Dataset Information

The bostrichidae of the maltese islands (coleoptera).

ABSTRACT: The Bostrichidae of the Maltese Islands are reviewed. Ten species are recorded with certainty from this Archipelago, of which 6 namely, Trogoxylonimpressum (Comolli, 1837), Amphicerusbimaculatus (A.G. Olivier, 1790), Heterobostrychusaequalis (Waterhouse, 1884), Sinoxylonunidentatum (Fabricius, 1801), Xyloperthellapicea (A.G. Olivier, 1790) and Apatemonachus Fabricius, 1775 are recorded for the first time. Two of the mentioned species (Heterobostrychusaequalis and Sinoxylonunidentatum) are alien and recorded only on the basis of single captures and the possible establishment of these species is discussed. Earlier records of Scobiciapustulata (Fabricius, 1801) from Malta are incorrect and should be attributed to Scobiciachevrieri (A. Villa & J.B. Villa, 1835). A zoogeographical analysis and an updated checklist of the 12 species of Bostrichidae recorded from the Maltese Islands and neigbouring Sicilian islands (Pantelleria, Linosa and Lampedusa) are also provided. Rhizoperthadominica(Fabricius, 1792)formgranulipennis Lesne in Beeson & Bhatia, 1937 from Uttarakhand (northern India) was overlooked by almost all subsequent authors. Its history is summarized and the following new synonymy is established: Rhizoperthadominica(Fabricius, 1792)formgranulipennis Lesne in Beeson & Bhatia, 1937 = Rhyzoperthadominica (Fabricius, 1792), syn. n. Finally, records of Amphicerusbimaculatus from Azerbaijan, of Bostrichuscapucinus (Linnaeus, 1758) from Jordan and Syria, of Scobiciachevrieri from Jordan and Italy, of Xyloperthellapicea from Italy, and of Apatemonachus from Corsica (France) and Italy, are also provided.

SUBMITTER: Nardi G

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4319102 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The bostrichidae of the maltese islands (coleoptera).

Nardi Gianluca G Mifsud David D

ZooKeys 20150204 481

The Bostrichidae of the Maltese Islands are reviewed. Ten species are recorded with certainty from this Archipelago, of which 6 namely, Trogoxylonimpressum (Comolli, 1837), Amphicerusbimaculatus (A.G. Olivier, 1790), Heterobostrychusaequalis (Waterhouse, 1884), Sinoxylonunidentatum (Fabricius, 1801), Xyloperthellapicea (A.G. Olivier, 1790) and Apatemonachus Fabricius, 1775 are recorded for the first time. Two of the mentioned species (Heterobostrychusaequalis and Sinoxylonunidentatum) are alien ...[more]

PMID: 25685033

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Project description:BackgroundThe lesser grain borer Rhyzopertha dominica (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) is a stored-product pest beetle. Early histological studies dating back to 1930s have reported that R. dominica and other bostrichid species possess a pair of oval symbiotic organs, called the bacteriomes, in which the cytoplasm is densely populated by pleomorphic symbiotic bacteria of peculiar rosette-like shape. However, the microbiological nature of the symbiont has remained elusive.ResultsHere we investigated the bacterial symbiont of R. dominica using modern molecular, histological, and microscopic techniques. Whole-mount fluorescence in situ hybridization specifically targeting symbiotic bacteria consistently detected paired bacteriomes, in which the cytoplasm was full of pleomorphic bacterial cells, in the abdomen of adults, pupae and larvae, confirming previous histological descriptions. Molecular phylogenetic analysis identified the symbiont as a member of the Bacteroidetes, in which the symbiont constituted a distinct bacterial lineage allied to a variety of insect-associated endosymbiont clades, including Uzinura of diaspidid scales, Walczuchella of giant scales, Brownia of root mealybugs, Sulcia of diverse hemipterans, and Blattabacterium of roaches. The symbiont gene exhibited markedly AT-biased nucleotide composition and significantly accelerated molecular evolution, suggesting degenerative evolution of the symbiont genome. The symbiotic bacteria were detected in oocytes and embryos, confirming continuous host-symbiont association and vertical symbiont transmission in the host life cycle.ConclusionsWe demonstrate that the symbiont of R. dominica constitutes a novel bacterial lineage in the Bacteroidetes. We propose that reductive evolution of the symbiont genome may be relevant to the amorphous morphology of the bacterial cells via disruption of genes involved in cell wall synthesis and cell division. Genomic and functional aspects of the host-symbiont relationship deserve future studies.

Project description:Maize (Zea mays L) is one of main nutrients sources for humans and animals worldwide. In Africa, storage of maize ensures food resources availability throughout the year. However, it often suffers losses exceeding 20% due to insects such as the larger grain borer, Prostephanus truncatus (Horn) (Coleoptera; Bostrichidae), major pest of stored maize in the tropical countries. This study aims to select resistant varieties to reduce maize storage losses and explain the physicochemical parameters role in grains susceptibility. In the first study, maize grains were artificially infested under no-choice method with insects. Susceptibility parameters such as weight loss, grain damage, number of emerged insects, median development time and susceptibility index varied significantly through maize varieties. Dobie susceptibility index (SI) was assessed as a major indicator of resistance. The most resistant varieties were Early-Thaï, DMR-ES and Tzee-Yellow. Conversely, Synth-9243, Obatampa and Synth-C varieties were susceptible. SWAN, Across-Pool and Tzee-White were classified as moderately resistant varieties. The insect reproductive potential was significantly different in the nine maize varieties and Early-Thaï, DMR-ES and Tzee-Yellow varieties were the least favourable host. To assess the relationship between grains physicochemical characteristics and varietal susceptibility, moisture, total phenolics, palmitic acid, proteins, amylose, density and grain hardness were evaluated according to standardized methods. Palmitic acid, SI, insects emerged and grain damage were significantly and positively correlated with each other, and negatively correlated with grains hardness, phenolics and amylose contents. Maize susceptibility index was significantly and negatively correlated to amylose, and phenolics contents and positively correlated to palmitic acid content. This study identified three resistant maize varieties to P. tuncatus and revealed that the major factors involved in this resistance were hardness, phenolic and amylose contents of grains.

Dataset Information

The bostrichidae of the maltese islands (coleoptera).

Publications

The bostrichidae of the maltese islands (coleoptera).

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