Dataset Information

Fly palaeo-evo-devo: immature stages of bibionomorphan dipterans in Baltic and Bitterfeld amber.

ABSTRACT: Larvae of flies and gnats (Diptera) form a crucial component of many terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems in the extant biosphere. Larvae of Diptera play a central role in water purification, matter and energy transfer in riparian ecosystems in rivers, carbon cycling in lakes and forests as well as being major decomposers of dead organic matter. Despite all these important roles, dipteran larvae are most often ignored in palaeoecological studies, due to the difficulty of the taxonomic identification of fossil larvae, but also due to the perceived importance of adult dipterans in palaeoentomological and taxonomic studies. Despite that, much information on palaeoecosystems can be gained from studying fossil dipteran larvae, in particular for well preserved specimens from fossil resins (ambers and copals). Since ambers are selectively preserving fauna of trunks and leaf litter, it allows us to learn a lot about xylophages and saprophages of amber forests, such as Eocene Baltic amber forest. Here we present immature stages (larvae and pupae) of the dipteran ingroup Bibionomorpha, from Baltic and Bitterfeld amber forests. We have recorded at least four different larval morphotypes, one with four distinct instars, and at least three pupal morphotypes. One larva is recognised as a new species and can be interpreted either as a representative of a highly derived ingroup of Bibionidae or as a sister species to Bibionidae. Also represented by single larval specimens are the groups Pachyneura (Pachyneuridae) and Sylvicola (Anisopodidae). The majority of the recorded specimens are representatives of the group Mycetobia (Anisopodidae). Due to the abundance of immature stages of Mycetobia, we have been able to reconstruct the number of larval stages (4) and relative growth rate of these fossil dipterans. We discuss implications of these finds.

SUBMITTER: Baranov VA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6790230 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Fly palaeo-evo-devo: immature stages of bibionomorphan dipterans in Baltic and Bitterfeld amber.

Baranov Viktor A VA Schädel Mario M Haug Joachim T JT

PeerJ 20191010

Larvae of flies and gnats (Diptera) form a crucial component of many terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems in the extant biosphere. Larvae of Diptera play a central role in water purification, matter and energy transfer in riparian ecosystems in rivers, carbon cycling in lakes and forests as well as being major decomposers of dead organic matter. Despite all these important roles, dipteran larvae are most often ignored in palaeoecological studies, due to the difficulty of the taxonomic identific ...[more]

PMID: 31616596

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Project description:BackgroundUnderstanding how genes change during evolution to direct the development of diverse body plans is a major goal of the evo-devo field. Achieving this will require the establishment of new model systems that represent key points in phylogeny. These new model systems must be amenable to laboratory culture, and molecular and functional approaches should be feasible. To date, studies of insects have been best represented by the model system Drosophila melanogaster. Given the enormous diversity represented by insect taxa, comparative studies within this clade will provide a wealth of information about the evolutionary potential and trajectories of alternative developmental strategies.ResultsHere we established the beetle Dermestes maculatus, a member of the speciose clade Coleoptera, as a new insect model system. We have maintained a continuously breeding culture in the lab and documented Dermestes maculatus embryogenesis using nuclear and phalloidin staining. Anterior segments are specified during the blastoderm stage before gastrulation, and posterior segments are added sequentially during germ band elongation. We isolated and studied the expression and function of the pair-rule segmentation gene paired in Dermestes maculatus. In this species, paired is expressed in stripes during both blastoderm and germ band stages: four primary stripes arise prior to gastrulation, confirming an intermediate-germ mode of development for this species. As in other insects, these primary stripes then split into secondary stripes. To study gene function, we established both embryonic and parental RNAi. Knockdown of Dmac-paired with either method resulted in pair-rule-like segmentation defects, including loss of Engrailed expression in alternate stripes.ConclusionsThese studies establish basic approaches necessary to use Dermestes maculatus as a model system. Methods are now available for use of this intermediate-germ insect for future studies of the evolution of regulatory networks controlling insect segmentation, as well as of other processes in development and homeostasis. Consistent with the role of paired in long-germ Drosophila and shorter-germ Tribolium, paired functions as a pair-rule segmentation gene in Dermestes maculatus. Thus, paired retains pair-rule function in insects with different modes of segment addition.

Dataset Information

Fly palaeo-evo-devo: immature stages of bibionomorphan dipterans in Baltic and Bitterfeld amber.

Publications

Fly palaeo-evo-devo: immature stages of bibionomorphan dipterans in Baltic and Bitterfeld amber.

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