Cicindis horni Bruch (Coleoptera: Carabidae, Cicindini): The Fairy Shrimp Hunting Beetle, its way of life on the Salinas Grandes of Argentina

Zootaxa ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 553 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
TERRY L. ERWIN ◽  
VALERIA ASCHERO

Discovery of a large population of the rare and poorly known carabid beetle Cicindis horni Bruch on the Salinas Grandes of C rdoba Province, Argentina provided an opportunity to record aspects of its behavior and life history, and to test several hypotheses previously made about it way of life. This highly unusual species was known in the literature from the description of only two museum specimens and its phylogenetic relationships ambiguous. Adults spend the night in search of food or mates swimming on the water surface of alkaline water bodies. Mid-tibial natatorial setae, tarsal setal fringes, ventral vestiture, and genal/pronotal planing surfaces plus decumbent and very sharply pointed mandibles are specific adaptations that permit adults of this species to behave as swimming superspecialist predators. Therefore, there have been four independent invasions of the aquatic habitat by adephagan Coleoptera. Populations of C. horni Bruch are probably limited by the extent of the great salt flats of Argentina (550,000 hectares) located in north-central Argentina and are further limited edaphically within the overall geographic range.

Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4341 (2) ◽  
pp. 193 ◽  
Author(s):  
MUSTAFA ÜNAL ◽  
GEORGE W. BECCALONI

The endemic Madagascan genera Oncodopus Brongniart and Colossopus Saussure are revised using museum specimens, including the types, and recently collected material. A new genus, Malagasopus gen. nov., and seven new species, Malagasopus desutterae sp. nov., Malagasopus meridianus sp. nov., Oncodopus janetae sp. nov., Oncodopus brongniarti sp. nov., Oncodopus saussurei sp. nov., Oncodopus soalalaensis sp. nov. and Colossopus parvicavus sp. nov. are described. Lectotypes are designated for Oncodopus zonatus Brongniart, 1897 and Colossopus redtenbacheri (Brongniart, 1897). A new term, mesothoracic auricle, is proposed for a structure on the episternum of the mesothorax. A tabulated key to the genera and keys to the species are presented. All species are described and diagnosed, and their phylogenetic relationships, geographical distributions, habitat preferences and phenologies are documented. The life history of Colossopus grandidieri is described, and the unusual possible mate-guarding behaviour of several species is discussed. Maps showing the distribution of the species are presented, as too are 57 photographs of museum specimens, 51 drawings of morphological characters, 17 photographs of living specimens and one habitat photograph. 


Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 695
Author(s):  
Sara Farhadi ◽  
Behrooz Atashbar Kangarloei ◽  
Ahmad Imani ◽  
Kourosh Sarvi Moghanlou

B. orientalis, fairy shrimp, is often among the most conspicuous invertebrates inhabiting temporary aquatic habitats with a typical variation in environmental conditions. Its life history characteristics and biochemical composition were studied under four different photoperiodic regimes (24L:0D, 0L:24D, 16L:8D, and 12L:12D). The significantly highest cumulative and initial hatching rates (48 h) were obtained at 24L:0D (p < 0.05). Cultivating the larvae under different photoperiods did not significantly affect specific growth rate (SGR) (p > 0.05). However, higher final total body length and daily growth rate were recorded under constant darkness. Higher lipid content was found at 24L:0D to the extent that it was more than two times higher than that at 16L:8D and 12L:12D (p < 0.05). There was also a remarkable increase in body crude protein content at 24L:0D (p < 0.05). Body fatty-acid profiles of the fairy shrimps were also affected by culture condition (p < 0.05). Extension of lighting period resulted in a subtle increase in body contents of arginine, lysine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, valine, methionine, and phenylalanine, especially in the group kept under a 16L:8D regime. The highest and lowest digestive enzyme activity was observed at 0L:24D and 24L:0D, respectively (p < 0.05). In contrast, the highest and lowest soluble protein content was recorded at 24L:0D and 0L:24D, respectively (p < 0.05). Similarly, antioxidant status was significantly higher at 0L:24D (p < 0.05). In conclusion, a 16L:8D light–dark cycle might be an optimal condition in terms of growth performance and physio-biochemical characteristics. These findings could be helpful in optimizing the rearing conditions for upscaling B. orientalis production.


1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 997-1000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric P. Hoberg

The Tetrabothriidae represent the dominant group of cestodes, previously known only as adult parasites, in marine birds and mammals. Recognition of their unique plerocercoid larvae provides the first definitive evidence for life history patterns and phylogenetic relationships with other cestodes. Affinities of the Tetrabothriidae and Tetraphyllidea, cestodes of elasmobranchs, are indicated by larval morphology and ontogeny. However, patterns of sequential heterochrony in the ontogeny of the adult scolex of Tetrabothrius sp. appear to be unique among the Eucestoda. Tetrabothriids constitute a fauna that originated by host switching from elasmobranchs to homeotherms, via ecological associations, following invasion of marine communities by birds and mammals in the Tertiary.


1983 ◽  
Vol 115 (10) ◽  
pp. 1329-1354 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. W. Betz

AbstractTrichadenotecnum alexanderae Sommerman is shown to represent one biparental (= euphrasic) species capable of facultative parthenogenesis (thelytoky) and three uniparental (= obligatorily parthenogenetic) sibling species, as determined by tests for mating, life history observations, and morphological analysis of specimens over the geographic range of the species complex. The name T. alexanderae is restricted to the biparental species because the holotype is a male. The three uniparental species are here named and described as T. castum n. sp., T. merum n. sp., and T. innuptum n. sp. The female of T. alexanderae is redescribed to allow its separation from the three uniparental species. A key to females of the species complex is supplied. All three uniparental species were derived from the biparental ancestor of T. alexanderae. Most collections of populations represented only by females consist of one or more uniparental species. Facultative parthenogenesis is shown to maintain a population of T. alexanderae through one generation only. The biparental species is found not to be restricted geographically to a relictual or peripheral range within the species complex, but to occupy a rather wide, north-temperate distribution across eastern North America.


2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 63-71
Author(s):  
Tanya Dzhanfezova ◽  
Chris Doherty ◽  
Nedko Elenski

The preliminary analysis of Early Neolithic pottery from North Central Bulgaria, and the site of Dzhulyunitsa specifically, yielded surprising results which affect a number of aspects related to the study of the Neolithisation processes. Not all characteristic features traditionally considered as key signal of the Neolithisation processes were confirmed by our mineralogical and chemical analysis. A number of specifics related to the presence of engobe for instance, indicate a considerably more complex picture. In some cases the observations show no additional slip, just a simple burnish of the brownish ware, whereas in others a true slip covers both the inner and the outer surface of the vessels (white or cream-slip ware). With regard to the red engobe specifically, the majority of studied fragments actually have just red-colour surface that results from the oxidation or the rubbing of ochre, and not from the addition of a true slip. These observations raise the following question: do we actually compare same technological approaches, traditionally seen as signal for the spread of the Neolithic way of life? Furthermore, as regards the provenance of the vessels, materials expected to have local origin proved to be imported whereas others, seen as more specific and coming from distant territories were actually made on the spot by local row-materials. Even at this stage the preliminary results do not confirm some of the traditional views on this early material, raise a series of new questions and represent a ground for further interpretations and discussions regarding an eventual fragility of some models suggested for the Neolithisation processes in this part of South-East Europe.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 2632-2644 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul G. Harnik ◽  
Hafiz Maherali ◽  
Joshua H. Miller ◽  
Paul S. Manos

Copeia ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 107 (4) ◽  
pp. 622
Author(s):  
Nicholas M. Caruso ◽  
Leslie J. Rissler

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