Host and ecology both play a role in shaping distribution of digenean parasites of New Zealand whelks (Gastropoda: Buccinidae: Cominella)

Parasitology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 143 (9) ◽  
pp. 1143-1156 ◽  
Author(s):  
KIRSTEN M. DONALD ◽  
HAMISH G. SPENCER
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Host Specificity ◽  
Geographic Range ◽  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
Infection Rates ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Small Areas ◽  
The North ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Host Parasite

SUMMARYDigenean parasites infecting four Cominella whelk species (C. glandiformis, C. adspersa, C. maculosa and C. virgata), which inhabit New Zealand's intertidal zone, were analysed using molecular techniques. Mitochondrial 16S and cytochrome oxidase 1 (COI) and nuclear rDNA ITS1 sequences were used to infer phylogenetic relationships amongst digenea. Host species were parasitized by a diverse range of digenea (Platyhelminthes, Trematoda), representing seven families: Echinostomatidae, Opecoelidae, Microphallidae, Strigeidae and three, as yet, undetermined families A, B and C. Each parasite family infected between one and three host whelk species, and infection levels were typically low (average infection rates ranged from 1·4 to 3·6%). Host specificity ranged from highly species-specific amongst the echinostomes, which were only ever observed infecting C. glandiformis, to the more generalist opecoelids and strigeids, which were capable of infecting three out of four of the Cominella species analysed. Digeneans displayed a highly variable geographic range; for example, echinostomes had a large geographic range stretching the length of New Zealand, from Northland to Otago, whereas Family B parasites were restricted to fairly small areas of the North Island. Our results add to a growing body of research identifying wide ranges in both host specificity and geographic range amongst intertidal, multi-host parasite systems.

scholarly journals Natural enemies of Japanese honeysuckle Lonicera japonica in New Zealand

2007 ◽  
Vol 60 ◽  
pp. 158-163
Author(s):  
N.W. Waipara ◽  
C.J. Winks ◽  
L.A. Smith ◽  
J.P. Wilkie
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Classical Biological Control ◽  
Control Programme ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
The North ◽  
Japanese Honeysuckle ◽  
Total Plant Biomass ◽  
Total Plant

Japanese honeysuckle is rapidly increasing as a weed throughout most of the North Island and northern South Island of New Zealand A classical biological control programme was initiated in 20042005 with a survey of the natural invertebrate fauna and pathogens associated with the weed in New Zealand The honeysuckle was being attacked by a diverse range of native and introduced invertebrates But overall the damage was minimal and none of the herbivore niches on the weed were well utilised implying that exotic agents may have a chance of inflicting additional damage that might be sufficient to control the species Most damage was caused by foliage feeders such as lepidopterous larvae and thrips but this affected less than 5 of total plant biomass Primary and secondary foliar pathogens such as Pseudocercospora lonicerae Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Insolibasidium deformans and Phoma spp were frequently recorded Potential use of these natural enemies for weed biocontrol is discussed

scholarly journals Genome assembly of Danaus chrysippus and comparison with the Monarch Danaus plexippus

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kumar Saurabh Singh ◽  
Rishi De-Kayne ◽  
Kennedy Saitoti Omufwoko ◽  
Dino J Martins ◽  
Chris Bass ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Danaus Plexippus ◽  
Comparative Genomic ◽  
Sequencing Data ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
The North ◽  
Research Fields ◽  
Long Read ◽  
Genomic Studies ◽  
Host Parasite ◽  
Shed Light

Abstract Milkweed butterflies in the genus Danaus are studied in a diverse range of research fields including the neurobiology of migration, biochemistry of plant detoxification, host-parasite interactions, evolution of sex chromosomes, and speciation. We have assembled a nearly chromosomal genome for Danaus chrysippus (known as the African Monarch, African Queen, and Plain Tiger) using long read sequencing data. This species is of particular interest for the study of genome structural change and its consequences for evolution. Comparison with the genome of the North American Monarch Danaus plexippus reveals generally strong synteny, but highlights three inversion differences. The three chromosomes involved were previously found to carry peaks of intra-specific differentiation in D. chrysippus in Africa, suggesting that these inversions may be polymorphic and associated with local adaptation. The D. chrysippus genome is over 40% larger than that of D. plexippus, and nearly all of the additional ∼100 Megabases of DNA comprises repeats. Future comparative genomic studies within this genus will shed light on the evolution of genome architecture.

Slow Slip Events in New Zealand

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 175-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura M. Wallace
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Subduction Zone ◽  
Slow Motion ◽  
Plate Motion ◽  
Slow Slip ◽  
Slow Slip Events ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
The North ◽  
Interseismic Coupling ◽  
Natural Laboratory

Continuously operating global positioning system sites in the North Island of New Zealand have revealed a diverse range of slow motion earthquakes on the Hikurangi subduction zone. These slow slip events (SSEs) exhibit diverse characteristics, from shallow (<15 km), short (<1 month), frequent (every 1–2 years) events in the northern part of the subduction zone to deep (>30 km), long (>1 year), less frequent (approximately every 5 years) SSEs in the southern part of the subduction zone. Hikurangi SSEs show intriguing relationships to interseismic coupling, seismicity, and tectonic tremor, and they exhibit a diversity of interactions with large, regional earthquakes. Due to the marked along-strike variations in Hikurangi SSE characteristics, which coincide with changes in physical characteristics of the subduction margin, the Hikurangi subduction zone presents a globally unique natural laboratory to resolve outstanding questions regarding the origin of episodic, slow fault slip behavior. ▪  New Zealand's Hikurangi subduction zone hosts slow slip events with a diverse range of depth, size, duration, and recurrence characteristics. ▪  Hikurangi slow slip events show intriguing relationships with seismicity ranging from small earthquakes and tremor to larger earthquakes. ▪  Slow slip events play a major role in the accommodation of plate motion at the Hikurangi subduction zone. ▪  Many aspects of the Hikurangi subduction zone make it an ideal natural laboratory to resolve the physical processes controlling slow slip.

Broad geographic analyses reveal varying patterns of genetic diversity and host specificity among echinostome trematodes in New Zealand snails

Parasitology ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 142 (2) ◽  
pp. 406-415 ◽  
Author(s):  
DEVON B. KEENEY ◽  
JASON PALLADINO ◽  
ROBERT POULIN
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Host Specificity ◽  
Snail Host ◽  
Snail Species ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
Species Complexes ◽  
Unidentified Species ◽  
Geographic Separation ◽  
Host Parasite ◽  
Related Parasite

SUMMARYHost specificity is a fundamental component of a parasite's life history. However, accurate assessments of host specificity, and the factors influencing it, can be obscured by parasite cryptic species complexes. We surveyed two congeneric species of intertidal snail intermediate hosts, Zeacumantus subcarinatus and Zeacumantus lutulentus, throughout New Zealand to identify the number of genetically distinct echinostome trematodes infecting them and determine the levels of snail host specificity among echinostomes. Two major echinostome clades were identified: a clade consisting of an unidentified species of the subfamily Himasthlinae and a clade consisting of five species of the genus Acanthoparyphium. All five Acanthoparyphium species were only found in a single snail species, four in Z. subcarinatus and one in Z. lutulentus. In contrast, the Himasthlinae gen. sp. was found in both hosts, but was more prevalent in Z. lutulentus (97 infections) than Z. subcarinatus (10 infections). At least two of the Acanthoparyphium spp. and the Himasthlinae gen. sp. are widespread throughout New Zealand, and can therefore encounter both snail species. Our results suggest that host specificity is determined by host–parasite incompatibilities, not geographic separation, and that it can evolve in different ways in closely related parasite lineages.

scholarly journals Genome assembly of Danaus chrysippus and comparison with the Monarch Danaus plexippus

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kumar Saurabh Singh ◽  
Rishi De-Kayne ◽  
Kennedy Saitoti Omufwoko ◽  
Dino J. Martins ◽  
Chris Bass ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Danaus Plexippus ◽  
Comparative Genomic ◽  
Sequencing Data ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
The North ◽  
Research Fields ◽  
Long Read ◽  
Genomic Studies ◽  
Host Parasite ◽  
Shed Light

Milkweed butterflies in the genus Danaus are studied in a diverse range of research fields including the neurobiology of migration, biochemistry of plant detoxification, host-parasite interactions, evolution of sex chromosomes, and speciation. We have assembled a nearly chromosomal genome for Danaus chrysippus (known as the African Monarch, African Queen, and Plain Tiger) using long read sequencing data. This species is of particular interest for the study of genome structural change and its consequences for evolution. Comparison with the genome of the North American Monarch Danaus plexippus reveals generally strong synteny, but highlights three inversion differences. The three chromosomes involved were previously found to carry peaks of intra-specific differentiation in D. chrysippus in Africa, suggesting that these inversions may be polymorphic and associated with local adaptation. The D. chrysippus genome is over 40% larger than that of D. plexippus, and nearly all of the additional ~100 Megabases of DNA comprises repeats. Future comparative genomic studies within this genus will shed light on the evolution of genome architecture.

scholarly journals The Swedish Malaise Trap Project: A 15 Year Retrospective on a Countrywide Insect Inventory

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dave Karlsson ◽  
Emily Hartop ◽  
Mattias Forshage ◽  
Mathias Jaschhof ◽  
Fredrik Ronquist
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Scale Insect ◽  
Taxonomic Composition ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
Malaise Trap ◽  
Opposite Pattern ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
The North ◽  
Insect Decline

The Swedish Malaise Trap Project (SMTP) is one of the most ambitious insect inventories ever attempted. The project was designed to target poorly known insect groups across a diverse range of habitats in Sweden. The field campaign involved the deployment of 73 Malaise traps at 55 localities across the country for three years (2003-2006). Over the past 15 years, the collected material has been hand sorted by trained technicians into over 300 taxonomic fractions suitable for expert attention. The resulting collection is a tremendous asset for entomologists around the world, especially as we now face a desperate need for baseline data to evaluate phenomena like insect decline and climate change. Here, we describe the history, organisation, methodology and logistics of the SMTP, focusing on the rationale for the decisions taken and the lessons learned along the way. The SMTP represents one of the early instances of community science applied to large-scale inventory work, with a heavy reliance on volunteers in both the field and the laboratory. We give estimates of both staff effort and volunteer effort involved. The project has been funded by the Swedish Taxonomy Initiative; in total, the inventory has cost less than 30 million SEK (approximately 3.1 million USD). Based on a subset of the samples, we characterise the size and taxonomic composition of the SMTP material. Several different extrapolation methods suggest that the material comprises around 20 million specimens in total. The material is dominated by Diptera (75% of the specimens) and Hymenoptera (15% of specimens). Amongst the Diptera, the dominant groups are Chironomidae (37% of specimens), Sciaridae (15%), Phoridae (13%), Cecidomyiidae (9.5%) and Mycetophilidae (9.4%). Within Hymenoptera, the major groups are Ichneumonidae (44% of specimens), Diaprioidea (19%), Braconidae (9.6%), Platygastroidea (8.5%) and Chalcidoidea (7.9%). The taxonomic composition varies with latitude and season. Several Diptera and Hymenoptera groups are more common in non-summer samples (collected from September to April) and in the North, while others show the opposite pattern. About 1% of the total material has been processed and identified by experts so far. This material represents over 4,000 species. One third of these had not been recorded from Sweden before and almost 700 of them are new to science. These results reveal the large amounts of taxonomic work still needed on Palaearctic insect faunas. Based on the SMTP experiences, we discuss aspects of planning and conducting future large-scale insect inventory projects using mainly traditional approaches in relation to more recent approaches that rely on molecular techniques.

Host-parasite associations and host-specificity in haemoparasites of reed bed passerines

Parasitology ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 139 (3) ◽  
pp. 310-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
RITA VENTIM ◽  
JOANA MORAIS ◽  
SARA PARDAL ◽  
LUÍSA MENDES ◽  
JAIME A. RAMOS ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Host Range ◽  
Host Specificity ◽  
Host Species ◽  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
Reed Beds ◽  
Bird Populations ◽  
Reed Bed ◽  
Host Parasite ◽  
Local Transmission

SUMMARYThe host specificity and host sharing of avian haemoparasites (genera Haemoproteus and Plasmodium) is still poorly known, although they infect a large proportion of several studied bird populations. This study used molecular techniques to detect haemoparasites in marsh warblers and in other passerines that feed in reed beds, at 4 sites in Portugal. The host-specificity of the parasite lineages was analysed and compared with other cases described in the literature to assess whether apparent host specificity changes according to the studied system. Nine lineages of Haemoproteus and 15 of Plasmodium were found, of which only 10 Plasmodium were proven to have local transmission. Each lineage was confined to a distinct set of host species. The distribution of parasites in the host species was non-nested, meaning that specialist lineages did not always share hosts with generalists. The most prevalent lineages were those with a wider host range, indicating that the ability to infect more hosts will enhance a parasite's prevalence in its entire host range. We also found that in our areas, a specialist parasite (H. MW1) appears to have a more generalist character than described in the literature, suggesting that a parasite's apparent specialization can depend on the type of host species sampled.

Studies of Ptiliidae (Coleoptera) in the Spirit Collection of the Natural History Museum, London 2: New species and records from P. Hammond's visit to New Zealand in 1983–84

2018 ◽  
Vol 154 (3) ◽  
pp. 179-196
Author(s):  
Michael Darby
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Natural History ◽  
Natural History Museum ◽  
History Museum ◽  
The North ◽  
Three New Species ◽  
North And South

Some 2,000 Ptiliidae collected in the North and South Islands of New Zealand in 1983/1984 by Peter Hammond of the Natural History Museum, London, are determined to 34 species, four of which are new to the country. As there are very few previous records, most from the Auckland district of North Island, the Hammond collection provides much new distributional data. The three new species: Nellosana insperatus sp. n., Notoptenidium flavum sp. n., and Notoptenidium johnsoni sp. n., are described and figured; the genus Ptiliodes is moved from Acrotrichinae to Ptiliinae, and Ptenidium formicetorum Kraatz recorded as a new introduction. Information is provided to aid separation of the new species from those previously recorded.

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