Status assessment survey for springtails (Collembola) in Illinois caves: the Salem Plateau

unpublishednot peer reviewedOpe

Distribution and genetic variability of Staphylinidae across a gradient of anthropogenically influenced insular landscapes

This paper describes the distribution and genetic variability of rove beetles (Coleoptera Staphylinidae) in anthropogenically influenced insular landscapes. The study was conducted in the Azores archipelago, characterized by high anthropogenic influence and landscape fragmentation. Collections were made in five islands, from eight habitats, along a gradient of anthropogenic influence. The species of Staphylinidae from the Azores collected for this study were widely distributed and showed low habitat fidelity. Rove beetle richness was associated with anthropogenic influence and habitat type, increasing from less to more anthropogenic impacted habitats. However, genetic diversity of profiled species (i.e. with three or more specimens per species/habitat) does not seem affected by anthropogenic influence in the different habitat types, isolation or landscape fragmentation. COI haplotypes were, as a rule, not exclusive to a given island or habitat. High level of genetic divergence and nucleotide saturation was found in closely related morphological designated species, demonstrating possible disparities between currently defined taxonomic units based on morphology and molecular phylogenies of Staphylinidae. This study found evidence of cryptic speciation in the Atheta fungi (Gravenhorst) species complex which had thus far remained undetected. Similar trends were found for Oligota parva Kraatz, Oxytelus sculptus Gravenhorst, Oligota pumilio Kiesenwetter. Previous studies with lower taxonomical resolution may have underestimated the biotic diversity reported in the Azores in comparison to other Macaronesian archipelagos.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Comparative analysis of the dorsal chaetotaxy of Troglopedetes, Trogolaphysa, and Campylothorax supports the synonymization of tribes paronellini and troglopedetini (Collembola: Paronellidae)

Genera in subfamily Paronellinae have been grouped into five tribes, in part based on chaetotaxy. Tribes Bromacanthini, Paronellini, and Troglopedetini are characterized by having rounded scales and reduced or no macrochaetae, and although Bromacanthini harbors two well-differentiated genera, the core genera in tribes Paronellini and Troglopedetini form a homogeneous group where even generic diagnoses were, until recently, unclear. The genera assigned to Troglopedetini (Troglopedetes Absolon, Trogolaphysa Mills, and Cyphoderopsis Carpenter) harbor many species with reduced eyes number, whereas the tribe Paronellini (genera Paronella Schött, Dicranocentruga Wray and Campylothorax Schött) includes species with 6-8 eyes. Recent analyses of the chaetotaxy of Trogolaphysa and Cyphoderopsis suggest that these genera represent specialized forms related to species in Paronellini. The taxonomy of Troglopedetes, the type genus of Troglopedetini, is based almost exclusively on claw and mucro shape and dorsal macrochaetae pattern, and few details of the complete dorsal chaetotaxy of the species are known. This contribution presents a comparative analysis of the complete dorsal chaetotaxy of two species of Troglopedetes from Spain (one new to science), two new species of Trogolaphysa from the Dominican Republic and Martinique, and Campylothorax sabanus with the purpose of identifying aspects of the chaetotaxy that could provide diagnostic characters for the separation of Trogolaphysa and Troglopedetes, and a new diagnosis for tribe Troglopedetini. The analysis shows that neither the number of chaetae nor its organization or pattern of macrochaeta provides diagnostic differences between Trogolaphysa and Troglopedetes. It is also concluded that the separation of Paronellini and Troglopedetini is not justified. Troglopedetini is here synonymized with Paronellini, and a new diagnosis of Paronellini is provided

A bioinventory of select terrestrial insects at Braidwood Dunes and Savanna Nature Preserve (Will County, Illinois)

We conducted an inventory of select terrestrial insect groups at Braidwood Dunes and Savanna Nature Preserve in 2011 and 2012. A total of 823 unique species, representing 19 orders of Hexapods, were recorded using a variety of sampling methods (including: light trapping, pitfall trapping, sweep net, vacuum sample, litter sample, soil core, wine rope, visual transect). Intensive studies focused on springtails (Collembola), grasshoppers, crickets and katydids (Orthoptera), true bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera), leafhoppers and kin (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha), ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and butterflies and macromoths (Lepidoptera). We estimate that our records comprise around 11% of the total fauna of Hexapoda that occur at this 315--‐acre site. We evaluated sampling completeness for each group and compared, richness, diversity and evenness across habitat types. Special attention was focused on midwestern remnant dependent species, conservative prairie and savanna insects of the Chicago Wilderness region, and species that appear on Illinois' list of species in greatest need of conservation. We provide the Forest Preserve District of Will County with management recommendations relating to the terrestrial for this site, as well as a large collection of images covering many of the species we encountered. Braidwood Dunes and Savanna Nature Preserve contains a variety of rare and understudied species, some of which have only infrequently been encountered. These animals play a Cover photo: Papaipema speciosissima (Noctuidae), the Osmunda Borer Moth 3 wide variety of roles within the ecosystem and various habitats, and warrant special consideration and appreciation not only by land managers but also by the members of the public with an interest in the natural world.unpublishednot peer reviewe

Fully automated sequence alignment methods are comparable to, and much faster than, traditional methods in large data sets: an example with hepatitis B virus

Aligning sequences for phylogenetic analysis (multiple sequence alignment; MSA) is an important, but increasingly computationally expensive step with the recent surge in DNA sequence data. Much of this sequence data is publicly available, but can be extremely fragmentary (i.e., a combination of full genomes and genomic fragments), which can compound the computational issues related to MSA. Traditionally, alignments are produced with automated algorithms and then checked and/or corrected “by eye” prior to phylogenetic inference. However, this manual curation is inefficient at the data scales required of modern phylogenetics and results in alignments that are not reproducible. Recently, methods have been developed for fully automating alignments of large data sets, but it is unclear if these methods produce alignments that result in compatible phylogenies when compared to more traditional alignment approaches that combined automated and manual methods. Here we use approximately 33,000 publicly available sequences from the hepatitis B virus (HBV), a globally distributed and rapidly evolving virus, to compare different alignment approaches. Using one data set comprised exclusively of whole genomes and a second that also included sequence fragments, we compared three MSA methods: (1) a purely automated approach using traditional software, (2) an automated approach including by eye manual editing, and (3) more recent fully automated approaches. To understand how these methods affect phylogenetic results, we compared resulting tree topologies based on these different alignment methods using multiple metrics. We further determined if the monophyly of existing HBV genotypes was supported in phylogenies estimated from each alignment type and under different statistical support thresholds. Traditional and fully automated alignments produced similar HBV phylogenies. Although there was variability between branch support thresholds, allowing lower support thresholds tended to result in more differences among trees. Therefore, differences between the trees could be best explained by phylogenetic uncertainty unrelated to the MSA method used. Nevertheless, automated alignment approaches did not require human intervention and were therefore considerably less time-intensive than traditional approaches. Because of this, we conclude that fully automated algorithms for MSA are fully compatible with older methods even in extremely difficult to align data sets. Additionally, we found that most HBV diagnostic genotypes did not correspond to evolutionarily-sound groups, regardless of alignment type and support threshold. This suggests there may be errors in genotype classification in the database or that HBV genotypes may need a revision

Salina beta

Salina beta species group Fourth antennal segment with apical papilla. Eyes (Fig. 2) A, B, E, F subequal, eyes C, D smaller, eyes G and H smallest; with 1 macro- and 2 microsetae in eyepatch (Fig. 1). Ant. 1 with variable number of dorsal macrosetae according to the species. Dorsal head macrochaetotaxy as in Fig. 2; macrosetae marked with arrows are smaller than others in some individuals of S. wolcotti and S. bidentata; these macrosetae also apparently absent in S. ventricolor. Prelabral setae always ciliate and either 2 or 4, according to species; labrum with 5, 5, 4 smooth setae, internal pair on distal row enlarged, weakly spine-like (Fig. 3); labral papillae 2 + 2 smooth mounds. Subapical seta of outer maxillary lobe acuminate, smooth and shorter than apical seta; sublobular plate with three seta-like processes. Labial palps with five proximal setae; hypostomal seta (H of Fjellberg 1999) spine-like, h 1 and h 2 apically curved. Labial palp papillae A and C without guard setae; papillae B and D, with 5 and 4 guards, respectively; papilla E (Fig. 4) with two guards (apparently e 1 and e 2), lateral appendage blunt and not reaching tip of papilla. Labial triangle setae as MEL 1–3, A 1–4, all smooth. Most setae along cephalic groove (column CG) long acuminate and ciliate, in some species short smooth setae present between ciliate setae (Fig. 5), number of setae variable between and within species, individuals often with asymmetric number of setae; medial postlabial column (PLM) always with 2 long, ciliate acuminate setae, posterior seta inserted between setae CG 1–2; external postlabial column (PLE) with variable number of setae, but column not well organized, often making it difficult to determine if a particular setae should be counted as part of column or not. Tergal macrochaetotaxy of Th. 2 –Abd. 2 variable; Abd. 3 with 2 macrosetae typical for genus. Abd. 4 with at least 8 inner and 8–9 outer macrosetae, 2–3 marginal mesosetae, and 0–7 posterior microsetae arranged as in Fig. 9, individuals of some species with supplementary macrosetae often asymmetrically distributed (e.g., Fig. 32). Abd. 4 with 2 bothriotricha, presumably homologous to those in all Entomobryoidea (Fig. 9 setae a and b), and three other bothriotrichalike setae distributed as in Fig. 9. Bothriotricha-like setae shorter than normal bothriotricha (Fig. 10) and without differentiated sockets, but inserted in the same relative position in all individuals examined. Inner face of femoral base of all legs with 4 pegs. Foot complex typical for genus: tenent hair thick, ciliate and strongly spatulate; unguiculus strongly truncate; unguis with short outer and lateral teeth, small paired inner teeth and 1–2 inconspicuous distal unpaired teeth. Anterior face of collophore with 3–4 distal macrosetae and variable number of microsetae according to species; number of lateral setae variable; posterior face with 1–6 paired and 0–3 unpaired microsetae. Distal manubrial plate with 3 + 3 ciliate setae, without pseudopores. Distal dental vesicle elongate, subequal to mucro (Fig. 8 a); mucro with 2 large upturned teeth, and 1 short, dorso-basal denticle, additional supplementary teeth present or absent according to species. Remarks: The diagnostic character of the beta species group is the presence of a rectangular mucro, with the two largest teeth pointing dorsally instead of posteriorly and a short dorsal tooth basal to the large subapical tooth. Currently the beta group comprises four named species and one new species described here. An undescribed species from Panama, with two inner macrosetae on Abd. 2, was represented by a single individual, insufficient material for a proper description. Salina montana (Imms, 1912) and S. choudhurii Mitra, 1973 from India may have tridentate mucrones somewhat similar to members of the beta group although it is difficult to judge from Imms’ (1912) and Mitra’s (1973) drawings. Both Indian species have reduced chaetotaxy on Th. 2–3, with pattern similar to that in the beta group, but the chaetotaxy of Abd. 3, and Abd. 4 (at least in choudhurii) are different to that in New World species. A more detailed study of the Indian forms will be needed to decide if they are part of the S. beta lineage. The four species in the genus Pseudosalina Mitra, 1974, are endemic to the Indian subcontinent and all have bidentate mucrones. However, in Pseudosalina, the mucronal structure is similar to that in species with square mucrones (cf. Figs. 6 and 8 a–b), albeit with reduced number of teeth, and not to members of the beta group. Many other features distinguish Pseudosalina from members of the beta group, in particular, all Pseudosalina have a very abundant chaetotaxy, with at least eight inner macrosetae on Abd. 2. The mucronal type characteristic of the beta group defines a group endemic to the Americas (but see comment above). All members of the beta group described so far are restricted to the area delimited in the north by Southern USA (California and Florida), in the east by the Lesser Antilles and in the south by Panama. This distribution suggests that the group might have originated in Central America. However, Salina in general has been poorly studied and sampled in the Americas and more extensive collections in Central and South America are likely to produce new records of members of the beta group.Published as part of Soto-Adames, Felipe N., 2010, Review of the New World species of Salina (Collembola: Paronellidae) with bidentate mucro, including a key to all New World members of Salina, pp. 26-40 in Zootaxa 2333 on pages 28-29, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19314

Salina thibaudi Soto-Adames, 2010, n. sp.

Salina thibaudi n. sp. Material Examined: Guadeloupe. All collections by J.M. Thibaud, locality codes (e.g., G.#) as in Thibaud & Massoud (1979) and Massoud & Thibaud (1980) — Holotype, male G. 194: near pond, south of Caraque, 5 km east of Point-a-Pitre, on coconut on the ground; 29 January 1980, slide mounted. Paratypes, all females. G. 23: Boisvin-Masselas, 4 km west of Grands-Fonds, 60m elevation; meadow, under stone in dry pond; 9 March 1977; 1 slide-mounted juvenile. G. 173: near Tombeau pond, 3 km north-northeast of Gosier; on coconut on the ground; 15 January 1980; 2 slide-mounted. G. 195: close to pond southwest of Caraque; in mango tree litter; 29 January 1980; 1 slide-mounted. G. 196: near pond at Boire, 1 km west of Cocoyer; leaf litter of breadfruit and flower of banana tree; 29 January 1980; 1 slide-mounted juvenile. Costa Rica. Cartago, El Salvador; 14 June 2004; C. Guillén, coll.; 1 slide-mounted. Description: Length to 1.7 mm (smallest= 1.2 mm; average= 1.4 mm; n= 8). Background colour yellowish green, dorsal head pattern formed by narrow blue band along marginal circumference, wider near eyes and between antennae; mesothorax with a scatter of blue and narrow anterior and lateral stripe along margins; Th. 3 –Abd. 5 with dark blue spots with irregular outer edges and unpigmented centres (i.e., Folsom’s amoeboid spots, Fig. 12), corresponding to macrosetal insertions; ventral pattern formed by scattered light blue pigment on posterior two thirds of head, extending back in an irregular pattern through out all sterna, with higher density just posterior to metathoracic legs and on depression formed to accommodate furcula; antennae light blue, pigment forming rings distally on Ant. 1–3; femora with anterior blue longitudinal bands, one distal ring on femora, and one basal and one distal ring on tibiotarsi. Ant. 1 (Fig. 27) with 4 (3–5) dorsal macrosetae. Prelabral setae 4. Postlabial column CG with 9 setae (7–10), of which 3 (2–4) are short and smooth (Fig. 5). Macrochaetotaxy of Th. 2 –Abd. 2 as 7 (7–8), 6 (5–9), 4 (3–6), 2 (Figs. 28–31): Th. 2 with a supplementary macroseta posterior to seta number 3. One individual with 9 paired macrosetae on Abd. 4; 3 individuals with unpaired macrosetae inserted in differing patterns on each individual, but always in general area marked by arrow heads in Fig. 32. Abd. 4 with 4 + 4 (3–5, 1 individual with 7) posterior setae. Anterior face of collophore with 3 (4) distal macrosetae and 4 (3–6) microsetae, lateral setae 8–20, but region partially obscured in most individuals and actual number of setae difficult to ascertain (individual with 8 setae is 1.2 mm long, the smallest individual for which number of setae could be determined with confidence), posterior face of collophore (Fig. 33) with 2 + 2 (1 + 1–4 + 4) short ciliate setae in row parallel to distal margin (joined by dotted lines in Fig. 33) and 1 + 1 (or 2 + 2) perpendicular to the distal margin. Proportion of dens/manubrium≈ 1.2; proportion of dental vesicle/mucro≈ 1. Mucro bidentate, most individuals with both teeth worn (1 individual 14 M= macrosetae. (2) Prelabral setae are ciliate in all species studied. (3) Setae along ventral groove. (4) Chaetotaxy from Yoshi 1981. (5) Parentheses show variation observed when more than 2 individuals were examined. (6) All individuals with 3 setae on one side of the body had 4 or more setae on the other side. (7) ARG= Argentina; BRA = Brazil; COL = Colombia; CR= Costa Rica; CUB= Cuba; GUAD = Guadeloupe; MEX = Mexico; PAN= Panama; PR= Puerto Rico; USA = United States. (8) Species groups: W= beta, celebensis; B= borneensis. Remarks: Salina thibaudi n. sp. differs from all other species with bidentate mucro by the combined presence of 4 dorsal macrosetae on Ant. 1, 4 prelabral setae, 7 macrosetae on Th. 2, 6 on Th. 3, and at least 4 posterior setae on Abd. 4. Additional differences with other species are listed in Table 1.Published as part of Soto-Adames, Felipe N., 2010, Review of the New World species of Salina (Collembola: Paronellidae) with bidentate mucro, including a key to all New World members of Salina, pp. 26-40 in Zootaxa 2333 on pages 35-38, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19314

FIGURE 7 in The dorsal chaetotaxy of first instar Trogolaphysa jataca, with description of twelve new species of Neotropical Trogolaphysa (Hexapoda: Collembola: Paronellidae)

FIGURE 7. Trogolaphysa dimorphica sp. nov. A, Dorsal chaetotaxy of head, EOS is the external expression of the 'extra ocular structure'; B, Chaetotaxy of thorax 2–3, insets show variation in mesothoracic macrochaetae number, and organization of inner metathoracic chaetae; C, Dorsal chaetotaxy of abdomen 4 in adult female; D, Dorsal chaetotaxy of abdomen 4 in adult male; E, Female hind claw complex; F, Male hind claw complex; G, Mucro.Published as part of Soto-Adames, Felipe N., 2015, The dorsal chaetotaxy of first instar Trogolaphysa jataca, with description of twelve new species of Neotropical Trogolaphysa (Hexapoda: Collembola: Paronellidae), pp. 1-41 in Zootaxa 4032 (1) on page 15, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4032.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/28974

Salina beta Christiansen and Bellinger 1980

Salina beta Christiansen and Bellinger, 1980 Salina beta Christiansen & Bellinger 1980: 1103, 1104, 1106, Fig. 819 (California, USA), original description and key. Yoshii 1983: 16, key, new species group. Hall 1988: 141, on sugarcane (Florida, USA), possibly a misidentification, see remarks under S. bidentata. Christiansen & Bellinger 1998: 1125, 1126, 1128, Fig. 819, key and description. Material Examined: USA. California, Stanislaus Co., Modesto; lawn; 29 September 1961; H. Sinclair, coll. Holotype on one slide, California Department of Agriculture # 61 J 2–105, deposited at the California Academy of Sciences (entomology type # 15020). Description: The following additions to the description of the species are based on the holotype. Length of holotype 1.1 mm. Colour pattern not seen but originally described as shown in Fig. 42. Ant. 1 with 2 dorsal macrosetae. Prelabral setae 2. Postlabial column CG obstructed, but apparently all setae ciliate. Tergal macrochaetotaxy of Th. 2 –Abd. 2 as 4, 6, 4, 2 (Figs. 25–26): chaetotaxy of Th. 3 and Abd. 1 arranged as in S. bidentata. Abd. 4 with 4 posterior setae. Trochanteral organ with 13 + 14 setae. Unguis with only one distal unpaired tooth. Collophore anterior face with 3 macro- and 3 microsetae; lateral setae 15; posterior face with 1 + 1 setae. Proportions of dens/manubrium≈ 1, proportion dental vesicle/mucro ≈ 1. Mucro with basal dorsal denticle. Remarks: Salina beta has a unique colour pattern that distinguishes it from all other New World species. In chaetotaxy S. beta is intermediate between S. wolcotti / ventricolor and bidentata / thibaudi, as shown in Table 1.Published as part of Soto-Adames, Felipe N., 2010, Review of the New World species of Salina (Collembola: Paronellidae) with bidentate mucro, including a key to all New World members of Salina, pp. 26-40 in Zootaxa 2333 on page 35, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19314