Ecosystem engineering by endangered Mongolian marmots supports darkling beetles

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suuri Buyandelger ◽  
Baatargal Otgonbayar ◽  
Badamdorj Bayartogtokh ◽  
James D. Murdoch
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Engineering ◽  
Darkling Beetles

Zophobas atratus (Fabricius, 1775) – new genus and species of darkling beetles (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae) for the fauna of Ukraine

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-24
Author(s):  
V. N. Fursov ◽  
L. S. Cherney
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Antennal Segment ◽  
Laboratory Culture ◽  
Important Species ◽  
Darkling Beetles ◽  
Zophobas Atratus ◽  
Sensory Zone ◽  
Coleoptera Tenebrionidae

Darkling beetle Zophobas atratus (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae) is recorded here for the first time as a new species for the fauna of Ukraine. Detailed study on morphology of preimaginal stages and biology of this species recently introduced to Ukraine, is given here. Zophobas atratus is an important species being easily reared in laboratory cultures and widely distributed in North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Detailed descriptions of all life stages, including egg, young and older larvae, pupa and adult of Z. atratus are required for further taxonomical study of the genus Zophobas, which isn’t yet definitively established. New identification keys for adults and larvae of the genera of tribe Tenebrionini are presented here, based on a comparative analysis of the taxonomic characters of adults and larvae of Z. atratus and species from the genera Tenebrio and Neatus. Comparative analysis of morphology of larva of Z. atratus and larvae of the tribe Cteniopodini of close subfamily Alleculinae was conducted here. The subfamily Alleculinae previously had the rank of family Alleculidae, but our analysis confirmed the reliability of its current taxonomic position as subfamily. The study of morphology of larvae of 1st and 2nd instars of Z. atratus revealed that they are characterized by special taxonomic structures that are not characteristic for oldest instars of larvae of Z. atratus. These characters include absence of spines on caudal segment, presence of a set of 4 setae at posterior margin of tergites of prothorax, metathorax, and 1st to 8th abdominal segments, strongly convex 2nd antennal segment and sensory zone in the form of an open ring on its apex, and etc. Moreover, structure of antenna of larvae of Z. atratus is similar to that of oldest larvae of most species of darkling beetles of the fauna of Ukraine. The most distinctive features of Z. atratus are: sexual dimorphism in structure of clypeus of adults; filiform sclerotized antenna of larva with a continuous sensory zone at apex of 2nd segment, weakly developed 3rd segment; fusion of sclerotized pleurites of 1st–8th abdominal segments with their tergites; sexual dimorphism in structure of 9th abdominal segment of pupa, and presence of two hooks on apex of its appendages. The data of original study of features of life cycle of Z. atratus are given. The pictures and photos of details of morphology of egg, larvae, pupa and adult of Z. atratus are presented. It was recored that life cycle of Z. atratus from laying of egg to the emergence of adult continues from 169 up to 181 days. Adults lived maximum up to 206 days. Maturation of eggs in female after copulation continues 10-11 days. Stage of egg continues 7 days, larva – up to 151 days, including pre-pupal period from 6 to 22 days, pupa – from 8 to 21 days. Twelve larval stages of Z. atratus were recorded in laboratory culture.

Discovery of New Genera Challenges the Subtribal Classification of Tok-Tok Beetles (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Sepidiini)

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivia M Gearner ◽  
Marcin J Kamiński ◽  
Kojun Kanda ◽  
Kali Swichtenberg ◽  
Aaron D Smith
Keyword(s):  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Species Group ◽  
Phylogenetic Placement ◽  
Darkling Beetles ◽  
Species Groups ◽  
Taxonomic Groups ◽  
Inference Methods ◽  
A New Species ◽  
Coleoptera Tenebrionidae

Abstract Sepidiini is a speciose tribe of desert-inhabiting darkling beetles, which contains a number of poorly defined taxonomic groups and is in need of revision at all taxonomic levels. In this study, two previously unrecognized lineages were discovered, based on morphological traits, among the extremely speciose genera Psammodes Kirby, 1819 (164 species and subspecies) and Ocnodes Fåhraeus, 1870 (144 species and subspecies), namely the Psammodes spinosus species-group and Ocnodes humeralis species-group. In order to test their phylogenetic placement, a phylogeny of the tribe was reconstructed based on analyses of DNA sequences from six nonoverlapping genetic loci (CAD, wg, COI JP, COI BC, COII, and 28S) using Bayesian and maximum likelihood inference methods. The aforementioned, morphologically defined, species-groups were recovered as distinct and well-supported lineages within Molurina + Phanerotomeina and are interpreted as independent genera, respectively, Tibiocnodes Gearner & Kamiński gen. nov. and Tuberocnodes Gearner & Kamiński gen. nov. A new species, Tuberocnodes synhimboides Gearner & Kamiński sp. nov., is also described. Furthermore, as the recovered phylogenetic placement of Tibiocnodes and Tuberocnodes undermines the monophyly of Molurina and Phanerotomeina, an analysis of the available diagnostic characters for those subtribes is also performed. As a consequence, Phanerotomeina is considered as a synonym of the newly redefined Molurina sens. nov. Finally, spectrograms of vibrations produced by substrate tapping of two Molurina species, Toktokkus vialis (Burchell, 1822) and T. synhimboides, are presented.

Patterns of Evolution of the Ediacaran Soft-Bodied Biota

2014 ◽  
Vol 88 (2) ◽  
pp. 269-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dmitriy Grazhdankin
Keyword(s):  
High Energy ◽  
Ecosystem Engineering ◽  
Low Energy ◽  
Geological Time ◽  
Time Intervals ◽  
Inner Shelf ◽  
Sedimentary Environments ◽  
Burrowing Activity ◽  
Ecological Associations ◽  
Channel Systems

When each of the Avalon-, Ediacara-, and Nama-type fossil assemblages are tracked through geological time, there appear to be changes in species composition and diversity, almost synchronized between different sedimentary environments, allowing a subdivision of the late Ediacaran into the Redkinian, Belomorian and Kotlinian geological time intervals. The Redkinian (580–559 Ma) is characterized by first appearance of both eumetazoan traces and macroscopic organisms (frondomorphs and vendobionts) in a form of Avalon-type communities in the inner shelf environment, whereas coeval Ediacara-type communities remained depauperate. The Belomorian (559–550 Ma) is marked by the advent of eumetazoan burrowing activity in the inner shelf, diversification of frondomorphs, migration of vendobionts from the inner shelf into higher energy environments, and appearance of tribrachiomorphs and bilateralomorphs. Ediacaran organisms formed distinctive ecological associations that coexisted in the low-energy inner shelf (Avalon-type communities), in the wave- and current-agitated shoreface (Ediacara-type communities), and in the high-energy distributary systems (Nama-type communities). The Kotlinian (550–540 Ma) witnessed an expansion of the burrowing activity into wave- and current-agitated shoreface, disappearance of vendobionts, tribrachiomorphs and bilateralomorphs in wave- and current-agitated shoreface, together with a drop in frondomorph diversity. High-energy distributary channel systems of prodeltas served as refugia for Nama-type communities that survived until the end of the Ediacaran and disappeared when the burrowing activity reached high-energy environments. This pattern is interpreted as an expression of ecosystem engineering by eumetazoans, with the Ediacaran organisms being progressively outcompeted by bilaterians.

scholarly journals Manipulation of host behaviour by parasites: ecosystem engineering in the intertidal zone?

1998 ◽  
Vol 265 (1401) ◽  
pp. 1091-1096 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Thomas ◽  
F. Renaud ◽  
T. de Meeûs ◽  
R. Poulin
Keyword(s):  
Intertidal Zone ◽  
Ecosystem Engineering ◽  
Host Behaviour

scholarly journals Avian ecosystem functions are influenced by small mammal ecosystem engineering

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Meredith Root-Bernstein ◽  
Andres Fierro ◽  
Juan Armesto ◽  
Luis A Ebensperger
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammal ◽  
Ecosystem Engineering ◽  
Ecosystem Functions

scholarly journals Biogeomorphic feedbacks and the ecosystem engineering of recently deglaciated terrain

2018 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah R Miller ◽  
Stuart N Lane
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Stress ◽  
Ecosystem Engineer ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Ecosystem Engineering ◽  
Soil Development ◽  
Water Dynamics ◽  
Biotic Factors ◽  
Successional Stage ◽  
Abiotic And Biotic Factors

Matthews’ 1992 geoecological model of vegetation succession within glacial forefields describes how following deglaciation the landscape evolves over time as the result of both biotic and abiotic factors, with the importance of each depending on the level of environmental stress within the system. We focus in this paper on how new understandings of abiotic factors and the potential for biogeomorphic feedbacks between abiotic and biotic factors makes further development of this model important. Disturbance and water dynamics are two abiotic factors that have been shown to create stress gradients that can drive early ecosystem succession. The subsequent establishment of microbial communities and vegetation can then result in biogeomorphic feedbacks via ecosystem engineering that influence the role of disturbance and water dynamics within the system. Microbes can act as ecosystem engineers by supplying nutrients (via remineralization of organic matter and nitrogen fixation), enhancing soil development, either decreasing (encouraging weathering) or increasing (binding sediment grains) geomorphic stability, and helping retain soil moisture. Vegetation can act as an ecosystem engineer by fixing nitrogen, enhancing soil development, modifying microbial community structure, creating seed banks, and increasing geomorphic stability. The feedbacks between vegetation and water dynamics in glacial forefields are still poorly studied. We propose a synthesized model of ecosystem succession within glacial forefields that combines Matthews’ initial geoecological model and Corenblit's model to illustrate how gradients in environmental stress combined with successional time drive the balance between abiotic and biotic factors and ultimately determine the successional stage and potential for biogeomorphic feedbacks.

scholarly journals DIVERSITY OF INSECTS AND OTHER ARTHROPODS IN MONGOLIA

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Badamdorj ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Russian Far East ◽  
Far East ◽  
Far East Of Russia ◽  
Insect Fauna ◽  
The Far East ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
The Family ◽  
Darkling Beetles ◽  
The Russian Far East

The insect fauna of Mongolia includes about 12,000 species belonging to 24 orders. The only order, Orthoptera, is richer in species in Mongolia than in the Far East of Russia. All other units show greater diversity in the Russian Far East than in Mongolia. There are a significant number of very interesting endemics. Tizanuras of the family Machilidae are relic insects, represented by five species in Mongolia. As examples of widespread Central Asian insects, a number of species of darkling beetles and weevils can be indicated, most of which are endemic to Mongolia or Central Asia.

scholarly journals Darkling beetles of the tribe Helopini (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) of Jordan

2019 ◽  
Vol 384 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
M.V. Nabozhenko ◽  
◽  
V. Tichý ◽  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Darkling Beetles ◽  
Coleoptera Tenebrionidae
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