scholarly journals A new ant-butterfly symbiosis in the forest canopy fills an evolutionary gap

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriela Pérez-Lachaud ◽  
Franklin H. Rocha ◽  
Carmen Pozo ◽  
Lucas A. Kaminski ◽  
Noemy Seraphim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Dna Barcode ◽  
Integrative Approach ◽  
Social Parasite ◽  
Evolutionary Transition ◽  
Symbiotic Relationships ◽  
Ponerine Ant ◽  
Ant Nest ◽  
Site Dependence ◽  
Colony Integration

AbstractMyrmecophilous butterflies can establish complex symbiotic relationships with ants. A caterpillar wandering among the brood of the aggressive ponerine ant Neoponera villosa was found inside the core of a nest built in the myrmecophytic bromeliad Aechmea bracteata. This is the first caterpillar found living inside a ponerine ant nest. Its DNA barcode was sequenced, and an integrative approach was used to identify it as Pseudonymphidia agave, a poorly known member of the subtribe Pachythonina in the riodinid tribe Nymphidiini. The cuticle of the tank-like caterpillar lacks projections or tubercles and is covered dorsally by specialized flat setae that form an armor of small plates. Ant-organs potentially related to caterpillar-ant signaling, such as perforated cupola organs and tentacle nectary organs, are present. These morphological traits, together with evidence of social integration (direct contact with host brood, protective morphology, slow movement, no host aggressiveness), suggest that P. agave is a symbiotic, social parasite of N. villosa, preying on its host brood. However, several knowledge gaps remain, including oviposition site, dependence on bromeliad association, steps to colony integration, and larval diet through development. Carnivory has been reported in all known members of the subtribe Pachythonina (caterpillars prey on honeydew-producing hemipterans) suggesting a shift to myrmecophagy inside the ant nests as a possible evolutionary transition.

scholarly journals Filling the gap: a new ant-butterfly symbiosis in the forest canopy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriela Pérez-Lachaud ◽  
Franklin H. Rocha ◽  
Carmen Pozo ◽  
Lucas A. Kaminski ◽  
Noemy Seraphim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Tissue Sample ◽  
Integrative Approach ◽  
Social Parasite ◽  
Symbiotic Relationships ◽  
The Core ◽  
Ponerine Ant ◽  
Evolutionary Step ◽  
Site Dependence ◽  
Colony Integration

Abstract Myrmecophilous butterflies can establish complex symbiotic relationships with ants. An elusive symbiotic caterpillar wandering among the brood of the aggressive ponerine ant, Neoponera villosa, was found inside the core of a nest built in the myrmecophytic bromeliad Aechmea bracteata. This is the first caterpillar found in symbiosis with a species of the subfamily Ponerinae. Tissue sample was barcoded, and an integrative approach was used to identify it as Pseudonymphidia agave, a poorly known Pachythonina member in the riodinid myrmecophilous tribe Nymphidiini. The caterpillar has a general tank-like body morphology, without projections or tubercles, and is covered dorsally by specialized flat setae that form an armor of small plates. Ant-organs potentially related to the caterpillar-ant signaling, such as perforated cupola organs and tentacle nectary organs, are present. These functional traits, together with the stable social integration, suggest that P. agave is a specialized social parasite of N. villosa. However, several knowledge gaps remain, notably the oviposition site, dependence on bromeliad association, steps to colony integration, and the larval diet through ontogeny. Carnivory has been reported in all known members of the Pachythonina subtribe (caterpillars prey on honeydew-producing hemipterans), and a shift to myrmecophagy inside the ant nests is a possible evolutionary step.

scholarly journals Social parasite distancing: RADseq reveals high inbreeding in the social parasite Microdon myrmicae but low philopatry for host ant nest

2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-99
Author(s):  
Giulia Scarparo ◽  
Paul Rugman‐Jones ◽  
Marco Gebiola ◽  
Andrea Di Giulio ◽  
Jessica Purcell
Keyword(s):  
Social Parasite ◽  
The Social ◽  
Ant Nest

Guidelines for DNA barcoding of coralline algae, focusing on Lithophylloideae (Corallinales) from Brazil

2018 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatriz N. Torrano-Silva ◽  
Bruno R. Vieira ◽  
Rafael Riosmena-Rodríguez ◽  
Mariana C. Oliveira
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Species Delimitation ◽  
Morphological Traits ◽  
Dna Barcode ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Coralline Algae ◽  
Integrative Approach ◽  
Interspecific Divergence ◽  
Algorithmic Approaches ◽  
Barcode Gap

AbstractMultiple-marker (COI-5P, UPA,psbA andrbcL-3P) and two algorithmic approaches [automatic barcode gap discovery (ABGD) and Poisson tree process (PTP)] were used for species delimitation of Lithophylloideae in Brazil. The integrative approach was mostly congruent between markers and algorithmic methods of species delimitation, suggesting the occurrence of 24 species. Based on morphology and molecular data,Amphiroa rigida,Amphiroa vanbosseae,Lithophyllum atlanticum,Lithophyllum kaiseri,Lithophyllum margaritae,Titanoderma pustulatum,Titanoderma prototypumandPaulsilvella huveorum, which were previously reported for Brazil, are confirmed in this work. Six new species are distinguished by both molecular and morphological traits, and they are provisionally named asAmphiroasp. 1,Amphiroasp. 2,Amphiroasp. 3,Lithophyllumsp. 1,Lithophyllumsp. 2 andLithophyllumsp. 3. Another 10 species are cryptic and cannot be distinguished based on traditionally used morphological traits. These includeAmphiroasp. 4,Lithophyllumsp. 4, three species that are morphologically named underAmphiroa beauvoisii, and six that share the morphology described forAmphiroa fragilissima. All four markers used were useful for species delimitation. However, a combination of practical aspects and levels of intra- and interspecific divergence values led us to propose the use ofrbcL-3P as a standard DNA barcode marker for the Corallinales.

SPIDER–ANT SYMBIOSIS: COTINUSA SPP. (ARANEIDA: SALTICIDAE) AND TAPINOMA MELANOCEPHALUM (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE)

1972 ◽  
Vol 104 (12) ◽  
pp. 1951-1954 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merle Shepard ◽  
Flash Gibson
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Osa Peninsula ◽  
Tapinoma Melanocephalum ◽  
Ant Nest ◽  
Salticid Spiders

AbstractSalticid spiders of the genus Continusa were present in 61% of the nests of dolichoderine ants (Tapinoma melanocephalum (Fabricius)) which build their nests on the undersides of leaves in the lower forest canopy on the Osa peninsula of Costa Rica. Cutting and displacement of the supporting leaves caused abandonment of 80% of the nests within 4 days and experiments carried out by marking and displacing the spider indicated their tenacity to the ant nest. T. melanocephalum nests which contained spiders were more successful in terms of the brood to adult ratio.

scholarly journals Karyotype structure and cytogenetic markers of Amoimyrmex bruchi and Amoimyrmex silvestrii: the contribution to understanding leafcutting ant relationships

Genome ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricardo Micolino ◽  
Brenda Carla de Lima Baldez ◽  
Andrés Fernando F. Sánchez Restrepo ◽  
Luis Calcaterra ◽  
Maykon Passos Cristiano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Cytogenetics ◽  
Chromosome Morphology ◽  
Integrative Approach ◽  
Social Parasite ◽  
Leafcutter Ants ◽  
Sister Clade ◽  
Karyotype Structure ◽  
Terrestrial Environments ◽  
The Many ◽  
Leafcutting Ants

Leafcutting ants are considered the most important herbivores in terrestrial environments throughout the Neotropics. <i>Amoimyrmex</i> is the sister clade of the remaining leafcutter ants from the genera <i>Atta</i> and <i>Acromyrmex</i>. <i>Amoimyrmex striatus</i> was the only species cytogenetically studied within the genus and shares the same chromosomal number with <i>Atta</i>, bearing 22 chromosomes, whereas <i>Acromyrmex</i> bears 38 chromosomes, with the exception of the social parasite <i>Acromyrmex ameliae</i> (2n=36). Our objective here was to analyze cytogenetically the species of <i>Amoimyrmex bruchi</i> and <i>Amoimyrmex silvestrii</i>, as well as to describe the karyotype of these sister species, by means of an integrative approach using classical and molecular cytogenetics. We aimed to characterize cytogenetic markers that contribute to the systematics and taxonomy of the genus. Our results showed that the karyotypes of these two species are very similar, with an identical chromosome number (2n=22), chromosome morphology (2K=20m+2sm), and location of 18S rDNA and the telomeric repeat TTAGG on the chromosomes. Yet, the microsatellite probe GA(15) showed variation across the species and populations studied. We suggest that both species diverged relatively recently and are unmistakably sisters because of the many shared characteristics, including the highly conserved karyotypes.

Diversity of the Pterasteridae (Asteroidea) in the Southern Ocean: a molecular and morphological approach

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Quentin Jossart ◽  
Marc Kochzius ◽  
Bruno Danis ◽  
Thomas Saucède ◽  
Camille V E Moreau
Keyword(s):  
Southern Ocean ◽  
Dna Barcode ◽  
Taxonomic Status ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Integrative Approach ◽  
Morphological Identification ◽  
Nominal Species ◽  
Sea Star ◽  
Integrative Study ◽  
Suitable Case

Abstract An integrative approach is crucial in discrimination of species, especially for taxa that are difficult to identify based on morphological characters. In this study, we combine genetics and morphology to assess the diversity of Pterasteridae, a sea star family diversified in deep-sea and polar environments. Because of their derived anatomy and the frequent loss of characters during preservation, Pterasteridae are a suitable case for an integrative study. The molecular identification of 191 specimens (mostly from the Southern Ocean) suggests 26–33 species in three genera (Diplopteraster, Hymenaster and Pteraster), which match the morphological identification in 54–62% of cases. The mismatches are either different molecular units that are morphologically indistinguishable (e.g. Pteraster stellifer units 2 and 4) or, conversely, nominal species that are genetically identical (e.g. Hymenaster coccinatus/densus/praecoquis). Several species are shared between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres (e.g. Pteraster jordani/affinis). In conclusion, the taxonomic status of some groups is confirmed, but for others we find the need to re-evaluate the taxonomy at both genus and species levels. This work significantly increases the DNA barcode library of the Southern Ocean species and merges taxonomic information into an identification key that could become a baseline for future studies (pterasteridae-so.identificationkey.org).

Taxonomic revision of the genus Nychiodes Lederer, 1853 (Geometridae: Ennominae: Boarmiini) with description of three new species—an integrative approach

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4812 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-61
Author(s):  
DOMINIC WANKE ◽  
AXEL HAUSMANN ◽  
LARS KROGMANN ◽  
GERGELY PETRÁNYI ◽  
HOSSEIN RAJAEI
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Dna Barcode ◽  
Taxonomic Revision ◽  
Integrative Approach ◽  
Wing Pattern ◽  
Type Specimens ◽  
Distribution Maps ◽  
Taxonomic Approach ◽  
Three New Species ◽  
A New Species

The non-European taxa of the genus Nychiodes Lederer, 1853 are revised. Type specimens of all described species and a large series of about 800 additional specimens were morphologically examined. More than 400 genitalia preparations were made and analyzed along with distributional and DNA barcode data. As a result of our integrative taxonomic approach, Nychiodes waltheri saerdabica Wehrli, 1938 syn. nov., is synonymized with N. waltheri Wagner, 1919; N. palaestinensis libanotica Zerny, 1933 syn. nov. is synonymized with N. palaestinensis Wagner, 1919 and the synonymy of N. persuavis Wehrli, 1929 syn. rev. with N. palaestinensis is confirmed; N. admirabila safidaria Wiltshire, 1943 syn. nov. is synonymized with N. admirabila Brandt, 1938; N. agatcha Brandt, 1938 syn. nov., N. subvirida disjuncta Wehrli, 1941 syn. nov. and N. subvirida taftana Brandt, 1941 syn. nov. are synonymized with N. subvirida Brandt, 1938. Also, N. variabila variabila Brandt, 1938 syn. nov., N. variabila opulenta Brandt, 1941 syn. nov., N. divergaria elbursica Wehrli, 1937 syn. nov., N. divergaria fallax Wehrli, 1939 syn. nov. and N. divergaria achtyca Wehrli, 1939 syn. nov. are synonymized with N. divergaria Staudinger, 1892. Nychiodes convergata sp. nov. from Israel, N. mirzayansi sp. nov. from the Iran and N. eberti sp. nov. from Turkey are described. Lecto- and paralectotypes are designated for N. palaestinensis, N. antiquaria, N. divergaria. Furthermore, N. antiquaria is reported as a new species for Pakistan, N. rayatica is reported as a new species for Iran and the hypothetical occurrence of N. amygdalaria in Iran is confirmed. Additionally, N. tyttha needs to be excluded from the genus. Wing pattern, male and female genitalia and diagnostic characters of all examined species are illustrated and distribution maps are provided. Illustrated keys based on genitalia, as well as a complete checklist of the genus is given here. 

scholarly journals First record of an indoor pest sawtoothed grain beetle Oryzaephilus surinamensis (Coleoptera: Silvanidae) from wild outdoor wood ant nest

2012 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jouni Sorvari ◽  
Salla K. Härkönen ◽  
Eero J. Vesterinen
Keyword(s):  
Dna Barcode ◽  
First Record ◽  
Oryzaephilus Surinamensis ◽  
Stored Grain ◽  
Cereal Products ◽  
Formica Rufa ◽  
Wood Ants ◽  
Stored Product Pest ◽  
Ant Nest ◽  
Red Wood Ant

Alive individual adult sawtoothed grain beetle Oryzaephilus surinamensis (Linnaeus, 1758) was discovered inside a nest mound of the red wood ant Formica rufa Linnaeus, 1758 during a survey of myrmecophilous invertebrates. The sawtoothed grain beetle is a widespread indoor pest that has not previously been found in an ant nest. It is one of the most common pests in stored grain and cereal products, but the natural life-style of the species is not known. As the site of discovery was exceptional, we verified the species identification using the DNA barcode. If the sawtoothed grain beetle can live in mounds of red wood ants, the mounds may become widespread source habitats for the future infestations of this serious stored product pest.

scholarly journals A revision of European species of the genus Tetrastichus Haliday (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) using integrative taxonomy

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christer Hansson ◽  
Stefan Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Dna Barcoding ◽  
Dna Barcode ◽  
Host Record ◽  
Current Data ◽  
Biological Information ◽  
Morphological Data ◽  
Integrative Approach ◽  
Similar Species ◽  
European Species ◽  
Wide Range

The European species of the genus Tetrastichus (Insecta, Hymenoptera, Eulophidae, Tetrastichinae) are revised with 93 species, including 50 species described as new. The revision was conducted using an integrative taxonomic approach, based on DNA barcoding in combination with morphological characters. The Tetrastichinae are a biologically diverse and species-rich group of parasitoid wasps with numerous complexes of morphologically often very similar species that attack a wide range of hosts in over 100 insect families in 10 different orders. The genus Tetrastichus is, with almost 500 described species, the third largest genus of Tetrastichinae. Although biological information is lacking for most species, current data indicate that Tetrastichus species are gregarious koinobiont endoparasitoids developing on juvenile stages of mainly holometabolous insects. Due to their host specificity, several species of Tetrastichus are used as biological control agents. The European species of Tetrastichus Haliday (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) are revised using a combination of externo-morphological and DNA barcoding data. This is the first integrative approach for any of the large genera of the Tetrastichinae. A total of 93 species are included, of which 50 are described as new: T. agonus sp. n., T. antonjanssoni sp. n., T. argei sp. n., T. argutus sp. n., T. asilis sp. n., T. ballotus sp. n., T. bledius sp. n., T. broncus sp. n., T. calcarius sp. n., T. calmius sp. n., T. clisius sp. n., T. cosidis sp. n., T. cumulus sp. n., T. cyprus sp. n., T. delvarei sp. n., T. doczkali sp. n., T. elanus sp. n., T. elodius sp. n., T. ennis sp. n., T. enodis sp. n., T. erinus sp. n., T. evexus sp. n., T. fadus sp. n., T. fenrisi sp. n., T. flaccius sp. n., T. gredius sp. n., T. iasi sp. n., T. illydris sp. n., T. incanus sp. n., T. inscitus sp. n., T. intruitus sp. n., T. johnnoyesi sp. n., T. lacustrinus sp. n., T. ladrus sp. n., T. lanius sp. n., T. lazius sp. n., T. lixalius sp. n., T. lycus sp. n., T. marcusgrahami sp. n., T. minius sp. n., T. mixtus sp. n., T. nataliedaleskeyae sp. n., T. nymphae sp. n., T. pixius sp. n., T. scardiae sp. n., T. splendens sp. n., T. sti sp. n., T. suecus sp. n., T. tacitus sp. n. and T. tartus sp. n. Two keys for the identification of species are presented, one for females and one for males. Based on DNA barcode sequences for 70 of the species, a Maximum Likelihood tree to assess phylogenetic relationships within the genus is presented. These 70 species are also characterised by a combination of CO1 and morphological data. The remaining 23 species, without a DNA barcode, are characterised by morphological data. Using a combination of data from the morphology and CO1 or morphological data only, the species are separated into three species groups (clito-, hylotomarum-, murcia-groups) with 41 unplaced species outside these groups. Hosts are known for 27 of the species and they are gregarious, koinobiont endoparasitoids on a wide range of immature stages of holometabolous insects and appear to be very host specific. The first host record for Lepidoptera (Tineidae) in Europe is included.

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