EJE, vol. 115 (2018)
Rates of molecular evolution and genetic diversity in European vs. North American populations of invasive insect speciesOriginal article
Robert G. YOUNG, T. Fatima MITTERBOECK, Tzitziki LOEZA-QUINTANA, Sarah J. ADAMOWICZ
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 718-728, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.071 
Many factors contribute to the 'invasive potential' of species or populations. It has been suggested that the rate of genetic evolution of a species and the amount of genetic diversity upon which selection can act may play a role in invasiveness. In this study, we examine whether invasive species have a higher relative pace of molecular evolution as compared with closely related non-invasive species, as well as examine the genetic diversity between invasive and closely related species. To do this, we used mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I sequences of 35 species with a European native range that are invasive in North America. Unique...
Complete mitochondrial genome of Palpita hypohomalia (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea: Crambidae) and its phylogenetic implicationsOriginal article
Mingsheng YANG, Shusen SHI, Peng DAI, Lu SONG, Xiaomeng LIU
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 708-717, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.070
The complete mitochondrial genome of a pyraloid species, Palpita hypohomalia, was sequenced and analyzed. This mitochondrial genome is circular, 15,280 bp long, and includes 37 typical metazoan mitochondrial genes (13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA genes) and an A + T-rich region. Nucleotide composition is highly biased toward A + T nucleotides (81.6%). All 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs) initiate with the canonical start codon ATN, except for cox1 which is CGA. The typical stop codon TAA occurs in most PCGs, while nad2 and cox2 show TAG and an incomplete termination codon T, respectively....
Effect of aphid abundance and urbanization on the abundance of Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)Original article
Alois HONĚK, Zdenka MARTINKOVÁ, Jan ©TROBACH
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 703-707, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.069
The factors that affect the local distribution of the invasive Harmonia axyridis are not yet completely resolved. Hypotheses predicting positive and independent effects of prey abundance and degree of urbanization on the adult abundance of this species in Central Europe were tested. Populations of H. axyridis were sampled in a period when it was most abundant, by sweeping lime trees (Tilia spp.) at 28 sites along a 20 km transect across urban (western Prague) and surrounding rural areas. The sites differed in aphid abundance (number of Eucallipterus tiliae per 100 sweeps) and degree of urbanization (percentage of...
Regulation of larval diapause by colony-founding queens of Crematogaster teranishii (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)Original article
Keiji NAKAMURA
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 697-702, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.068
Nuptial flights of Crematogaster teranishii Santschi occur in autumn. Queens and possibly larvae pass the first winter without workers in Okayama, Japan. This study examines and tests the hypothesis that C. teranishii queens regulate not only their own diapause, but also that of their larvae. Some queens collected immediately after their nuptial flight in early October were exposed to a low temperature of 10°C for 3 months before transfer to 25°C; these queens started oviposition approximately 8 days after the transfer. Larvae reared by these previously chilled queens pupated synchronously until day 50. Other field-collected queens reared...
The life cycles of Boyeria irene and Onychogomphus uncatus (Odonata: Aeshnidae, Gomphidae) in western Spain: A biometric studyOriginal article
Tatiana VELASCO-VILLANUEVA, Francisco CAMPOS, Ulf NORLING, Manuel FERRERAS-ROMERO
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 684-696, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.067
Co-occurrence of species with similar trophic requirements, such as odonates, seems to depend both on them occupying different microhabitats and differing in their life-cycles. The life cycles of the dragonflies Boyeria irene and Onychogomphus uncatus were studied in two consecutive years, mainly by systematic sampling of larvae in seven permanent head courses that constitute the upper basin of the River Águeda, western Spain, in the central part of the ranges of these two species. The size ranges of the last five larval stadia of both species were established based on biometric data. The eggs of the egg-overwintering aeshnid hatched...
Afromuelleria, a new genus of Trachyphloeini from Limpopo, with descriptions of four new species (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Entiminae)Original article
Roman BOROVEC, Jiří SKUHROVEC
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 668-683, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.066
A new genus, Afromuelleria gen. n., assigned to the tribe Trachyphloeini Lacordaire, 1863, is described for four South African species of weevils: A. awelani sp. n., A. baobab sp. n., A. limpopo sp. n. and A. venda sp. n. All species are illustrated and keyed. Taxonomic status of the new genus is discussed and compared with similar genera of Trachyphloeini and Embrithini Marshall, 1942.
Overwintering of ladybirds (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) on Scots pine in Central EuropeOriginal article
Milada HOLECOVÁ, Peter ZACH, Katarína HOLLÁ, Miroslava ©EBESTOVÁ, Mária KLESNIAKOVÁ, Anna ©ESTÁKOVÁ, Alois HONĚK, Oldřich NEDVĚD, Michal PARÁK, Zdenka MARTINKOVÁ, Juraj HOLEC, Sandra VIGLÁ©OVÁ, Peter M.J. BROWN, Helen E. ROY, Ján KULFAN
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 658-667, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.065
We surveyed ladybirds (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in 10 stands of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), all monoculture stands 5-100 years old, in western Slovakia, Central Europe, over two successive periods, October 2013 - March 2014 and October 2014 - March 2015. The winter in each period was exceptionally mild. Ladybirds were collected from the lower branches of pine trees using beating trays and were present in 61% of the 1040 samples (one sample containing ladybirds from 20 branches, 1 m long each). In total 3965 individuals of 20 species were recorded. Non-conifer dwelling species associated with broadleaved trees or herbaceous plants prevailed...
The draft genome sequence of the Japanese honey bee, Apis cerana japonica (Hymenoptera: Apidae)Original article
Kakeru YOKOI, Hironobu UCHIYAMA, Takeshi WAKAMIYA, Mikio YOSHIYAMA, Jun-Ichi TAKAHASHI, Tetsuro NOMURA, Tsutomu FURUKAWA, Shunsuke YAJIMA, Kiyoshi KIMURA
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 650-657, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.064
Honey bees are not only important for honey production but also as pollinators of wild and cultivated plants. The Eastern honeybee (Apis cerana) is more resistant to several pathogens than the Western honeybee (Apis mellifera), and the genomes of two strains of the nominotypical subspecies, A. cerana cerana, northern (Korea) and southern (China) strains, have been sequenced. Apis cerana japonica, another subspecies of A. cerana, shows many specific features (e.g. mildness, low honey production and frequently absconds) and it is important to study the molecular biological and genetic aspects of these features. To accelerate...
Density-invariant dispersion indices and fixed precision sequential sampling plans for the peach twig borer Anarsia lineatella (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)Original article
Petros DAMOS
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 642-649, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.063
Estimating the spatial dispersion of pest arthropods is crucial for the development of reliable sampling programs and one of the main components of integrated pest management. The natural spatial distribution of a population of a species may be random, uniform, or aggregated and can be so classified based on calculation of variance to mean relations and related dispersion indices. In this work some classical density-invariant dispersion indices and related regression models are used for the first time to quantify the spatial dispersion of an important peach pest Anarsia lineatella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) and construct fixed precision...
Book Review: Löbl I. & Löbl D. (eds) 2017: Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera. Archostemata-Myxophaga-Adephaga. Vol. 1. Revised and updated edition.Book review
A. BEZDĚK
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 641, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.062
Löbl I. & Löbl D. (eds) 2017: Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera. Archostemata-Myxophaga-Adephaga. Vol. 1. Revised and updated edition. Brill, Leiden, Boston, xxxiv + 1443 pp. ISBN: 978-90-04- 33028-3 (print book), 978-90-04-33029-0 (e-book). Price USD 260.00 (print book), USD 236.00 (e-book).
Detection of telomeric sequences and ribosomal RNA genes in holokinetic chromosomes of five jumping plant-lice species: First data on the superfamily Psylloidea (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha)Original article
Anna MARYAŃSKA-NADACHOWSKA, Valentina G. KUZNETSOVA, Natalia V. GOLUB, Boris A. ANOKHIN
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 632-640, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.061
Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is a technique used to determine the chromosomal position of DNA and RNA probes. The present study contributes to knowledge on jumping plant-lice genomes by using FISH with 18S rDNA and telomeric (TTAGG)n probes on meiotic chromosomes of Psylla alni (2n = 24 + X), Cacopsylla mali (2n = 22 + neo-XY and 20 + neo-X1X2Y), C. sorbi (2n = 20 + neo-XY), Baeopelma foersteri (2n = 14 + X), and Rhinocola aceris (2n = 10 + X). This is the first study that has used FISH on the hemipteran superfamily Psylloidea. We found that the chromosomes of all...
Convergent photoperiodic plasticity in developmental rate in two species of insects with widely different thermal phenotypesOriginal article
Dmitry KUTCHEROV, Elena B. LOPATINA, Sergei BALASHOV
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 624-631, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.060
Growth and development rates in many insects are affected by photoperiod, which enables insects to synchronize their life histories with seasonal events, but this aspect of insect photoperiodism remains understudied. Here we use several experimental combinations of constant day length and temperature to determine whether there are quantitative developmental responses to photoperiod in the bug Scantius aegyptius and leaf beetle Timarcha tenebricosa. The thermal ecology of these two species is strikingly different: the former is thermophilic and active throughout summer and the latter is spring-active and avoids the hottest time of the...
Isolation and characterisation of the first microsatellite markers for the European stag beetle, Lucanus cervus (Coleoptera: Lucanidae)Note
Niall J. MCKEOWN, Deborah J. HARVEY, Amy J.E. HEALEY, Ilze SKUJINA, Karen COX, Alan C. GANGE, Paul W. SHAW
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 620-623, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.059
The European stag beetle, Lucanus cervus, is recognised as a flagship species for biodiversity conservation. Although the species is widely distributed across Europe declines have led to it being granted protected or endangered status in a number of countries and regarded as "near threatened" by the IUCN. The integration of genetic approaches into conservation efforts is urgently needed but has been impeded to date by the lack of appropriate genetic markers. To provide such a resource the development of the first microsatellite loci for stag beetle is described. Loci were identified using two methods (i) enriched library cloning (ELC) and (ii)...
Genome-wide discovery and characterization of microsatellite markers from Melipona fasciculata (Hymenoptera: Apidae), cross-amplification and a snapshot assessment of the genetic diversity in two stingless bee populationsNote
Geice Ribeiro Da SILVA, Isis Gomes De Brito SOUZA, Fabia De Mello PEREIRA, Bruno De Almeida SOUZA, Maria Teresa Do Rego LOPES, Paul BENTZEN, Fabio Mendonça DINIZ
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 614-619, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.058
Brazilian native meliponines are currently threatened by increased human impacts. The assessment of their genetic variation by microsatellite DNA markers can assist in the conservation of populations and help in the planning and establishment of efficient management strategies. The purpose of this study was to develop the first set of microsatellite markers for Melipona fasciculata, selected from partial genome assembly of Illumina paired-end reads. Primer pairs were designed for each detected locus at their flanking regions. Bee samples were genotyped from two different populations of Northeastern Brazil for marker characterization and validation....
Identification and characterization of doublesex from the pumpkin fruit fly, Bactrocera tau (Diptera: Tephritidae)Original article
Thanaset THONGSAIKLAING, Hataichanok PASSARA, Mingkwan NIPITWATHANAPHON, Lertluk NGERNSIRI
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 602-613, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.057
The sex determination cascades in insects are diversified at the top of the cascade, where different primary molecular signals are employed, while at the bottom of the cascades, particularly the doublesex genes, are highly conserved. Here, we identified the doublesex ortholog (Btau-dsx) of Bactrocera tau, a pumpkin fruit fly, and found that Btau-dsx is composed of six exons and five introns with an additional short "m" exon located in the second intron. Btau-dsx is different from its orthologs in most dipteran insects: Its pre-mRNA is sex-specifically spliced to yield three (two male and one female) instead...
A key to genera of South American Deltocephalini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae) with descriptions of new taxa and nomenclatural changesOriginal article
Yani DUAN, Christopher H. DIETRICH
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 587-601, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.056
A key to genera of South American Deltocephalini Dallas, 1870 based on adult males is presented. Two new genera, each based on a single new species from Argentina are described and illustrated: Corrientesia gen. n. based on type species C. ochrescens sp. n. and Salnogia gen. n. based on type species S. fletcheri sp. n. A new species of Graminella DeLong, 1936, G. schrocki sp. n. from Argentina is also described and illustrated. Graminella stelliger (Berg, 1884) equals Fusanus acristylus Cheng, 1980, syn. n. A new combination, Limpica pallida (Linnavuori & DeLong,...
Distribution and dispersal of the invasive Asian chestnut gall wasp, Dryocosmus kuriphilus (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), across the heterogeneous landscape of the Iberian PeninsulaOriginal article
Diego GIL-TAPETADO, José F. GÓMEZ, Francisco J. CABRERO-SAÑUDO, José L. NIEVES-ALDREY
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 575-586, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.055
Dryocosmus kuriphilus (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), also known as the Asian chestnut gall wasp, is a non-native invasive species that has recently appeared in many regions of Europe, including the Iberian Peninsula. This species is an important pest of chestnut trees in several regions and is of concern for foresters in these areas. The results of this research revealed 14 different hotspots of infestation of D. kuriphilus and resulted in the development of models that predict the distribution of D. kuriphilus in Spain over the next 37 years (2019-2055). These results indicate a rapid spread in all Spanish chestnut forests and identify...
Effect of pine reforestation associated with soil disturbance on ant assemblages (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in a semiarid steppeOriginal article
Chema CATARINEU, Joaquín REYES-LÓPEZ, Joan A. HERRAIZ, Gonzalo G. BARBERÁ
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 562-574, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.054
Soil and changes in vegetation may affect ant assemblages, but the relative importance of each in different habitats is not well characterized. In particular, information on the effects of ecological restoration on arthropods is scarce. It was decided, therefore, to study how reforestation may affect an ant assemblage. Ants were sampled in area that had been reforested and adjacent grassland using pitfall traps. Soil surface and vegetation were characterized. The disturbance of the vegetation caused by reforestation resulted in a decrease in the cover of Stipa tenacissima and Cistaceae and an increase in the cover of pine. The mechanical preparation...
Larval descriptions of five Oriental bamboo-inhabiting Acroceratitis species (Diptera: Tephritidae: Dacinae) with notes on their biologyOriginal article
Alexander SCHNEIDER, Damir KOVAC, Gary J. STECK, Amnon FREIDBERG
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 535-561, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.053
Third instar larvae of the genus Acroceratitis Hendel from North Thailand are described for the first time. They belong to A. ceratitina (Bezzi), A. distincta (Zia), A. histrionica (de Meijere), A. incompleta Hardy, and A. septemmaculata Hardy. Short descriptions of eggs, empty egg shells, and puparia are also presented. Acroceratitis larvae infest shoots of bamboo (Poaceae). Larval host plants of the studied species are Bambusa polymorpha Munro, Cephalostachyum pergracile Munro, Dendrocalamus hamiltoni Nees and Arnott ex Munro, D. strictus (Roxbourgh), Dendrocalamus...
A three year study of the phenology of insect larvae (Coleoptera, Diptera) in water-filled tree holes in the canopy of a beech treeOriginal article
Martin M. GOSSNER
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 524-534, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.052
Water-filled tree holes are abundant microhabitats in forests worldwide and are inhabited by specialized communities of invertebrates. Despite their importance, the temporal dynamics of communities within and between years are largely unknown. Here, I present a case study on the phenology of insect larvae in two holes in a beech tree (lower and upper canopy) located in southern Germany over a period of three years. I asked whether water temperature and the characteristics of insect larvae at the community and population levels are similar in periodicity every year and whether they differ in the lower and upper canopy. The water temperature in tree...
Survey and DNA barcoding of flat bugs (Hemiptera: Aradidae) in the Tanzanian Forest Archipelago reveal a phylogeographically structured fauna largely unknown at the species levelOriginal article
Vasily V. GREBENNIKOV, Ernst HEISS
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 512-523, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.051
We report results of a faunal survey of Aradidae flat bugs sampled by sifting litter in 14 wet and discrete Tanzanian primary forests (= Tanzanian Forest Archipelago, TFA) of different geological origins and ages. Images, locality data and, when available, DNA barcoding sequences of 300 Aradidae adults and nymphs forming the core of the herein analyzed data are publicly available online at dx.doi.org/10.5883/DS-ARADTZ. Three Aradidae subfamilies and seven genera were recorded: Aneurinae (Paraneurus), Carventinae (Dundocoris) and Mezirinae (Afropictinus, Embuana, Linnavuoriessa, Neochelonoderus, Usumbaraia);...
Does Hartigiola annulipes (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) distribute its galls randomly?Original article
Sebastian PILICHOWSKI, Marian J. GIERTYCH
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 504-511, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.050
It is expected that environmental conditions impact the distribution of galls on host plants. Moreover, insects may induce their galls randomly or choose certain parts of a host to induce such growths. This study aimed to determine whether or not the gall midge, Hartigiola annulipes (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), which induces galls on leaves of the European beech (Fagus sylvatica), prefers leaves facing a particular cardinal direction. In addition, we wanted to ascertain whether the galls are evenly spread across three leaf zones: proximal, median and distal, distinguished by dividing leaf area along the midrib. The results show that H....
Demography of the endangered butterfly Euphydryas aurinia (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae): A case study of populations in sub-Mediterranean dry calcareous grasslandsOriginal article
Jure JUGOVIC, Costanza UBONI, Sara ZUPAN, Martina LU®NIK
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 493-503, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.049
We studied a population of the regionally endangered marsh fritillary butterfly Euphydryas aurinia inhabiting a system of loosely connected dry calcareous grasslands in sub-Mediterranean Slovenia. Our goal was to set the basis for a long-term monitoring of this butterfly in four meadows using mark-release-recapture (MRR). We determined its demographic parameters, dispersal, behaviour and utilization of nectar plants in different quality patches. Total population size was estimated to be approximately 347 males (95% confidence interval: 262-432) and 326 females (95% confidence interval: 250-402), with an unbiased sex ratio. The average lifespans...
Annotated checklist of the plant bug tribe Mirini (Heteroptera: Miridae: Mirinae) recorded on the Korean Peninsula, with descriptions of three new speciesOriginal article
Minsuk OH, Tomohide YASUNAGA, Ram Keshari DUWAL, Seunghwan LEE
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 467-492, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.048
An annotated checklist of the tribe Mirini (Miridae: Mirinae) recorded on the Korean peninsula is presented. A total of 113 species, including newly described and newly recorded species are recognized. Three new species, Apolygus hwasoonanus Oh, Yasunaga & Lee, sp. n., A. seonheulensis Oh, Yasunaga & Lee, sp. n. and Stenotus penniseticola Oh, Yasunaga & Lee, sp. n., are described. Eight species, Apolygus adustus (Jakovlev, 1876), Charagochilus (Charagochilus) longicornis Reuter, 1885, C. (C.) pallidicollis Zheng, 1990, Pinalitopsis rhodopotnia Yasunaga, Schwartz...
Mandible morphology reflects the type of male antagonism in the ant genus Cardiocondyla (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)Original article
Christine V. SCHMIDT, Jürgen HEINZE
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 455-466, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.047
The ant genus Cardiocondyla is characterized by wingless, ergatoid males, which in some species replace the typical winged male. Depending on species, ergatoid males engage in lethal fighting for access to sexual females, establish territories within their nests, or are mutually tolerant. Here we investigate, whether the morphology of ergatoid males and in particular the shape of their mandibles reflect phylogeny or male behaviour. In contrast to the worker mandible, which is relatively similar in shape in the ten species examined, mandibles of ergatoid males show a great variation in size and shape not only between the two clades of Cardiocondyla...
Pseudoparasitism by Spalangia cameroni (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) of pupae of Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae): Frequency and implicationsOriginal article
Luis DE PEDRO, Francisco BEITIA, Josep D. ASÍS, José TORMOS
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 450-454, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.046
The effectiveness of natural enemies in controlling pests may be determined by many traits linked to their ability to regulate the density of their prey. In this respect, the phenomenon of pseudoparasitism, in which female parasitoids reject a host after inserting their ovipositor into it, is fairly common among hymenopteran parasitoids. However, in spite of this its effect on hosts is rarely reported in entomological and biological control literature. For this reason, in the present study, the pseudoparasitism by the parasitoid Spalangia cameroni Perkins of the Mediterranean pest Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) and its effect on several...
Random or clumped: How litter dwelling scorpions are distributed in a fragment of Brazilian Atlantic forestNote
Gabriela Cavalcanti Silva de Gusmão SANTOS, Welton DIONISIO-DA-SILVA, João Pedro SOUZA-ALVES, Cleide Maria Ribeiro de ALBUQUERQUE, André Felipe de Araujo LIRA
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 445-449, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.045
Knowledge of the patterns in the spatial distribution of species provides valuable information about the factors (resources and environment) that regulate the use of space by animals. Typically, the distribution of litter-dwelling scorpions in Atlantic forests is correlated with the structure of their microhabitats, although to better understand their natural history more studies on the patterns in their use of space are required. Therefore, we investigated the effect of rainfall on the patterns in the spatial distributions and population densities of two sympatric species of scorpion, Tityus (Archaeotityus) pusillus Pocock 1893...
Dryophthorinae weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) of the forest floor in Southeast Asia: Three-marker analysis reveals monophyly of Asian Stromboscerini and new identity of rediscovered TasactesOriginal article
Vasily V. GREBENNIKOV
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 437-444, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.044
The nominal genus Tasactes Faust, 1894, consisting of two originally included nominal species from Myanmar, is rediscovered for the first time since being erected. Adult weevils herein assigned to the taxonomically re-defined Tasactes were abundant in forest floor litter at five localities in China (Yunnan and Sichuan), plus one specimen is available from Shaanxi and three from Nepal. Phylogenetic analysis of a 2,275 bp matrix concatenated from one mitochondrial (COI) and two nuclear markers (ITS2 and 28S) revealed that the monophyletic Tasactes consists of eight evolutionary significant terminal clades, either allopatric (three)...
Daily survival and dispersal of adult Rhagonycha fulva (Coleoptera: Cantharidae) in a wooded agricultural landscapeOriginal article
Laura E. RODWELL, Jennifer J. DAY, Christopher W. FOSTER, Graham J. HOLLOWAY
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 432-436, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.043
Studies of insect population under field conditions to establish survival rates, longevity and dispersal rates are rare in the literature. These types of studies are important and can be used to inform studies of the effects of landscape composition and configuration on levels of biodiversity. Here the Cantharidae beetle, Rhagonycha fulva is studied under field conditions to derive estimates of daily survival rates for both males and females as well as local dispersal rates. Survival was studied at two sites, one in Wales and another in England, whilst dispersal was examined only at the Welsh site. Beetles were marked using different coloured...
Effects of 20-hydroxyecdysone on the development and morphology of the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)Original article
Nujira TATUN, Phiraya KUMDI, Jatuporn TUNGJITWITAYAKUL, Sho SAKURAI
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 424-431, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.042
The red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, is a pest of stored products. It is also regarded as a model species for studying development, genetics, biology, physiology and biochemistry. Recently, it has become a model for use in RNA interference experiments. 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) is involved in insect metamorphosis and its role in organ development in T. castaneum are based on hormonal treatment in conjunction with RNAi. However, information on the biological, morphological and physiological effects of 20E on T. castaneum is still limited. This study reveals the responses of T. castaneum larvae to injections with various...
Population dynamics of Coccinella septempunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in the region of Edremit Gulf in West Anatolia (Mount Ida)Note
Ali ÖZPINAR, Ali Kürşat ŞAHİN, Burak POLAT
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 418-423, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.041
This study reports seasonal presence of Coccinella septempunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in Southeast Turkey, in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Samples were collected from crops in agricultural areas at altitudes of 10 m, 800 m and 1400 m from stands of wild herbaceous plants , and at 1750 m from stone debris fields. First C. septempunctata adults were collected at the beginning of June at Tentcamp (800 m) and Tozlu (1400 m), early in July at Sarikiz (1700 m) when the mean air temperature reached 30°C. Adults became active in spring, after aestivating around Sarikiz and overwintering there under snow. First adults emerged on 2nd...
Effects of larval diapause and the juvenile hormone analog, fenoxycarb, on testis development and spermatogenesis in the wax moth, Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)Original article
Piotr BEBAS, Bronislaw CYMBOROWSKI, Michalina KAZEK, Marta Anna POLANSKA
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 400-417, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.040
Facultative diapause in the wax moth, Galleria mellonella, occurs in the final larval instar. Application of juvenile hormone analogs (JHAs) to the larvae of this species has similar effects to diapause, in terms of prolonged development of the larval stages and the arrest in the metamorphosis of internal organs. Here, we focus on testes development and spermatogenesis at the end of larval development in G. mellonella, how they are affected by diapause induced by an environmental decrease in temperature to 18°C and the application of a JHA (fenoxycarb) to larvae. Because neither testis development nor spermatogenesis are described in...
Discovery of a remarkable new species of Lymanopoda (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) and considerations of its phylogenetic position: An integrative taxonomic approachOriginal article
Tomasz W. PYRCZ, Carlos PRIETO, Pierre BOYER, Jadwiga LORENC-BRUDECKA
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 387-399, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.039
A new species of Lymanopoda Westwood, a cloud forest Neotropical genus of Satyrinae, is described from the páramo grasslands on an isolated, peripheral massif in the Colombian Central Cordillera of the Andes: L. flammigera Pyrcz, Prieto & Boyer, sp. n. The genus Lymanopoda is species-rich (approx. 65 species) and its alpha taxonomy is relatively well researched. Relationships within the genus using molecular data have also been explored. The new species is outstanding for its golden yellow colour in males, not found in any other neotropical Satyrinae. Cladograms were constructed based on COI sequences of 47 species of Lymanopoda...
Feeding behaviour of young larvae of Pieris rapae crucivora (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) and its effect on parasitism by Cotesia glomerata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)Original article
Aya NAKAYAMA, Keiji NAKAMURA, Jun TAGAWA
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 380-386, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.038
We investigated the effect of the feeding behaviour of young larvae of Pieris rapae crucivora Boisduval (Pieridae) on parasitism by the parasitoid wasp, Cotesia glomerata (L.) (Braconidae). Young, 1st-3rd instar larvae used approximately three sites for feeding each day. When not feeding, they moved a short distance away from the feeding sites (= feeding marks) and rested. For first, second and third instar larvae, the distances from the new mark, made within 24 h, to larva at rest were, respectively, about 3.5 mm, 5 mm and more than 10 mm. To resume feeding, they moved back to one of the former feeding sites or a new site. The percentage...
Stones on the ground in olive groves promote the presence of spiders (Araneae)Original article
Jacinto BENHADI-MARÍN, José A. PEREIRA, José A. BARRIENTOS, José P. SOUSA, Sónia A.P. SANTOS
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 372-379, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.037
Spiders are generalist predators that contribute to the control of pests in agroecosystems. Land use management determines habitats including refuges for hibernation and aestivation. The availability of shelters on the ground can be crucial for maintaining populations of spider within crops. We studied the effect of the number of stones on the surface of the soil on the spider community in selected olive groves in Trás-os-Montes (northeastern Portugal). The number of stones significantly influenced the overall diversity of spiders, abundance of immature individuals and abundance of ground hunters. Agricultural management practices aimed at the conservation...
Flora surrounding rice fields as a source of alternative prey for coccinellids feeding on the pests of riceOriginal article
Chitra SHANKER, Lydia CHINTAGUNTA, Sampathkumar MUTHUSAMY, Sunil VAILLA, Amudhan SRINIVASAN, Gururaj KATTI
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 364-371, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.036
Coccinellids are effective predators and a key component of the predator guild in rice ecosystems. In order to enhance their efficacy, a study was undertaken to assess the seasonal movement of coccinellids into rice fields and the role of the surrounding flora on their colonization. The seasonal abundance of coccinellids and their prey was recorded on the rice crop and the surrounding flora at fortnightly intervals from 2012 to 2015. Coccinellid prey range was assessed using PAGE electrophoresis. The herbivorous insects associated with weeds were Aphis gossypii Glover, Aphis craccivora (Koch), Cicadulina bipunctata (Melichar),...
Diversity of insects associated with two common plants in the Brazilian Cerrado: Responses of two guilds of herbivores to bottom-up and top-down forcesOriginal article
Juliana KUCHENBECKER, Marcílio FAGUNDES
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 354-363, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.035
The Trophic Cascade Theory has been used to explain the organization of herbivorous insect communities in tropical ecosystems. In addition, the insect community associated with a species of plant can also be determined by the geographical distribution and taxonomic isolation of the plant. In this study, the following predictions about the number of herbivores associated with particular host plants were tested: (i) plant species belonging to large taxonomic groups with broad geographical distributions have a higher number, (ii) the abundance of ants negatively affects herbivore insect diversity, (iii) local plant diversity positively affects chewing...
Variation in the morphology of the wings of the endangered grass-feeding butterfly Coenonympha oedippus (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in response to contrasting habitatsOriginal article
Jure JUGOVIC, Sara ZUPAN, Elena BU®AN, Tatjana ČELIK
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 339-353, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.034
At the southern limit of its range the endangered butterfly Coenonympha oedippus inhabits grasslands (wet, dry) that differ significantly in the abundance of its larval hostplants (wet > dry) and mean annual air temperature (wet < dry). We determined the difference in the wing morphology of individuals in the two contrasting habitats to test whether and how traits associated with wing size, shape and eye like spots vary in the sexes and two ecotypes. We show that sexual dimorphism follows the same (wing size and shape, number of eyespots on forewing) or different (relative area of eyespots on hindwings) patterns in the two contrasting...
Dinocampus coccinellae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) utilizes both Coccinellini and Chilocorini (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Coccinellinae) as hosts in Kashmir HimalayasOriginal article
Amir MAQBOOL, Imtiaz AHMED, Piotr KIEŁTYK, Piotr CERYNGIER
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 332-338, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.033
Dinocampus coccinellae is a parasitoid wasp usually parasitizing ladybird beetles of the tribe Coccinellini. A field survey conducted between March and November 2016 revealed three hosts of this parasitoid in the Srinagar district of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir: two members of the Coccinellini (Oenopia conglobata and Coccinella undecimpunctata) and one of the Chilocorini (Priscibrumus uropygialis). Proportion of the latter (atypical) host that were parasitized was 0.09 and intermediate between that recorded for C. undecimpunctata (0.06) and O. conglobata (0.14). A series of laboratory experiments...
Temperature-dependent functional response of Aenasius bambawalei (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) to different population densities of the cotton mealybug Phenacoccus solenopsis (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)Original article
Razieh JOODAKI, Nooshin ZANDI-SOHANI, Sara ZARGHAMI, Fatemeh YARAHMADI
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 326-331, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.032
The functional response of Aenasius bambawalei Hayat (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) to different population densities of Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) was investigated under laboratory conditions of 65 ± 5% R.H., a photoperiod of 14L : 10D and at temperatures of 25, 30 and 35 ± 1°C. Two, 4, 6, 8, 16, 32 and 64 third instar nymphs of P. solenopsis were exposed to newly emerged mated female parasitoids for 24 h. The parasitoid exhibited a type II functional response at all temperatures. The searching efficiencies (a) and handling times (Th) were 0.1818 h-1...
Maladaptive host choice by an alien leaf miner Phyllonorycter leucographella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) has the potential to limit its invasivenessOriginal article
Urszula WALCZAK, Michał BOGDZIEWICZ, Roma ŻYTKOWIAK, Piotr KAROLEWSKI, Edward BARANIAK
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 318-325, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.031
Alien phytophagous insects are often introduced along with their host plants, creating opportunities for troublesome invasions. Yet, not all of them are able to successfully colonize novel host plants. In this study, we investigated host selection by the alien leaf miner Phyllonorycter leucographella (Zeller, 1850) on both its original host and novel host plants in the insect's alien range. We predicted that this insect's percentage infestation of the original host would be positively related to its specific leaf area (SLA), because high-SLA leaves are nutritious and have thin cuticles, traits related to high offspring developmental success....
Evaluation of responses of different ant species (Formicidae) to the scavenger deterrent factor associated with the entomopathogenic nematode-bacterium complexOriginal article
Baris GULCU, Selcuk HAZIR, Edwin E. LEWIS, Harry K. KAYA
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 312-317, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.030
According to previous observations, it was hypothesized that the feeding behavior of some ant species would be deterred by a scavenger deterrent factor (SDF), whereas for other species it would not. The effects of the SDF were studied on 11 ant species in three different subfamilies: Dolichoderinae Forel, 1878, Formicinae Latreille, 1809, and Myrmicinae Lepeletier de Saint-Fargeau, 1835. The experiments were conducted from 2014-2015 in Davis, California, United States, Aydin, Turkey, and Duzce, Turkey. Five-day-old Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (Poinar, 1976), (Hb)-killed and freeze-killed Galleria mellonella (Linnaeus, 1758) were...
Phenotypic pattern over centric fusion clinal variation in the water-hyacinth grasshopper, Cornops aquaticum (Orthoptera: Acrididae)Original article
Pablo C. COLOMBO, María I. REMIS
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 303-311, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.029
The water-hyacinth grasshopper, Cornops aquaticum, occurs in freshwater environments in the New World between latitudes 23°N and 35°S. At the southernmost margin of this distribution the populations are polymorphic for three centric fusions (Robertsonian translocations). The frequencies of these chromosome rearrangements increase southwards and the recombination in structural homozygotes and heterozygotes diminishes both along the middle and lower courses of the Paraná River. In the present paper we report a similar cline along the southward flowing Uruguay River. In addition, we report the morphological effects of two of these centric fusion...
Fine structure of the external sheaths of the ovipositor of Aphidius ervi (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)Original article
Sara RUSCHIONI, Paola RIOLO, Roberto ROMANI, Donatella BATTAGLIA, Nunzio ISIDORO
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 296-302, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.028
The function and structure of the ovipositor in Hymenoptera have been studied intensively, although there is a lack of information on the external sheaths. We provide here a contribution on the structure of the external sheaths of the ovipositor of the parasitic wasp Aphidius ervi, in particular the secretory structure is described for the first time. These glands are made up of a large epithelial structure that consists a single layer of large secretory cells that occupy most of the lumen of the valve and belong to gland cell class 1. Based on the different features of the glands, a lubricating and/or host marking function is hypothesized and...
Ants of the genus Protalaridris (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), more than just deadly mandiblesOriginal article
John E. LATTKE, Thibaut DELSINNE, Gary D. ALPERT, Roberto J. GUERRERO
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 268-295, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.027
The ants of the genus Protalaridris are revised based upon their morphology. Seven species are recognized; the type species (P. armata Brown, 1980) and six species described as new: P. aculeata Lattke & Alpert, sp. n., P. arhuaca Guerrero, Lattke & Alpert, sp. n., P. bordoni Lattke, sp. n., P. leponcei Delsinne & Lattke, sp. n., P. loxanensis Lattke, sp. n., and P. punctata Lattke, sp. n. The genus is patchily distributed in mesic forested areas from western Panama to northern Venezuela and along the Andes to the Amazon watershed of southwestern Peru. The generic description is modified...
Isolation and characterization of 15 microsatellite markers for the highly invasive box tree moth Cydalima perspectalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)Note
Audrey BRAS, Laure SAUNÉ, Alain ROQUES, Jérôme ROUSSELET, Marie-Anne AUGER-ROZENBERG
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 264-267, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.026
In this study, we report the development of a set of 15 polymorphic microsatellite markers for the box tree moth, Cydalima perspectalis (Walker), a highly invasive insect in Europe causing significant damage to natural and ornamental Buxus trees. The markers were characterized for four distant populations in both its native (China, two populations) and invasive ranges (Czech Republic and Turkey, one population each). The number of alleles ranged from 2 to 12. No marker significantly deviated from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for all the populations sampled. These microsatellite markers are promising tools for further studies on the...
Ecogeographic patterns in a mainland-island system in Northern Europe as inferred from the rove beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) on Læsø islandOriginal article
Aslak K. HANSEN, Mathias J. JUSTESEN, Sebastian KEPFER-ROJAS, David B. BYRIEL, Jan PEDERSEN, Alexey SOLODOVNIKOV
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 256-263, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.025
Rove beetles (Staphylinidae) are used to explore the forces that shaped the terrestrial fauna on Læsø, a young ca. 3000 year old Danish oceanic island located in the Kattegat strait between mainland Denmark and Sweden. We compile a detailed list of species of rove beetles for Læsø (328 species) and the surrounding Danish and Swedish regions (altogether 1075 species), which includes a standardized inventory of their body sizes, and the habitat and microhabitat preference of each species. The composition of the fauna on Læsø and adjacent mainland regions points to North-Eastern Jutland as the main source of the rove beetles...
Weather-dependent fluctuations in the abundance of the oak processionary moth, Thaumetopoea processionea (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae)Original article
György CSÓKA, Anikó HIRKA, Levente SZŐCS, Norbert MÓRICZ, Ervin RASZTOVITS, Zoltán PÖDÖR
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 249-255, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.024
Population fluctuations of the well-known oak defoliator, the oak processionary moth (Thaumetopoea processionea L.), were studied using light trap data and basic meteorological parameters (monthly average temperatures, and precipitation) at three locations in Western Hungary over a period of 15 years (1988-2012). The fluctuations in the numbers caught by the three traps were strongly synchronized. One possible explanation for this synchrony may be similar weather at the three trapping locations. Cyclic Reverse Moving Interval Techniques (CReMIT) were used to define the period of time in a year that most strongly influences the catches. For this...
First mitogenome for the tribe Saccharosydnini (Hemiptera: Delphacidae: Delphacinae) and the phylogeny of three predominant rice planthoppersOriginal article
Yi-Xin HUANG, Dao-Zheng QIN
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 242, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.023
The mitochondrial genome of Saccharosydne procerus (Matsumura) is the first sequenced in the tribe Saccharosydnini (Hemiptera: Delphacidae: Delphacinae). In addition, the mitogenome sequence of Sogatella vibix (Haupt) (in Delphacini) is also sequenced. The Sa. procerus mitochondrial genome is 16,031 bp (GenBank accession no. MG515237) in length, and So. vibix is 16,554 bp (GenBank accession no. MG515238). The existence of purifying selection was indicated by the rate of nonsynonymous and synonymous substitutions. Three species of Delphacini, Laodelphax striatellus (Fallén), Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) and...
Functional responses and intraspecific competition in the ladybird Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) provided with Melanaphis sacchari (Homoptera: Aphididae) as preyOriginal article
Pengxiang WU, Jing ZHANG, Muhammad HASEEB, Shuo YAN, Lambert KANGA, Runzhi ZHANG
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 232-241, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.022
Functional responses at each developmental stage of predators and intraspecific competition associated with direct interactions among them provide insights into developing biological control strategies for pests. The functional responses of Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) at each developmental stage of Melanaphis sacchari (Zehntner) and intraspecific competition among predators were evaluated under laboratory conditions. The results showed that all stages of H. axyridis displayed a type II functional response to M. sacchari. Based on Holling's disc equation, the instantaneous searching rates were highest (a) and handling...
RNA interference mediated knockdown of an inhibitor of apoptosis protein induces apoptosis in Mythimna separata (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)Original article
Masashi KAMEZAKI, Kakeru YOKOI, Ken MIURA
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 223-231, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.021
Coordinated regulation of apoptosis is critical for development, homeostasis, and immunity in larvae of Metazoa. We determined the full nucleotide sequence of an inhibitor of an apoptosis protein in a lepidopteran insect Mythimna separata (Walker) (MsIAP) and carried out functional analyses of the MsIAP. The full-length cDNA of MsIAP was 1642 bp, which encoded 379 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 41,834 Da, and two BIR domains and one RING domain revealed using amino acid sequence analysis. In addition, the sequences of these domains were similar to Drosophila IAP1 and those of some other lepidopteran...
Bait visitation by Formica lemani (Hymenoptera: Fomicidae) indicates shortage of carbohydrates in alpine grasslandsOriginal article
Elia GUARIENTO, Jan MARTINI, Konrad FIEDLER
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 217-222, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.020
Insights can be gained by analysing the feeding decisions of animals in terms of nutrient demands at a species or community level. Using carbohydrate and protein food baits, resource use and food preferences of Formica (Serviformica) lemani were determined at nine locations situated at different altitudes (1875 to 2400 m a.s.l.) in the alpine grassland belt above the tree line in Austria and northern Italy. F. lemani is the most common species of ant in this habitat. Sucrose baits placed around ant colonies were visited by significantly (3.9 times) more workers than protein baits. This indicates that sources of sugar (carbohydrate)...
Laboratory rearing of Sycanus annulicornis (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) on two species of prey: Differences in its biology and efficiency as a predator of the nettle caterpillar pest Setothosea asigna (Lepidoptera: Limacodidae)Original article
Abdul SAHID, Wahyu D. NATAWIGENA, HERSANTI, SUDARJAT
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 208-216, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.019
Setothosea asigna van Eecke is a dominant defoliator pest in oil palm plantations. To control this pest, a generalist predatory bug, Sycanus annulicornis Dohrn, was used as it is easy to rear on several different species of prey. In this study, we evaluated the influence of different prey on the biology and the ability of S. annulicornis to attack and kill the nettle caterpillar pest S. asigna. Based on laboratory rearing, the larvae of Crocidolomia pavonana F. (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is a suitable prey for both the growth and development of S. annulicornis, as its nymphal development is shorter (74.0 ±...
Cold hardiness of larvae of Dendrolimus tabulaeformis (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) at different stages during the overwintering periodOriginal article
Yuying SHAO, Yuqian FENG, Bin TIAN, Tao WANG, Yinghao HE, Shixiang ZONG
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 198-207, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.018
The Chinese pine caterpillar Dendrolimus tabulaeformis is an important destructive leaf borer in boreal coniferous forests in China. This species overwinters in the larval stage. Changes in supercooling capacity and physiological-biochemical parameters of D. tabulaeformis larvae from a natural population were evaluated at different stages during the overwintering period. Cold hardiness of overwintering larvae collected in January was significantly greater than that of larvae collected in other months. January larvae survived for 15 days at -10°C and for approximately 2 days at -15°C. By contrast, larvae collected in September survived...
Assessing genetic and morphological variation in populations of Eastern European Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae)Original article
Anna V. DIAKOVA, Dmitry M. SCHEPETOV, Nadezhda Y. OYUN, Anatole I. SHATALKIN, Tatiana V. GALINSKAYA
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 192-197, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.017
The population structures of different species of Calliphoridae flies are highly diverse at different locations. We investigated populations of the Eastern European L. sericata using chaetotaxy and eight microsatellite loci. Our results strongly indicate that a panmictic population of L. sericata exists in the area studied, possibly with a high rate of intra-population gene flow. Analysis of chaetotaxy also supports the panmictic population hypothesis.
Two new species and one new record for the genus Copris (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) from Vietnam with a key to Vietnamese speciesOriginal article
Van Bac BUI, Kenneth DUMACK, Michael BONKOWSKI
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 167-191, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.016
Two new species of Copris Geoffroy, 1762 are described and illustrated: Copris (subgenus incertae sedis) caobangensis sp. n. from Caobang Province (northern Vietnam) and Copris (Copris) sonensis sp. n. from Thanhhoa Province (central Vietnam). Copris (Copris) szechouanicus Balthasar, 1958 is recorded in Vietnam for the first time and data on the morphology, distribution and ecology of this species are given. An updated species list and an identification key for the Copris species so far known from Vietnam are presented along with detailed photographs of the poorly known species.
Molecular cloning and functional analyses of an adhesion molecule, neuroglian, in Mythimna separata (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)Original article
Kakeru YOKOI, Yoshiaki KATO, Masahiro SUZUKI, Ken MIURA
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 157-166, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.015
Insect cellular immune reaction, which generally includes phagocytosis, encapsulation and nodule formation, is achieved by hemocytes circulating in insect haemolymph. The shift of hemocytes from the normal phase to the adhering phase is an important process in the cellular immune reaction, which includes the attachment of hemocytes to foreign surfaces or other hemocytes via adhesion factors. Neuroglian is one of the adhering factors associated with encapsulation in Manduca sexta and Drosophila melanogaster. Here we studied the localization of neuroglian (MsNrg) in Mythimna separata and its functional role in the cellular immune...
Efficiency of two methods of sampling used to assess the abundance and species diversity of adult Syrphidae (Diptera) in mountainous meadows in the Austrian and Swiss AlpsOriginal article
Raja I. HUSSAIN, Ronnie WALCHER, David BRANDL, Arne ARNBERGER, Johann G. ZALLER, Thomas FRANK
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 150-156, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.014
The outcome of assessments of the biodiversity of a taxonomic group often depend on the sampling method. The choice of an adequate method is especially important for biomonitoring purposes. In this study, the effectiveness of two methods of sampling syrphids (Diptera: Syrphidae) is compared: observation plot method vs. line transect, both sampled by sweep netting. Altogether, 18 meadows were selected in three mountain regions in the Austrian and Swiss Alps. We recorded a significantly higher abundance and richness of syrphids using the observation plot method than the line transect method in 2015. Comparing data for one region recorded in 2015 and...
Influence of urbanisation and plants on the diversity and abundance of aphids and their ladybird and hoverfly predators in domestic gardensOriginal article
Elise A. ROCHA, Estevão N.F. SOUZA, Lewis A.D. BLEAKLEY, Christopher BURLEY, Jade L. MOTT, Gloria RUE-GLUTTING, Mark D.E. FELLOWES
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 140-149, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.013
Urban gardens can harbour a high diversity of insects, which are critically important components of urban ecosystems. In this work, we investigate the richness and diversity of a major taxon of economic and ecological importance, the aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae), and their main insect predators, the hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) and ladybirds (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), in urban gardens. We examined how variation in environmental factors associated with urbanisation (garden host plant abundance, garden plant richness, garden size, proportion of impervious surfaces in the surrounding area) directly and indirectly (via prey and predator abundance)...
Structure and function of the male ventral organ in Onychiuroides granulosus (Collembola: Onychiuridae)Original article
Bożena SIMICZYJEW, Dariusz SKARŻYŃSKI, Adrian SMOLIS, Romuald J. POMORSKI, Marta MAZURKIEWICZ-KANIA
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 134-139, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.012
On the ventral tube of males of Onychiuroides granulosus (Stach, 1934) there is a male ventral organ, which consists of two groups of four setae that are thickened, slightly flattened and bent. All setae of the male ventral organ are inserted in a richly sculptured cuticle. At the base of each seta there are a few large cells (basal cells) that have large irregular nuclei that contain a large amount of heterochromatin. In the cytoplasm of the basal cells there are numerous mitochondria, ribosomes and a rich system of endoplasmic reticulum. The plasma membrane of the basal cells forms richly folded, deep invaginations, filled with a dense material,...
New fossil genus and species of Sinoalidae (Hemiptera: Cercopoidea) from the Middle to Upper Jurassic deposits in northeastern ChinaOriginal article
Yan-Zhe FU, Di-Ying HUANG
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 127-133, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.011
A new fossil genus and species of Sinoalidae, Stictocercopis wuhuaensis gen. et sp. n., from the Middle to Upper Jurassic Haifanggou Formation at Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, northeastern China is described, illustrated and its systematic position discussed, on the basis of four complete well-preserved specimens. The new genus distinctly differs from other sinoalids in having relatively complex wing venation and tegmen spots. The intra-specific variation in venation is also discussed. The new discovery increases the palaeodiversity of sinoalids in the early assemblage of the Yanliao biota from the Daohugou beds.
Conspectus of Australian Brachystomellidae (Collembola) with description of new species of Rapoportella and redescription of Cassagnella anomalaOriginal article
Penelope GREENSLADE
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 117-126, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.010
As part of a modern review of all Australian Collembola families, a key is provided to the nine genera of Brachystomellidae currently known from Australia, their morphology is compared, their distribution within and outside Australia is noted and the high diversity of genera in southern regions emphasised. Three Australian genera are endemic, five are also found in South America, South Africa and/or New Zealand and one has a cosmopolitan distribution. The distribution, ecology and habitat preferences of Australian genera are compared. Two genera, Cassagnella Najt & Massoud and Rapoportella Ellis & Bellinger, are newly diagnosed...
Influence of prolonged dietary experience during the larval stage on novel odour preferences in adults of noctuid stem borer moths (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)Original article
Christophe PETIT, Peter AHUYA, Bruno LE RU, Laure KAISER-ARNAULD, Myriam HARRY, Paul-André CALATAYUD
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 112-116, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.009
In Lepidoptera, larval dietary experience of volatile cues can induce adult preference for these cues. However, such induction may require several generations, depending in part on the degree of specialization of the insects. In a previous study, using species of noctuid stem borers with different diet breadths, namely the polyphagous Sesamia nonagrioides, the oligophagous Busseola fusca and monophagous Busseola nairobica, it was shown that in S. nonagrioides, one generation was enough to induce a preference for vanillin in the resulting gravid females, whereas even two generations failed to induce a response in adults of...
The identity of figitid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea: Figitidae) of anthomyiid flies in conifer conesOriginal article
Mattias FORSHAGE, Göran NORDLANDER
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 104-111, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.008
Larvae of Strobilomyia flies (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) are serious pests in conifer-seed orchards because they feed on the seed inside the cones. Figitid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Cynipoidea) of Strobilomyia larvae in conifer cones are commonly reported but under various generic names. It is argued here that, across the entire Holarctic region, these figitids belong to Amphithectus and perhaps also to Sarothrus (Figitinae), but not to Melanips (Aspicerinae), contrary to some reports. We conclude that the identity of the commonly found figitid associated with conifer cones (Larix and Picea) in Europe and...
Revision, phylogeny and phylogeography of the cicada genus Auritibicen (Hemiptera: Cicadidae), with descriptions of ten new speciesOriginal article
Xu WANG, Masami HAYASHI, Cong WEI
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 53-103, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.007
We review the cicada genus Auritibicen Lee, 2015 based on the description of ten new species: A. aethus sp. n., A. daoxianensis sp. n., A. pallidus sp. n., A. rotundus sp. n., A. curvatus sp. n., A. purus sp. n., A. parvus sp. n., A. gracilis sp. n., A. septatus sp. n. and A. lijiangensis sp. n. Auritibicen shikokuanus (Kato, 1959) is confirmed to be a synonym of Auritibicen kyushyuensis (Kato, 1926). Diagnoses and descriptions, along with illustrations of the structure of male genitalia, are provided for all Auritibicen species. The systematics of Auritibicen...
Loss of Y chromosome may be a synapomorphy of the tribe Lepturini (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Lepturinae)Original article
Anne-Marie DUTRILLAUX, Bernard DUTRILLAUX
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 45-52, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.006
Phylogeny and higher classification of the cerambycid subfamily Lepturinae remain controversial. Here we report the results of a cytogenetic study of 18 species currently classified in Lepturini and 12 species in other tribes of Lepturinae (1 in Oxymirini, 1 in Rhamnusiini and 10 in Rhagiini) from Western Europe. The male sex chromosome formula is XY in all Rhagiini, Oxymirini and in Grammoptera ruficornis in the Lepturini (whose tribal placement may be doubtful), and X0 in all the remaining Lepturini. The rarity of the X0 formula in other Cerambycidae indicates that the Y chromosome was lost in a common ancestor of the Lepturini or a subgroup...
Taxonomic revision of the genus Angulaphthona (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae: Alticini)Original article
Maurizio BIONDI, Paola D'ALESSANDRO
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 30-44, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.005
A revision of the genus Angulaphthona Bechyné, 1960 is provided, with a description of Angulaphthona confusa sp. n. from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and A. rossii sp. n. from Sierra Leone. The following synonymies are proposed: Angulaphthona latipennis (Pic, 1921) = A. latipennis zambeziensis (Bechyné, 1959) syn. n. and Angulaphthona pelengensis Bechyné, 1960 = A. exalta Bechyné, 1960 syn. n. The precedence of the name pelengensis is discussed. Angulaphthona violaceomicans (Chen, 1936) comb. n. (transferred from Aphthona) from Sri Lanka is established, and some...
Host-plant leaf-surface preferences of young caterpillars of three species of Pieris (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) and its effect on parasitism by the gregarious parasitoid Cotesia glomerata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)Original article
Tomoko WATANABE, Keiji NAKAMURA, Jun TAGAWA
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 25-29, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.004
Preferences of young caterpillars of three species of Pieris (P. rapae crucivora Boisduval, P. melete Ménétriès, and P. napi japonica Shirôzu) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) for the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves of their host plants (Brassicaceae) were investigated in the laboratory. On horseradish Armoracia rusticana Gaertn. Mey. et Scherb., which was provided as a common food for three species, second and third instar larvae of the respective species preferred the lower to the upper surface of horizontally placed leaves, irrespective of whether they hatched on the upper or lower surface. First instar larvae...
Efficiency of pitfall traps with funnels and/or roofs in capturing ground-dwelling arthropodsOriginal article
Péter CSÁSZÁR, Attila TORMA, Nikolett GALLÉ-SZPISJAK, Csaba TÖLGYESI, Róbert GALLÉ
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 15-24, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.003
Pitfall traps are widely used for sampling ground-dwelling arthropods. Their sampling efficiency is affected by several factors, e.g. material, size and modification of parts of the trap and sampling design. Pitfall trap sampling is also affected by the accumulation of plant litter in the traps, rain fall and by-catches of small vertebrates, which may cause a bias in the catch by obstructing traps or attracting certain insects. A roof that prevents rain and plant litter entering a trap, prevents dilution of the preservative and escape of arthropods. The main goal of present study was to compare the effect of four types of differently combined funnel...
Genetic structure of populations of Aphis gossypii (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on citrus trees in Northern IranOriginal article
Esmaeil GHOLAMIAN, Jabraeil RAZMJOU, Seyed Mehdi BANI HASHEMIAN, Atefeh SABOURI
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 7-14, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.002
The cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is a serious pest of citrus in northern Iran, both because of the damaged caused by its feeding and as a vector of several viruses. The genetic structure of populations of A. gossypii on citrus trees at eight localities in Iran was surveyed using seven polymorphic microsatellite loci. Of 240 individuals tested, 142 multilocus genotypes (MLGs) were identified. The presence of multicopy genotypes and negative FIS values revealed that the major mode of reproduction in northern Iran is obligate parthenogenesis. The genotypic diversity of populations ranged between...
Puncture vs. reflex bleeding: Haemolymph composition reveals significant differences among ladybird species (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), but not between sampling methodsOriginal article
Michal KNAPP, Pavel DOBE©, Michal ŘEŘICHA, Pavel HYR©L
Eur. J. Entomol. 115: 1-6, 2018 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2018.001
Reflex bleeding is one of the many anti-predation behavioural tactics used by insects. This behaviour is recorded widely in several insect taxa and provides scientists with an interesting opportunity for easily obtaining samples of haemolymph for physiological experiments. However, there is no good evidence that haemolymph and reflex blood have the same characteristics. In this study, we compared three basic characteristics of reflex blood and haemolymph collected from the body cavity, of three species of ladybirds: Harmonia axyridis, Coccinella septempunctata and Ceratomegilla undecimnotata. In the reflex blood we recorded the...