64 research outputs found
Management of University Biological Collections: A Framework for Policy and Practice
A broad-based task force, chaired by Lynn Kimsey of the Department of Entomology and director of the Bohart Entomological Museum, was convened to review and assess the status of living and preserved biological collections held on the Davis campus of the University of California. The task force addressed three basic issues, forming subcommittees to 1) review the data gathered in a survey by the Genetic Resources Conservation Program of living and preserved collections and report its findings, 2) make recommendations for policy guidelines on a campus basis and an individual-collection basis, and s) propose a campus-wide administrative structure to address issues of communication, documentation, and funding. Policy for administration, ownership, transfer, and disposal of collections has apparently not been previously addressed by the University of California. The task force\u27s recommendations on policy and administrative issues are the subject of this report
Differential expression of endogenous plant cell wall degrading enzyme genes in the stick insect (Phasmatodea) midgut
BACKGROUND: Stick and leaf insects (Phasmatodea) are an exclusively leaf-feeding order of insects with no record of omnivory, unlike other “herbivorous” Polyneoptera. They represent an ideal system for investigating the adaptations necessary for obligate folivory, including plant cell wall degrading enzymes (PCWDEs). However, their physiology and internal anatomy is poorly understood, with limited genomic resources available. RESULTS: We de novo assembled transcriptomes for the anterior and posterior midguts of six diverse Phasmatodea species, with RNA-Seq on one exemplar species, Peruphasma schultei. The latter’s assembly yielded >100,000 transcripts, with over 4000 transcripts uniquely or more highly expressed in specific midgut sections. Two to three dozen PCWDE encoding gene families, including cellulases and pectinases, were differentially expressed in the anterior midgut. These genes were also found in genomic DNA from phasmid brain tissue, suggesting endogenous production. Sequence alignments revealed catalytic sites on most PCWDE transcripts. While most phasmid PCWDE genes showed homology with those of other insects, the pectinases were homologous to bacterial genes. CONCLUSIONS: We identified a large and diverse PCWDE repertoire endogenous to the phasmids. If these expressed genes are translated into active enzymes, then phasmids can theoretically break plant cell walls into their monomer components independently of microbial symbionts. The differential gene expression between the two midgut sections provides the first molecular hints as to their function in living phasmids. Our work expands the resources available for industrial applications of animal-derived PCWDEs, and facilitates evolutionary analysis of lower Polyneopteran digestive enzymes, including the pectinases whose origin in Phasmatodea may have been a horizontal transfer event from bacteria. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2164-15-917) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users
Nontarget Effects of the Mosquito Adulticide Pyrethrin Applied Aerially During a West Nile Virus Outbreak in an Urban California Environment
In August 2006, a pyrethrin insecticide synergized with piperonyl butoxide (EverGreen Crop Protection EC 60-6, McLaughlin Gormley King Company, Golden Valley, MN) was sprayed in ultralow volumes over the city of Davis, CA, by the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District to control mosquitoes transmitting West Nile virus. Concurrently, we evaluated the impact of the insecticide on nontarget arthropods by 1) comparing mortality of treatment and control groups of sentinel arthropods, and 2) measuring the diversity and abundance of dead arthropods found on treatment and control tarps placed on the ground. We found no effect of spraying on nontarget sentinel species including dragonflies (Sympetrum corruptum), spiders (Argiope aurantia), butterflies (Colias eurytheme), and honeybees (Apis mellifera). In contrast, significantly higher diversity and numbers of nontarget arthropods were found on ground tarps placed in sprayed versus unsprayed areas. All of the dead nontarget species were small-bodied arthropods as opposed to the large-bodied sentinels that were not affected. The mortality of sentinel mosquitoes placed at the same sites as the nontarget sentinels and ground tarps ranged from 0% to 100%. Dead mosquitoes were not found on the ground tarps. We conclude that aerial spraying with pyrethrins had no impact on the large-bodied arthropods placed in the spray zone, but did have a measurable impact on a wide range of small-bodied organisms
Lista de gêneros de Hymenoptera (Insecta) do Espírito Santo, Brasil
The first checklist of genera of Hymenoptera from Espírito Santo state, Brazil is presented. A total of 973 genera of Hymenoptera is listed, of which 555 (57%) are recorded for the first time from this state. Ichneumonoidea and Chalcidoidea are the two superfamilies with the most genera, 241 and 203 respectively. Braconidae, with 141 genera, are the richest family.The first checklist of genera of Hymenoptera from Espírito Santo state, Brazil is presented. A total of 973 genera of Hymenoptera is listed, of which 555 (57%) are recorded for the first time from this state. Ichneumonoidea and Chalcidoidea are the two superfamilies with the most genera, 241 and 203 respectively. Braconidae, with 141 genera, are the richest family.Fil: Azevedo, Celso O.. Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo; BrasilFil: Molin, Ana Dal. Texas A&M University; Estados UnidosFil: Penteado-Dias, Angelica. Universidade Federal do São Carlos; BrasilFil: Macedo, Antonio C. C.. Secretaria do Meio Ambiente do Estado de São Paulo; BrasilFil: Rodriguez-V, Beatriz. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Dias, Bianca Z. K.. Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo; BrasilFil: Waichert, Cecilia. State University of Utah; Estados UnidosFil: Aquino, Daniel Alejandro. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. División Entomología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Smith, David. Smithsonian Institution; Estados UnidosFil: Shimbori, Eduardo M.. Universidade Federal do São Carlos; BrasilFil: Noll, Fernando B.. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Gibson, Gary. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; CanadáFil: Onody, Helena. Universidade Federal do São Carlos; BrasilFil: Carpenter, James M.. American Museum of Natural History; Estados UnidosFil: Lattke, John. Universidad Nacional de Loja; EcuadorFil: Ramos, Kelli dos S.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Williams, Kevin. Florida State Collection of Arthropods; Estados UnidosFil: Masner, Lubomir. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; CanadáFil: Kimsey, Lynn. University of California; Estados UnidosFil: Tavares, Marcelo T.. Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo; BrasilFil: Olmi, Massimo. Università degli Studi della Tuscia; ItaliaFil: Buffington, Matthew L.. United States Department of Agriculture; Estados UnidosFil: Ohl, Michael. Staatliches Museum fur Naturkunde Stuttgart; AlemaniaFil: Sharkey, Michael. University of Kentucky; Estados UnidosFil: Johnson, Norman F.. Ohio State University; Estados UnidosFil: Kawada, Ricardo. Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo; BrasilFil: Gonçalves, Rodrigo B.. Universidade Federal do Paraná; BrasilFil: Feitosa, Rodrigo. Universidade Federal do Paraná; BrasilFil: Heydon, Steven. University of California; Estados UnidosFil: Guerra, Tânia M.. Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo; BrasilFil: da Silva, Thiago S. R.. Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo; BrasilFil: Costa, Valmir. Instituto Biológico; Brasi
Review of the odd chrysidid genus Loboscelidia Westwood, 1874 (Hymenoptera, Chrysididae, Loboscelidiinae)
Megalara garuda, a new genus and species of larrine wasps from Indonesia (Larrinae, Crabronidae, Hymenoptera)
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California Cuckoo Wasps in the Family Chrysididae (Hymenoptera)
Species and genera of the wasp family Chrysididae in California are reviewed and their California and overall distributions mapped. In addition, keys to California genera and species, and discussions of these species are given. Three new synonymies are given, Chrysis eurekana Linsenmaier 1994 and Chrysis angustianalis Linsenmaier 1994 under Chrysis nitidula Fabricius, and Chrysis antiochicola Linsenmaier 1994 under Chrysis schusteri Bohart 1982
Brachycistidinae
Key to Females of the Genera of Brachycistidinae 1 Hindcoxa with longitudinal carina on inner margin (Fig. 2); occipital carina ventrolaterally angulate (Fig. 1) ................................................................... Colocistis Krombein Hindcoxa without longitudinal carina on inner margin; occipital carina ventrolaterally evenly curved................................................................................................................ 2 2 Scape apicolaterally lobed (Fig. 11); occipital and hypostomal carinae widely separated, separation as long or longer than length of hypostomal fossa; occipital carina obsolescent ventrally .................................................. Stilbopogon Mickel & Krombein Scape cylindrical, not apicolaterally lobed (Fig. 12); occipital and hypostomal carinae usually separated by less than length of hypostomal fossa; occipital carina complete ventrally....................................................................................................................... 43 3 Mandible with inner margin below largest laterally projecting subapical tooth serrate or with three or more small teeth (Fig. 6) ........................................... Brachycistis Fox Mandible with inner margin below largest laterally projecting subapical tooth smooth, without serrations or small teeth (Figs. 7, 9, 10)........................................................... 4 4 Mesopleuron strongly convex medially in dorsal view (Fig. 3); maxillary palpus about as long as hypostomal fossa .........................................Glyptacros Mickel & Krombein Mesopleuron nearly flat or slightly concave medially in dorsal view (Fig. 4); maxillary palpus minute, considerably shorter than hypostomal fossa............................. Genus APublished as part of Kimsey, Lynn S., 2006, Competing Taxonomies: Reexamination of the femalebased genera of Brachycistidinae (Hymenoptera: Tiphiidae), pp. 21-34 in Zootaxa 1211 on pages 32-33, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.17248
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