Life history and nesting ecology of a Japanese tube-nesting spider wasp Dipogon sperconsus (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae).
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Nishimoto Y
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8211671 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:Aporinellus Banks, Austrochares Banks and Dicranoplius Haupt are new generic records for Colombia, as well as the species Dipogon ariel Banks, Evagetes peruana Banks, and Euplaniceps notabilis (Smith). Five new combinations are formally endorsed: Aimatocare argentinica (Banks), comb. n.; Aimatocare longula (Banks), comb. n.; Aimatocare imitator (Evans), comb. n.; Aimatocare impensa (Evans), comb. n.; Aimatocare vitrea (Fox), comb. n. Although these names have been used in Pompilidae, no formal nomenclatural act had been proposed. The presence of Chirodamus paramicola Roig-Alsina, previously reported with uncertainty, is confirmed. Finally, a new combination for Euplaniceps notabilis (Smith), comb. n. is proposed based on molecular phylogenetics and morphological data. The Colombian fauna of Pompilidae sums up to 38 genera and approximately 150 species.
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Project description:The study of parasitoids and their hosts suffers from a lack of reliable taxonomic data. We use a combination of morphological characters and DNA sequences to produce taxonomic determinations that can be verified with reference to specimens in an accessible collection and DNA barcode sequences posted to the Barcode of Life database (BOLD). We demonstrate that DNA can be successfully extracted from consumed host spiders and the shed pupal case of a wasp using non-destructive methods. We found Acrodactylaquadrisculpta to be a parasitoid of Tetragnathamontana; Zatypotapercontatoria and Zatypotabohemani both are parasitoids of Neottiurabimaculata. Zatypotaanomala is a parasitoid of an as yet unidentified host in the family Dictynidae, but the host species may be possible to identify in the future as the library of reference sequences on BOLD continues to grow. The study of parasitoids and their hosts traditionally requires specialized knowledge and techniques, and accumulating data is a slow process. DNA barcoding could allow more professional and amateur naturalists to contribute data to this field of study. A publication venue dedicated to aggregating datasets of all sizes online is well suited to this model of distributed science.
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Project description:The keyhole wasp (Pachodynerus nasidens Latreille 1812), a mud-nesting wasp native to South and Central America and the Caribbean, is a relatively recent (2010) arrival in Australia. In its native range it is known to use man-made cavities to construct nests. A series of serious safety incidents Brisbane Airport related to the obstruction of vital airspeed measuring pitot probes on aircraft possibly caused by mud-nesting wasps, prompted an assessment of risk. An experiment was designed to determine the species responsible, the types of aircraft most affected, the seasonal pattern of potential risk and the spatial distribution of risk on the airport. A series of replica pitot probes were constructed using 3D-printing technology, representing aircraft with high numbers of movements (landings and take-offs), and mounted at four locations at the airport. Probes were monitored for 39 months. Probes blocked by mud nesting wasps were retrieved and incubated in mesh bags. Emerging wasps were identified to species. Results show that all nests in probes were made by P. nasidens, and peak nesting occurs in the summer months. Nesting success (as proportion of nests with live adult emergents) was optimal between 24 and 31°C and that probes with apertures of more than 3 mm diameter are preferred. Not all areas on the airport are affected equally, with the majority of nests constructed in one area. The proportion of grassed areas within 1000 m of probes was a significant predictor of nesting, and probe volume may determine the sex of emerging wasps.
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Project description:The wasp Trypoxylon lactitarse Saussure is a bivoltine trap-nesting species that possesses a non-overwintering generation (G1) and a generation that overwinters as a prepupa (G2). Thus, the nutritional needs of the G1 individuals were predicted to be different than the G2 because the latter generation needs to store energy prior to diapause. Trap-nesting Trypoxylon are also of interest because, unlike most Hymenoptera, the males guard the nest while females forage. Thus, males may lose nutrients as they stay and guard the nest. In this study, a nutritional profile was created for T. lactitarse to compare the macronutrient (protein, carbohydrates, and lipids) and micronutrient (Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, and Zn) levels of the different life stages of the wasp and compare individuals of the G1 and G2 generations. There were distinct changes in the nutrient levels relative to the original food source as individuals metamorphosed into larvae, pupae, and adults. G1 larvae had higher levels of carbohydrates than G2 larvae. G2 larvae had higher levels of lipids and K than G1 larvae, indicating possible differences in energy storage. In adults, there was an increase in levels of carbohydrates and Mn. Parental males, which stay and guard the nest, were found to have higher levels of carbohydrates at the end of the nesting period than females and emerging adults. One possible implication is that females may feed males during the nesting period, as the females are the only individuals to forage.
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Project description:The cuticle layer consisting mainly of lipids and hydroxyapatite (HAp) atop the mineralized avian eggshell is a protective structure that prevents the egg from dehydration and microbial invasions. Previous ornithological studies have revealed that the cuticle layer is also involved in modulating the reflectance of eggshells in addition to pigments (protoporphyrin and biliverdin). Thus, the cuticle layer represents a crucial trait that delivers ecological signals. While present in most modern birds, direct evidence for cuticle preservation in stem birds and non-avian dinosaurs is yet missing. Here we present the first direct and chemical evidence for the preservation of the cuticle layer on dinosaur eggshells. We analyze several theropod eggshells from various localities, including oviraptorid Macroolithus yaotunensis eggshells from the Late Cretaceous deposits of Henan, Jiangxi, and Guangdong in China and alvarezsaurid Triprismatoolithus eggshell from the Two Medicine Formation of Montana, United States, with the scanning electron microscope (SEM), electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA), and Raman spectroscopy (RS). The elemental analysis with EPMA shows high concentration of phosphorus at the boundary between the eggshell and sediment, representing the hydroxyapatitic cuticle layer (HAp). Depletion of phosphorus in sediment excludes the allochthonous origin of the phosphorus in these eggshells. The chemometric analysis of Raman spectra collected from fossil and extant eggs provides further supportive evidence for the cuticle preservation in oviraptorid and probable alvarezsaurid eggshells. In accordance with our previous discovery of pigments preserved in Cretaceous oviraptorid dinosaur eggshells, we validate the cuticle preservation on dinosaur eggshells through deep time and offer a yet unexplored resource for chemical studies targeting the evolution of dinosaur nesting ecology. Our study also suggests that the cuticle structure can be traced far back to maniraptoran dinosaurs and enhance their reproductive success in a warm and mesic habitat such as Montana and southern China during the Late Cretaceous.
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Project description:Fusarium graminearum and F. verticillioides are devastating cereal pathogens with very different life history and ecological characteristics. F. graminearum is homothallic, and sexual spores are an important component of its life cycle, responsible for disease initiation. F. verticilloides is heterothallic, and produces only modest numbers of fruiting bodies, which are not a significant source of inoculum. To identify corresponding differences in the transcriptional program underlying fruiting body development in the two species, comparative expression was performed, analyzing six developmental stages. To accompany the transcriptional analysis, detailed morphological characterization of F. verticillioides development was performed and compared to a previous morphological analysis of F. graminearum. Morphological development was similar between the two species, except for the observation of possible trichogynes in F. verticillioides ascogonia, which have not been previously reported for any Fusarium species. Expression of over 9000 orthologous genes were measured for the two species. Functional assignments of highly expressed orthologous genes at each time-point revealed the majority of highly expressed genes fell into the M-bM-^@M-^XM-bM-^@M-^Xunclassified proteinsM-bM-^@M-^YM-bM-^@M-^Y category, reflecting the lack of characterization of genes for sexual development in both species. Simultaneous examination of morphological development and stage-specific gene expression suggests that degeneration of the paraphyses during sexual development is an apoptotic process. Expression of mating type genes in the two species differed, possibly reflecting the divergent roles they play in sexual development. Overall, the differences in gene expression reflect the greater role of fruiting bodies in the life cycle and ecology of F. graminearum versus F. verticillioides. mRNA were sampled and compared from six time points across sexual reproduction in two Fusarium species
2014-09-30 | E-GEOD-61865 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Fusarium graminearum and F. verticillioides are devastating cereal pathogens with very different life history and ecological characteristics. F. graminearum is homothallic, and sexual spores are an important component of its life cycle, responsible for disease initiation. F. verticilloides is heterothallic, and produces only modest numbers of fruiting bodies, which are not a significant source of inoculum. To identify corresponding differences in the transcriptional program underlying fruiting body development in the two species, comparative expression was performed, analyzing six developmental stages. To accompany the transcriptional analysis, detailed morphological characterization of F. verticillioides development was performed and compared to a previous morphological analysis of F. graminearum. Morphological development was similar between the two species, except for the observation of possible trichogynes in F. verticillioides ascogonia, which have not been previously reported for any Fusarium species. Expression of over 9000 orthologous genes were measured for the two species. Functional assignments of highly expressed orthologous genes at each time-point revealed the majority of highly expressed genes fell into the ‘‘unclassified proteins’’ category, reflecting the lack of characterization of genes for sexual development in both species. Simultaneous examination of morphological development and stage-specific gene expression suggests that degeneration of the paraphyses during sexual development is an apoptotic process. Expression of mating type genes in the two species differed, possibly reflecting the divergent roles they play in sexual development. Overall, the differences in gene expression reflect the greater role of fruiting bodies in the life cycle and ecology of F. graminearum versus F. verticillioides.
2014-09-30 | GSE61865 | GEO
Project description:An unresolved question in ecology concerns why the ecological effects of invasions vary in magnitude. Many introduced species fail to interact strongly with the recipient biota, whereas others profoundly disrupt the ecosystems they invade through predation, competition, and other mechanisms. In the context of ecological impacts, research on biological invasions seldom considers phenotypic or microevolutionary changes that occur following introduction. Here, we show how plasticity in key life history traits (colony size and longevity), together with omnivory, magnifies the predatory impacts of an invasive social wasp (Vespula pensylvanica) on a largely endemic arthropod fauna in Hawaii. Using a combination of molecular, experimental, and behavioral approaches, we demonstrate (i) that yellowjackets consume an astonishing diversity of arthropod resources and depress prey populations in invaded Hawaiian ecosystems and (ii) that their impact as predators in this region increases when they shift from small annual colonies to large perennial colonies. Such trait plasticity may influence invasion success and the degree of disruption that invaded ecosystems experience. Moreover, postintroduction phenotypic changes may help invaders to compensate for reductions in adaptive potential resulting from founder events and small population sizes. The dynamic nature of biological invasions necessitates a more quantitative understanding of how postintroduction changes in invader traits affect invasion processes.
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