of Neuropteroidea. Furthermore, 10 family-level clades, all in suborder Polyphaga, were identified as having experienced significant increases in diversification rate. These include most beetle species with phytophagous habits, but also several groups not typically or primarily associated with plants. Most of these groups originated in the Cretaceous, which is also when a majority of the most species-rich beetle families first appeared. An additional 12 clades showed evidence for significant decreases in diversification rate. These clades are species-poor in the Modern fauna, but collectively exhibit diverse trophic habits. The apparent success of beetles, as measured by species numbers, may result from their associations with widespread and diverse substrates - especially plants, but also including fungi, wood and leaf litter - but what facilitated these associations in the first place or has allowed these associations to flourish likely varies within and between lineages. Our results provide a uniquely well-resolved temporal and phylogenetic framework for studying patterns of innovation and diversification in Coleoptera, and a foundation for further sampling and resolution of the beetle tree of life.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse
Firefly genomes illuminate parallel origins of bioluminescence in beetles
Fireflies and their luminous courtships have inspired centuries of scientific study. Today firefly luciferase is widely used in biotechnology, but the evolutionary origin of bioluminescence within beetles remains unclear. To shed light on this long-standing question, we sequenced the genomes of two firefly species that diverged over 100 million-years-ago: the North American Photinus pyralis and Japanese Aquatica lateralis. To compare bioluminescent origins, we also sequenced the genome of a related click beetle, the Caribbean Ignelater luminosus, with bioluminescent biochemistry near-identical to fireflies, but anatomically unique light organs, suggesting the intriguing hypothesis of parallel gains of bioluminescence. Our analyses support independent gains of bioluminescence in fireflies and click beetles, and provide new insights into the genes, chemical defenses, and symbionts that evolved alongside their luminous lifestyle
\u3ci\u3ePycnomerus thrinax\u3c/i\u3e, a new North America zopherid (Coleoptera)
Pycnomerus thrinax Ivie and Slipinski NEW SPECIES is described from the Florida Keys (USA), where it is found in rotting stems of the thatch palm, Thrinax parviflora Sw. Illustrations and modifications to existing keys are provided
Description of two new species of Sarothrias Grouvelle (Coleoptera, Jacobsoniidae)
Volume: 93Start Page: 59End Page: 6
Studies on the Cerylonidae (Coleoptera, Clavicornia). Part I. Further notes on Cerylonidae from Ivory Coast
Volume: 88Start Page: 707End Page: 71
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