Contribution to the Pipunculidae fauna of Spain (Diptera).

Die Arbeit basiert insbesondere auf Aufsammlungen von Pipunculiden an zwei Lokalitäten in Spanien: Pina de Ebro (Zaragoza) und Moraira (Alicante). Elf neue Arten werden beschrieben: Eudorylas blascoi, E. dilatatus, E. falcifer, E. mediterraneus, E. monegrensis, E. tumidus, E. wahisi, Tomosvaryella hildeae, T. hispanica, T. resurgens und T. sepulta. Ein aktualisiertes Verzeichnis der Pipunculidenfauna Spaniens wird vorgelegt. Die Phänologie sowie die zoogeographischen Beziehungen werden kurz diskutiert.Nomenklatorische Handlungenblascoi de Meyer, 1997 (Eudorylas), spec. n.dilatatus de Meyer, 1997 (Eudorylas), spec. n.falcifer de Meyer, 1997 (Eudorylas), spec. n.mediterraneus de Meyer & Ackland, 1997 (Eudorylas), spec. n.monegrensis de Meyer, 1997 (Eudorylas), spec. n.tumidus de Meyer, 1997 (Eudorylas), spec. n.wahisi de Meyer, 1997 (Eudorylas), spec. n.hildeae de Meyer, 1997 (Tomosvaryella), spec. n.hispanica de Meyer, 1997 (Tomosvaryella), spec. n.resurgens de Meyer, 1997 (Tomosvaryella), spec. n.sepulta de Meyer, 1997 (Tomosvaryella), spec. n.This study is mainly based on material of Pipunculidae collected in two localities in Spain: Pina de Ebro (Zaragoza) and Moraira (Alicante). Eleven new species are described: Eudorylas blascoi, E. dilatatus, E. falcifer, E. mediterraneus, E. monegrensis, E. tumidus, E. wahisi, Tomosvaryella hildeae, T. hispanica, T. resurgens, and T. sepulta. An updated checklist for the Spanish pipunculid fauna is given and the phenology and zoogeographical affinities are shortly discussed. Nomenclatural Actsblascoi de Meyer, 1997 (Eudorylas), spec. n.dilatatus de Meyer, 1997 (Eudorylas), spec. n.falcifer de Meyer, 1997 (Eudorylas), spec. n.mediterraneus de Meyer & Ackland, 1997 (Eudorylas), spec. n.monegrensis de Meyer, 1997 (Eudorylas), spec. n.tumidus de Meyer, 1997 (Eudorylas), spec. n.wahisi de Meyer, 1997 (Eudorylas), spec. n.hildeae de Meyer, 1997 (Tomosvaryella), spec. n.hispanica de Meyer, 1997 (Tomosvaryella), spec. n.resurgens de Meyer, 1997 (Tomosvaryella), spec. n.sepulta de Meyer, 1997 (Tomosvaryella), spec. n

Impact of sample preservation and manipulation on insect gut microbiome profiling : a test case with fruit flies (Diptera, Tephritidae)

High-throughput sequencing (HTS) techniques are of great value for the investigation of microbial communities, and have been extensively used to study the gut microbiome. While most studies focus on the human gut, many others have investigated insects. However, because of the rapid spread of HTS techniques, a lot of variation exists in the protocols for sample preparation. In the present study, we investigated the impact of two widely adopted sample-processing procedures preceding library preparation, i.e., preservation of insect tissue in 70% ethanol (EtOH) and sample dissection. We used the fruit fly Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) as a model organism and set up two experiments, one comparing the effects of sample manipulation and preservation across life stages and the other across fruit samples from different sources. The results of this study showed no major effects of dissection on the outcome of HTS. However, EtOH preservation did have effects on the recovered gut microbiome, the main effect being a significant reduction of the dominant genus, Providencia, in EtOH-preserved samples. Less abundant bacterial groups were also affected resulting in altered microbial profiles obtained from samples preserved in 70% EtOH. These results have important implications for the planning of future studies and when comparing studies that used different sample preparation protocols

Resolving cryptic species complexes of major tephritid pests

An FAO/IAEA Co-ordinated Research Project (CRP) on “Resolution of Cryptic Species Complexes of Tephritid Pests to Overcome Constraints to SIT Application and International Trade” was conducted from 2010 to 2015. As captured in the CRP title, the objective was to undertake targeted research into the systematics and diagnostics of taxonomically challenging fruit fly groups of economic importance. The scientific output was the accurate alignment of biological species with taxonomic names; which led to the applied outcome of assisting FAO and IAEA Member States in overcoming technical constraints to the application of the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) against pest fruit flies and the facilitation of international agricultural trade. Close to 50 researchers from over 20 countries participated in the CRP, using coordinated, multidisciplinary research to address, within an integrative taxonomic framework, cryptic species complexes of major tephritid pests. The following progress was made for the four complexes selected and studied: Anastrepha fraterculus complex – Eight morphotypes and their geographic and ecological distributions in Latin America were defined. The morphotypes can be considered as distinct biological species on the basis of differences in karyotype, sexual incompatibility, post-mating isolation, cuticular hydrocarbon, pheromone, and molecular analyses. Discriminative taxonomic tools using linear and geometric morphometrics of both adult and larval morphology were developed for this complex. Bactrocera dorsalis complex – Based on genetic, cytogenetic, pheromonal, morphometric, and behavioural data, which showed no or only minor variation between the Asian/African pest fruit flies Bactrocera dorsalis, B. papayae, B. philippinensis and B. invadens, the latter three species were synonymized with B. dorsalis. Of the five target pest taxa studied, only B. dorsalis and B. carambolae remain as scientifically valid names. Molecular and pheromone markers are now available to distinguish B. dorsalis from B. carambolae. Ceratitis FAR Complex (C. fasciventris, C. anonae, C. rosa) – Morphology, morphometry, genetic, genomic, pheromone, cuticular hydrocarbon, ecology, behaviour, and developmental physiology data provide evidence for the existence of five different entities within this fruit fly complex from the African region. These are currently recognised as Ceratitis anonae, C. fasciventris (F1 and F2), C. rosa and a new species related to C. rosa (R2). The biological limits within C. fasciventris (i.e. F1 and F2) are not fully resolved. Microsatellites markers and morphological identification tools for the adult males of the five different FAR entities were developed based on male leg structures. Zeugodacus cucurbitae (formerly Bactrocera (Zeugodacus) cucurbitae) – Genetic variability was studied among melon fly populations throughout its geographic range in Africa and the Asia/Pacific region and found to be limited. Cross-mating studies indicated no incompatibility or sexual isolation. Host preference and genetic studies showed no evidence for the existence of host races. It was concluded that the melon fly does not represent a cryptic species complex, neither with regard to geographic distribution nor to host range. Nevertheless, the higher taxonomic classification under which this species had been placed, by the time the CRP was started, was found to be paraphyletic; as a result the subgenus Zeugodacus was elevated to genus level.Fil: Hendrichs, Jorge. Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture; AustriaFil: Vera, Maria Teresa. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia. Cátedra. Terapéutica Vegetal; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: de Meyer, Marc. Royal Museum for Central Africa; BélgicaFil: Clarke, Anthony R.. Queensland University of Technology; Australi

Decreasing initial telomere length in humans intergenerationally understates age-associated telomere shortening

Telomere length shortens with aging, and short telomeres have been linked to a wide variety of pathologies. Previous studies suggested a discrepancy in age-associated telomere shortening rate estimated by cross-sectional studies versus the rate measured in longitudinal studies, indicating a potential bias in cross-sectional estimates. Intergenerational changes in initial telomere length, such as that predicted by the previously described effect of a father's age at birth of his offspring (FAB), could explain the discrepancy in shortening rate measurements. We evaluated whether changes occur in initial telomere length over multiple generations in three large datasets and identified paternal birth year (PBY) as a variable that reconciles the difference between longitudinal and cross-sectional measurements. We also clarify the association between FAB and offspring telomere length, demonstrating that this effect is substantially larger than reported in the past. These results indicate the presence of a downward secular trend in telomere length at birth over generational time with potential public health implications

Effectiveness of rotavirus vaccination in prevention of hospital admissions for rotavirus gastroenteritis among young children in Belgium : case-control study

Objective : To evaluate the effectiveness of rotavirus vaccination among young children in Belgium. Design : Prospective case-control study. Setting : Random sample of 39 Belgian hospitals, February 2008 to June 2010. Participants : 215 children admitted to hospital with rotavirus gastroenteritis confirmed by polymerase chain reaction and 276 age and hospital matched controls. All children were of an eligible age to have received rotavirus vaccination (that is, born after 1 October 2006 and aged >= 14 weeks). Main outcome measure : Vaccination status of children admitted to hospital with rotavirus gastroenteritis and matched controls. Results : 99 children (48%) admitted with rotavirus gastroenteritis and 244 (91%) controls had received at least one dose of any rotavirus vaccine (P= 12 months. The G2P[4] genotype accounted for 52% of cases confirmed by polymerase chain reaction with eligible matched controls. Vaccine effectiveness was 85% (64% to 94%) against G2P[4] and 95% (78% to 99%) against G1P[8]. In 25% of cases confirmed by polymerase chain reaction with eligible matched controls, there was reported co-infection with adenovirus, astrovirus and/or norovirus. Vaccine effectiveness against co-infected cases was 86% (52% to 96%). Effectiveness of at least one dose of any rotavirus vaccine (intention to vaccinate analysis) was 91% (82% to 95%). Conclusions : Rotavirus vaccination is effective for the prevention of admission to hospital for rotavirus gastroenteritis among young children in Belgium, despite the high prevalence of G2P[4] and viral co-infection