Harvestmen (Arachnida: Opiliones) in Estonia: results of the Estonian Malaise Trap Project

The species composition of Estonian harvestmen (Opiliones) was revised based on a critical review of published data and examination of the material from the Estonian Malaise Trap Project (EMTP), which is briefly introduced. Four years of collecting (from 2008 to 2011) with “Czech type”Malaise traps from 15 localities throughout Estonia resulted in 4,102 specimens of 9 species. Two of them, Lophopilio palpinalis (Herbst, 1799) and Leiobunum tisciae (Avram, 1968), were found from Estonia for the first time. Combined with reliable published data, the number of harvestmen species known from Estonia is now set at 12. Distribution and habitat preferences of harvestmen in Estonia were examined subjecting the Malaise trapping data to a quantitative analysis using environmental variables recorded for each trap location. Only tree layer density (i.e. the presence of forest as such) was identified as a significant predictor of harvestmen abundance and diversity which indicates a low degree of habitat specificity in boreo-nemoral harvestmen

Distinguishing between anticipatory and responsive plasticity in a seasonally polyphenic butterfly

Seasonal generations of short-lived organisms often differ in their morphological, behavioural and life history traits, including body size. These differences may be either due to immediate effects of seasonally variable environment on organisms (responsive plasticity) or rely on presumably adaptive responses of organisms to cues signalizing forthcoming seasonal changes (anticipatory plasticity). When directly developing individuals of insects are larger than their overwintering conspecifics, the between-generation differences are typically ascribed to responsive plasticity in larval growth. We tested this hypothesis using the papilionid butterly Iphiclides podalirius as a model species. In laboratory experiments, we demonstrated that seasonal differences in food quality could not explain the observed size difference. Similarly, the size differences are not likely to be explained by the immediate effects of ambient temperature and photoperiod on larval growth. The qualitative pattern of natural size differences between the directly developing and diapausing butterflies could be reproduced in the laboratory as a response to photoperiod, indicating anticipatory character of the response. Directly developing and diapausing individuals followed an identical growth trajectory until the end of the last larval instar, with size differences appearing just a few days before pupation. Taken together, various lines of evidence suggest that between-generation size differences in I. podalirius are not caused by immediate effects of environmental factors on larval growth. Instead, these differences rather represent anticipatory plasticity and are thus likely to have an adaptive explanation. It remains currently unclear, whether the seasonal differences in adult size per se are adaptive, or if they constitute co-product of processes related to the diapause. Our study shows that it may be feasible to distinguish between different types of plasticity on the basis of empirical data even if fitness cannot be directly measured, and contributes to the emerging view about the predominantly adaptive nature of seasonal polyphenisms in insect

Three in one-multiple faunal elements within an endangered european butterfly species

Ice ages within Europe forced many species to retreat to refugia, of which three major biogeographic basic types can be distinguished: "Mediterranean", "Continental" and "Alpine / Arctic" species. However, this classification often fails to explain the complex phylogeography of European species with a wide range of latitudinal and altitudinal distribution. Hence, we tested for the possibility that all three mentioned faunal elements are represented within one species. Our data was obtained by scoring 1,307 Euphydryas aurinia individuals (46 European locations) for 17 allozyme loci, and sequencing a subset of 492 individuals (21 sites) for a 626 base pairs COI fragment. Genetic diversity indices, F statistics, hierarchical analyses of molecular variance, individual-based clustering, and networks were used to explore the phylogeographic patterns. The COI fragment represented 18 haplotypes showing a strong geographic structure. All but one allozyme loci analysed were polymorphic with a mean F-ST of 0.20, supporting a pronounced among population structure. Interpretation of both genetic marker systems, using several analytical tools, calls for the recognition of twelve genetic groups. These analyses consistently distinguished different groups in Iberia (2), Italy, Provence, Alps (3), Slovenia, Carpathian Basin, the lowlands of West and Central Europe as well as Estonia, often with considerable additional substructures. The genetic data strongly support the hypothesis that E. aurinia survived the last glaciation in Mediterranean, extra-Mediterranean and perialpine refugia. It is thus a rare example of a model organism that combines attributes of faunal elements from all three of these sources. The observed differences between allozymes and mtDNA most likely result from recent introgression of mtDNA into nuclear allozyme groups. Our results indicate discrepancies with the morphologically-based subspecies models, underlining the need to revise the current taxonomy.Estonian targeted financing project [Sf0180122s08]; DFG graduate school [1319]; [Pest-C/MAR/LA0015/2011]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Peaaju primaarsetesse pahaloomulistesse kasvajatesse haigestumus 15–44aastaste Eesti noorte hulgas ajavahemikul 1980–2009

Töö eesmärk oli analüüsida peaaju primaarsetesse pahaloomulistesse kasvajatesse haigestumust Eesti 15–44aastastel noortel täiskasvanutel. Eesti vähiregistris ajavahemikul 1980–2009 registreeritud kõikidest primaarsetest peaaju pahaloomuliste kasvajate esmasjuhtudest moodustasid 15–44aastastel diagnoositud kasvajad 22%. Kõikidest Eesti 15–44aastastel perioodil 2005–2009 diagnoositud soliidtuumoritest moodustasid peaaju pahaloomulised kasvajad noortel meestel 8% ning naistel 3%. Ajavahemikul 1980–2009 oli meeste risk haigestuda peaaju pahaloomulistesse kasvajatesse ligikaudu 25% suurem kui naistel. Analüüsitud 30 aasta jooksul jäid meeste haigestumuskordajad vahemikku 1–6 juhuni 100 000 inimaasta kohta, näidates piiripealse statistilise olulisusega kasvutrendi (p = 0,059). Naiste haigestumuses märkimisväärseid muutusi toimunud ei ole ning haigestumuskordajad on varieerunud vahemikus 1–4 juhuni 100 000 inimaasta kohta. Meeste haigestumuse kasvu põhjused tuleb selgitada edasistes uuringutes.Eesti Arst 2014; 93(7):410–41

Disentangling determinants of egg size in the Geometridae (Lepidoptera) using an advanced phylogenetic comparative method

We present a phylogenetic comparative study assessing the evolutionary determinants of egg size in the moth family Geometridae. These moths were found to show a strong negative allometric relationship between egg size and maternal body size. Using recently developed comparative methods based on an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process, we show that maternal body size explains over half the variation in egg size. However, other determinants are less clear: ecological factors, previously hypothesized to affect egg size, were not found to have a considerable influence in the Geometridae. The limited role of such third factors suggests a direct causal link between egg size and body size rather than an indirect correlation mediated by some ecological factors. Notably, no large geometrid species lay small eggs. This pattern suggests that maternal body size poses a physical constraint on egg size, but within these limits, there appears to be a rather invariable selection for larger eggs.Estonian Science Foundation Grant 7699, targeted financing project SF0180122s08 and by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (Center of Excellence FIBIR).http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1420-9101nf201

Molecular phylogeny, classification, biogeography and diversification patterns of a diverse group of moths (Geometridae: Boarmiini)

Understanding how and why some groups have become more species-rich than others, and how past biogeography may have shaped their current distribution, are questions that evolutionary biologists have long attempted to answer. We investigated diversification patterns and historical biogeography of a hyperdiverse lineage of Lepidoptera, the geometrid moths, by studying its most species-rich tribe Boarmiini, which comprises ca. 200 genera and ca. known 3000 species. We inferred the evolutionary relationships of Boarmiini based on a dataset of 346 taxa, with up to eight genetic markers under a maximum likelihood approach. The monophyly of Boarmiiniis strongly supported. However, the phylogenetic position of many taxa does not agree with current taxonomy, although the monophyly of most major genera within the tribe is supported after minor adjustments. Three genera are synonymized, one new combination is proposed, and four species are placed in incertae sedis within Boarmiini. Our results support the idea of a rapid initial diversification of Boarmiini, which also implies that no major taxonomic subdivisions of the group can currently be proposed. A time-calibrated tree and biogeographical analyses suggest that boarmiines appeared in Laurasia ca. 52 Mya, followed by dispersal events throughout the Australasian, African and Neotropical regions. Most of the transcontinental dispersal events occurred in the Eocene, a period of intense geological activity and rapid climate change. Diversification analyses showed a relatively constant diversification rate for all Boarmiini, except in one clade containing the species-rich genus Cleora. The present work represents a substantial contribution towards understanding the evolutionary origin of Boarmiini moths. Our results, inevitably biased by taxon sampling, highlight the difficulties with working on species-rich groups that have not received much attention outside of Europe. Specifically, poor knowledge of the natural history of geometrids (particularly in tropical clades) limits our ability to identify key innovations underlying the diversification of boarmiines.Peer reviewe

A comprehensive molecular phylogeny of Geometridae (Lepidoptera) with a focus on enigmatic small subfamilies

Our study aims to investigate the relationships of the major lineages within the moth family Geometridae, with a focus on the poorly studied Oenochrominae-Desmobathrinae complex, and to translate some of the results into a coherent subfamilial and tribal level classification for the family. We analyzed a molecular dataset of 1,206 Geometroidea terminal taxa from all biogeographical regions comprising up to 11 molecular markers that includes one mitochondria) (COI) and 10 protein-coding nuclear gene regions (wingless, ArgK, MDH, RpS5, GAPDH, IDH, Ca-ATPase, Nex9, EF-1 alpha, CAD). The molecular data set was analyzed using maximum likelihood as implemented in IQ-TREE and RAxML. We found high support for the subfamilies Larentiinae, Geometrinae and Ennominae in their traditional scopes. Sterrhinae becomes monophyletic only if Ergavia Walker, Ametris Hubner and Macrotes Westwood, which are currently placed in Oenochrominae, are formally transferred to Sterrhinae. Desmobathrinae and Oenochrominae are found to be polyphyletic. The concepts of Oenochrominae and Desmobathrinae required major revision and, after appropriate rearrangements, these groups also form monophyletic subfamily-level entities. Oenochrominae s.str. as originally conceived by Guenee is phylogenetically distant from Epidesmia and its close relatives. The latter is hereby described as the subfamily Epidesmiinae Murillo-Ramos, Sihvonen & Brehm, subfam. nov. Epidesmiinae are a lineage of "slender-bodied Oenochrominae" that include the genera Ecphyas Turner, Systatica Turner, Adeixis Warren, Dichromodes Guenee, Phrixocomes Turner, Abraxaphantes Warren, Epidesmia Duncan & Westwood and Phrataria Walker. Archiearinae are monophyletic when Dirce and Acalyphes are formally transferred to Ennominae. We also found that many tribes were para- or polyphyletic and therefore propose tens of taxonomic changes at the tribe and subfamily levels. Archaeobalbini stat. rev. Viidalepp (Geometrinae) is raised from synonymy with Pseudoterpnini Warren to tribal rank. Chlorodontoperini Murillo-Ramos, Sihvonen & Brehm, trib. nov. and Drepanogynini Murillo-Ramos, Sihvonen & Brehm, trib. nov. are described as new tribes in Geometrinae and Ennominae, respectively.Peer reviewe

Reviews: Catalogue of Ceutorhynchinae of the World, with a key to Genera, The Geometrid Moths of Europe, Die Larven der Europäeischen Noctuidae

Colonnelli, E. 2004: Catalogue of Ceutorhynchinae of the World, with a key to Genera. – Argania Editio, Barcelona. 124 pp. ISBN 84- 931847-6-4. Price 80 EUR. Hausmann, A. 2004: The Geometrid Moths of Europe, Vol. 2: Sterrhinae. Apollo Books, Kirkeby Sand 19, DK-5771 Stenstrup, Denmark. ISBN 87-88757-37-4, Hardback, 600 pp. Price 960,00 DKK. Beck, H. 1999–2000: Die Larven der Europäeischen Noctuidae. Revision der Systematik der Noctuidae (Larvae of European Noctuidae. Revision of the systematics of the Noctuidae). With the help of Matti Ahola (numerous drawings) and Ivar Hasenfuss (systematic notes on Noctuoidea, Acronictinae, and occasional drawings). Volumes I–IV. 864+448+336+512 pp. ISSN 0723-595X, ISBN 3-923807-04-X. Price 530 EUR