Diurnal attraction of fruit flies (diptera: tephritidae) to methyl eugenol in a village ecosystem in Tanjung Bungah, Penang, Malaysia

Diurnal rhythm of male Bactrocera fruit fly attraction to methyl eugenol (ME) was investigated using clear traps design in a village ecosystem in Tanjung Bungah, Penang, Malaysia. The diurnal rhythm pattern studied by half-hourly sampling from 07:00 to 18:00 hr showed significant male fruit fly attraction to ME in the morning from 07:30 to 09:30 hr, with a distinct peak at 08:30-09:00 hr. The male attraction to ME was significantly lower in the afternoon and remained low approaching late afternoon. The ME-responding fruit fly species captured were B. dorsalis (86%), which dominated the local Bactrocera community, followed by B. umbrosa (5.8%) and B. carambolae (0.1%). This showed that B. dorsalis is a more dominant species than its sibling species, B. carambolae in the area studied. In addition, ca. 8.1% of Bactrocera male flies that bore intermediate morphological characteristics between B. dorsalis and B. carambolae were also captured in those traps. The present study shows that for ME-responding Bactrocera spp., male attraction to ME occurs throughout the day with peak period of attraction to ME occurring ca. 30 mins following sunrise for 2 hrs before gradually tapering off

Penentuan gerak balas bergantung-kepada-umur lalat buah Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Diptera: Tephritidae) terhadap dua bahan penarik jantan fenilbutanoid

Kajian ini menerangkan dan membandingkan variasi corak sayap antara spesies dalam suku Limenitidini. Sejumlah 37 spesies dari 13 genus telah diperiksa dan diilustrasi, di mana elemen corak pelan asas nymphalid (NGP) telah dilabel menggunakan warna. Secara amnya, lebih banyak elemen corak dapat dikenal pasti pada permukaan sayap ventral daripada permukaan sayap dorsal. Elemen c (simetri sistem basal), d (jalur proksimal pada pertengahan sistem simetri), f (jalur diskal pada pertengaan sistem simetri) dan I (elemen parafokal) adalah elemen yang paling banyak dijumpai di kalangan spesies dalam suku yang dikaji ini. Nilai jarak persamaan elemen corak pada permukaan sayap ventral yang terdapat dalam suku Limenitidini ini telah dibentuk menggunakan UPGMA. Dimorfism seksual dan persamaan warna di kalangan spesies dalam kajian ini turut dibincangkan

Dung beetles (coleoptera: scarabaeoidea) from Tasik Chini biosphere reserve, Pahang

A total of 15,747 dung beetles belong to 13 genera and 60 species were captured successfully at Tasik Chini Biosphere Reserve, Pahang from May 2014 to April 2015. Forty-five baited pitfall trap with light sources were installed using transects method at core, buffer and transition zones of Biosphere Reserve. Onthophagus with 43 species (71.7% of the total species) represents the most diverse dung beetle genus at Tasik Chini, Pahang. The most abundant dung beetle species in the area was Sisyphus thoracicus, represented by 9,544 (60.6%) individuals. Followed by O. crassicollis and O. rorarius, which were represented by 1,041 and 9,49 individuals respectively. The Biosphere Reserve is also categorized by the occurrence of rare dung beetle species such as Onthophagus sp. 1, O. avocetta, O. namnaoensis, O. semiperakensis, Ochicanthon okudai and Copris haroldi. The list presented with 60 species of Tasik Chini dung beetles could serve as baseline data for further studies on dung beetle diversity in Peninsular Malaysia

Attraction and consumption of methyl eugenol by male Bactrocera umbrosa Fabricius (Diptera: Tephritidae) promotes conspecific sexual communication and mating performance

The Artocarpus fruit fly, Bactrocera umbrosa (Fabricius) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is an oligophagous fruit pest infesting Moraceae fruits, including jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lamarck), a fruit commodity of high value in Malaysia. The scarcity of fundamental biological, physiological and ecological information on this pest, particularly in relation to behavioural response to phytochemical lures, which are instrumental to the success of many area-wide fruit fly control and management programmes, underpins the need for studies on this much-underrated pest. The positive response of B. umbrosa males to methyl eugenol (ME), a highly potent phytochemical lure, which attracts mainly males of many Bactrocera species, was shown to increase with increasing age. As early as 7 days after emergence (DAE), ca. 22% of males had responded to ME and over 50% by 10 DAE, despite no occurrence of matings (i.e. the males were still sexually immature). Male attraction to ME peaked from 10 to 27 DAE, which corresponded with the flies’ attainment of sexual maturity. In wind-tunnel assays during the dusk courtship period, ME-fed males exhibited earlier calling activity and attracted a significantly higher percentage of virgin females compared with ME-deprived males. ME-fed males enjoyed a higher mating success than ME-deprived males at 1-day post ME feeding in semi-field assays. ME consumption also promotes aggregation behaviour in B. umbrosa males, as demonstrated in wind-tunnel and semi-field assays. We suggest that ME plays a prominent role in promoting sexual communication and enhancing mating performance of the Artocarpus fruit fly, a finding that is congruent with previous reports on the consequences of ME acquisition by other economically important Bactrocera species

Phenylpropanoid sex pheromone component in hemolymph of male Carambola fruit fly, Bactrocera carambolae (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Males of the Carambola fruit fly, Bactrocera carambolae Drew & Hancock (Diptera: Tephritidae) are strongly attracted to, and feed on methyl eugenol (ME) that exists as a plant secondary compound in over 480 plant species worldwide. Upon feeding on this highly potent attractant, the males convert ME into a phenylpropanoid, (E)-coniferyl alcohol (ECF), that is stored in the rectal gland prior to its release as a sex pheromone component during calling and courtship. Here, using a series of chemical and behavioural assays, we provide evidence for the presence of ECF in the hemolymph and suggest the latter’s involvement in transport of ECF to the male rectal gland following consumption of ME. The greatest concentration of ECF was detected in the hemolymph at 3 h after feeding on ME and subsequently decreased, whereas accumulation of ECF in the rectal gland reached a maximum at 2 days post-feeding. Using male flies as biodetectors, fractions of 1.5–9.2 kDa from fractionated hemolymph of ME-fed males were found to be attractive and contained ECF as sex pheromone. In addition, the significant increase in the total concentration of protein in hemolymph from ME-fed males compared with that of ME-deprived males suggests a direct protein carrier involvement in hemolymph transport of the sex pheromone in B. carambolae. All these results are further discussed in comparison with previous results obtained from its sibling species, the Oriental fruit fly—B. dorsalis

Comparative sensitivity to methyl eugenol of four putative Bactrocera dorsalis complex sibling species-further evidence that they belong to one and the same species B. dorsalis

Males of certain species belonging to the Bactrocera dorsalis complex are strongly attracted to, and readily feed on methyl eugenol (ME), a plant secondary compound that is found in over 480 plant species worldwide. Amongst those species is one of the world’s most severe fruit pests the Oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis s.s., and the former taxonomic species Bactrocera invadens, Bactrocera papayae and Bactrocera philippinensis. The latter species have been recently synonymised with Bactrocera dorsalis based on their very similar morphology, mating compatibility, molecular genetics and identical sex pheromones following consumption of ME. Previous studies have shown that male fruit fly responsiveness to lures is a unique phenomenon that is dose species-specific, besides showing a close correlation to sexual maturity attainment. This led us to use ME sensitivity as a behavioural parameter to test if Bactrocera dorsalis and the three former taxonomic species had similar sensitivity towards odours of ME. Using Probit analysis, we estimated the median dose of ME required to elicit species’ positive response in 50% of each population tested (ED50). ED50 values were compared between Bactrocera dorsalis and the former species. Our results showed no significant differences between Bactrocera dorsalis s.s., and the former Bactrocera invadens, Bactrocera papaya and Bactrocera philippinensis in their response to ME.We consider that the Bactrocera males’ sensitivity to ME may be a useful behavioural parameter for species delimitation and, in addition to other integrative taxonomic tools used, provides further supportive evidence that the four taxa belong to one and the same biological species, Bactrocera dorsalis

Historical perspective on the synonymization of the four major pest species belonging to the Bactrocera dorsalis species complex (Diptera, tephritidae)

An FAO/IAEA-sponsored coordinated research project on integrative taxonomy, involving close to 50 researchers from at least 20 countries, culminated in a significant breakthrough in the recognition that four major pest species, Bactrocera dorsalis, B. philippinensis, B. papayae and B. invadens, belong to the same biological species, B. dorsalis. The successful conclusion of this initiative is expected to significantly facilitate global agricultural trade, primarily through the lifting of quarantine restrictions that have long affected many countries, especially those in regions such as Asia and Africa that have large potential for fresh fruit and vegetable commodity exports. This work stems from two taxonomic studies: a revision in 1994 that significantly increased the number of described species in the Bactrocera dorsalis species complex; and the description in 2005 of B. invadens, then newly incursive in Africa. While taxonomically valid species, many biologists considered that these were different names for one biological species. Many disagreements confounded attempts to develop a solution for resolving this taxonomic issue, before the FAO/IAEA project commenced. Crucial to understanding the success of that initiative is an accounting of the historical events and perspectives leading up to the international, multidisciplinary collaborative efforts that successfully achieved the final synonymization. This review highlights the 21 year journey taken to achieve this outcome

Blowfly-derived mammal DNA as mammal diversity assessment tool: Determination of dispersal activity and flight range of tropical blowflies

Mammalian DNA extracted from the invertebrates, especially blowfly-derived DNA, has been suggested as a useful tool to complement traditional field methods for terrestrial mammal monitoring. However, the accuracy of the estimated location of the target mammal detected from blowfly-derived DNA is largely dependent on the knowledge of blowflies' dispersal range. Presently, published data on adult blowfly dispersal capabilities remain scarce and mostly limited to temperate and subtropical regions, with no published report on the adult blowfly dispersal range in the Tropics. We seek to determine the blowfly flight range and dispersal activity in a tropical plantation in Malaysia by mark-release-recapture of approximately 3000 wild blowflies by use of rotten fish-baited traps for nine consecutive days. Out of the 3000 marked Chrysomya spp., only 1.5% (43) were recaptured during the 9-day sampling period. The majority of the blowflies (79%) were recaptured 1 km from the release point, while 20.9% were caught about 2-3 km from the release point. One individual blowfly travelled as far as 3 km and before being recaptured, which was the maximum dispersal distance recorded in this study. This result suggests that the estimated locations of the mammals detected from blowfly-derived iDNA is likely to be within 1-2 km radius from the origin of the blowfly sampling location. However, a more accurate estimated distance between the target mammal and the blowfly sampling location requires further investigation due to various factors, such as blowfly species, wind speed and direction that may potentially affect the blowfly dispersal activities. This study contributes further understanding on the development of a blowfly-derived DNA method as a mammalian monitoring tool in the tropical forests

Differential cross section measurements for the production of a W boson in association with jets in proton–proton collisions at √s = 7 TeV

Measurements are reported of differential cross sections for the production of a W boson, which decays into a muon and a neutrino, in association with jets, as a function of several variables, including the transverse momenta (pT) and pseudorapidities of the four leading jets, the scalar sum of jet transverse momenta (HT), and the difference in azimuthal angle between the directions of each jet and the muon. The data sample of pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV was collected with the CMS detector at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 fb[superscript −1]. The measured cross sections are compared to predictions from Monte Carlo generators, MadGraph + pythia and sherpa, and to next-to-leading-order calculations from BlackHat + sherpa. The differential cross sections are found to be in agreement with the predictions, apart from the pT distributions of the leading jets at high pT values, the distributions of the HT at high-HT and low jet multiplicity, and the distribution of the difference in azimuthal angle between the leading jet and the muon at low values.United States. Dept. of EnergyNational Science Foundation (U.S.)Alfred P. Sloan Foundatio

Juxtaposing BTE and ATE – on the role of the European insurance industry in funding civil litigation

One of the ways in which legal services are financed, and indeed shaped, is through private insurance arrangement. Two contrasting types of legal expenses insurance contracts (LEI) seem to dominate in Europe: before the event (BTE) and after the event (ATE) legal expenses insurance. Notwithstanding institutional differences between different legal systems, BTE and ATE insurance arrangements may be instrumental if government policy is geared towards strengthening a market-oriented system of financing access to justice for individuals and business. At the same time, emphasizing the role of a private industry as a keeper of the gates to justice raises issues of accountability and transparency, not readily reconcilable with demands of competition. Moreover, multiple actors (clients, lawyers, courts, insurers) are involved, causing behavioural dynamics which are not easily predicted or influenced. Against this background, this paper looks into BTE and ATE arrangements by analysing the particularities of BTE and ATE arrangements currently available in some European jurisdictions and by painting a picture of their respective markets and legal contexts. This allows for some reflection on the performance of BTE and ATE providers as both financiers and keepers. Two issues emerge from the analysis that are worthy of some further reflection. Firstly, there is the problematic long-term sustainability of some ATE products. Secondly, the challenges faced by policymakers that would like to nudge consumers into voluntarily taking out BTE LEI