Three first records of stick insects attacking plants (Inseect: Phasmida) in Tibet

Abstract Except for a few stick insects that are economically valuable, most species be considered to be forest pests, so it is extremely important to obtain plant host-use information of more stick insects. In this paper, the plant hosts of three species of stick insects were recorded for the first time. We also discovered these stick insects can feed upon the flowers or leaves of plants. Lopaphus unidentatus (Chen & He, 1995) (Phasmida: Lonchodidae) attacked Hypericum choisianum Wall. ex N. Robson, 1973 (Hypericaceae), Leurophasma dolichocercum Bi, 1995 (Phasmida: Aschiphasmatidae) attacked Antenoron filiforme (Thunb.) Roberty & Vautier, 1964 (Polygonaceae) and Megalophasma granulatum Bi, 1995 (Phasmida: Lonchodidae) attacked Debregeasia orientalis C. J. Chen, 1991 (Urticaceae). Finally, we were lucky enough to also obtain photographs of them mating and feeding.

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Associations of Phoretic Mites on Bark Beetles of the Genus Ips in the Black Sea Mountains of Turkey

Forests ◽

10.3390/f12050516 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (5) ◽

pp. 516

Author(s):

Cihan Cilbircioğlu ◽

Marta Kovač ◽

Milan Pernek

Keyword(s):

Black Sea ◽

Bark Beetles ◽

Pinus Nigra ◽

Mite Species ◽

Tree Bark ◽

The Black Sea ◽

Forest Pests ◽

Larval Stages ◽

Suitable Habitats ◽

First Time

Phoretic mites use bark beetles for transportation to new, suitable habitats. Some phoretic mites act as predators and parasitoids of the bark beetles’ immature stages, especially egg and early larval stages, and are potential agents for the biological control of scolytine forest pests. Mites live very frequently in relationships with other invertebrates. Many are found in association with various species of bark beetles. Here, a total of 41 specimens of different bark beetles of the genus Ips (Ips acuminatus, Ips sexdentatus and Ips typographus) were studied for presence, species composition, and abundance of phoretic mites. The beetles were collected on dead wood and parts of tree bark of Pinus nigra, Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies in the Black Sea Mountains in Kastamonu and Artin Province of Turkey. A total of nine mite species were found, including Dendrolaelaps quadrisetus, Ereynetes sp., Histiostoma piceae, Paraleius cf. leontonychus, Pleuronectocelaeno barbara., Proctolaelaps hystricoides, Schizostethus simulatrix, Trichouropoda lamellosa and Uroobovellaipidis. All species are identified for the first time within Turkish fauna.

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Associations of Phoretic Mites on Bark Beetles of the Genus Ips in the Black Sea Mountains of Turkey

10.20944/preprints202101.0285.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Cihan Cilbircioğlu ◽

Marta Matek Kovač ◽

Milan Pernek

Keyword(s):

Black Sea ◽

Bark Beetles ◽

Pinus Nigra ◽

Mite Species ◽

Tree Bark ◽

The Black Sea ◽

Forest Pests ◽

Larval Stages ◽

Suitable Habitats ◽

First Time

Phoretic mites use bark beetles for transportation to new, suitable habitats. Some phoretic mites act as predators and parasitoids of the bark beetles’ immature stages, especially egg and early larval stages, and are potential agents for the biological control of scolytine forest pests. One of the most numerous and largest mite orders is Mesostigmata which live very frequently in relationships with other invertebrates. Many are found in association with various species of bark beetles. Here, a total of 41 specimens of different bark beetles of the genus Ips (I. acuminatus, I. sexdentatus and I. typographus) were studied for presence, species composition, and abundance of phoretic mites. The beetles were collected on dead wood and parts of tree bark of Pinus nigra, P. slyvestris and Picea abies in the Black Sea Mountains in Kastamonu and Artin Province of Turkey. A total of 9 mite species in 2 genera were found, including Dendrolaelaps quadrisetus, Ereynetes sp., Histiostoma piceae, Paraleius cf. leontonychus, Pleuronectocaeleno barbara., Proctolaelaps hystricoides, Schizostethus simulatrix, Trichouropoda lamellosa and Urobovella ipidis. All species and genera are identified for the first time within Turkish fauna.

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Adaptive zones shape the magnitude of premating reproductive isolation in Timema stick insects

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.2019.0541 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 375 (1806) ◽

pp. 20190541 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Moritz Muschick ◽

Víctor Soria-Carrasco ◽

Jeffrey L. Feder ◽

Zach Gompert ◽

Patrik Nosil

Keyword(s):

Species Diversity ◽

Reproductive Isolation ◽

Fossil Record ◽

Distinct Species ◽

Flowering Plants ◽

Population Divergence ◽

Host Use ◽

Theme Issue ◽

Stick Insects ◽

Ecological Shifts

Simpson's fossil-record inspired model of ‘adaptive zones’ proposes that evolution is dominated by small fluctuations within adaptive zones, occasionally punctuated by larger shifts between zones. This model can help explain why the process of population divergence often results in weak or moderate reproductive isolation (RI), rather than strong RI and distinct species. Applied to the speciation process, the adaptive zones hypothesis makes two inter-related predictions: (i) large shifts between zones are relatively rare, (ii) when large shifts do occur they generate stronger RI than shifts within zones. Here, we use ecological, phylogenetic and behavioural data to test these predictions in Timema stick insects. We show that host use in Timema is dominated by moderate shifts within the systematic divisions of flowering plants and conifers, with only a few extreme shifts between these divisions. However, when extreme shifts occur, they generate greater RI than do more moderate shifts. Our results support the adaptive zones model, and suggest that the net contribution of ecological shifts to diversification is dependent on both their magnitude and frequency. We discuss the generality of our findings in the light of emerging evidence from diverse taxa that the evolution of RI is not always the only factor determining the origin of species diversity. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Towards the completion of speciation: the evolution of reproductive isolation beyond the first barriers’.

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Load Signals Assist the Generation of Movement-Dependent Reflex Reversal in the Femur–Tibia Joint of Stick Insects

Journal of Neurophysiology ◽

10.1152/jn.00625.2006 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 96 (6) ◽

pp. 3532-3537 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Turgay Akay ◽

Ansgar Büschges

Keyword(s):

Time Course ◽

Stick Insect ◽

Motor Output ◽

Chordotonal Organ ◽

Frequency Of Occurrence ◽

Stick Insects ◽

Extensor Motoneuron ◽

Motoneuron Activity ◽

First Time ◽

Stimulation Of

Reinforcement of movement is an important mechanism by which sensory feedback contributes to motor control for walking. We investigate how sensory signals from movement and load sensors interact in controlling the motor output of the stick insect femur–tibia (FT) joint. In stick insects, flexion signals from the femoral chordotonal organ (fCO) at the FT joint and load signals from the femoral campaniform sensilla (fCS) are known to individually reinforce stance-phase motor output of the FT joint by promoting flexor and inhibiting extensor motoneuron activity. We quantitatively compared the time course of inactivation in extensor tibiae motoneurons in response to selective stimulation of fCS and fCO. Stimulation of either sensor generates extensor activity in a qualitatively similar manner but with a significantly different time course and frequency of occurrence. Inactivation of extensor motoneurons arising from fCS stimulation was more reliable but more than threefold slower compared with the extensor inactivation in response to flexion signals from the fCO. In contrast, simultaneous stimulation of both sense organs produced inactivation in motoneurons with a time course typical for fCO stimulation alone, but with a frequency of occurrence characteristic for fCS stimulation. This increase in probability of occurrence was also accompanied by a delayed reactivation of the extensor motoneurons. Our results indicate for the first time that load signals from the leg affect the processing of movement-related feedback in controlling motor output.

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New for Lithuania aphid species of the tribe Eulachnini (Hemiptera: Aphididae, Lachninae): is there any threat to local coniferous forests?

BALTIC FORESTRY ◽

10.46490/vol25iss1pp025 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jurij Danilov ◽

Jekaterina Havelka ◽

Rimantas Rakauskas

Keyword(s):

Host Plants ◽

Aphid Species ◽

Northern Caucasus ◽

Coniferous Forests ◽

Forest Pest ◽

Forest Pests ◽

Coi Sequences ◽

Ecological Specificity ◽

Available Information ◽

First Time

Information about Eulachnini species in Lithuania concerns fragmentary faunistic data, therefore, their diversity, abundancy and ecological specificity is insufficiently studied. The aim of this work was to present available information on the new to Lithuania Eulachnini aphid species detected on coniferous plants in Lithuania in 2004 - 2017, with special regard to their potential impacts on forestry. Partial COI sequences (652 bp) were used to confirm morphology-based identification of new to Lithuania Eulachnini species and to investigate their genetic diversity and relationships with samples collected in other countries. Twenty-seven aphid species of the tribe Eulachnini were detected in 2004 – 2017 in Lithuania. Eight of them are reported from Lithuania for the first time: Cinara (Cinara) brauni, C. (C.) kochiana, C. (C.) neubergi, C. (C.) laricis, C. (C.) pectinatae, C. (C.) piceae, Eulachnus brevipilosus and E. nigricola. Five species of Eulachnini (C. (C.) piceae, C. (C.) nuda, C. (C.) piceicola, C. (C.) pinea, and C. (C.) pini) appeared to be most promising honey dew producers because their host plants, Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris, are the most common conifers in Lithuania. Although five species of Eulachnini were listed in the identification key of forest pests in Lithuania, none of them were of particular importance for now. Out of the recently reported species, only Cinara piceae may be a potential forest pest as it appeared to be rather common in Lithuania and it has been reported as a pest of firs in nurseries of Czech Republic and Northern Caucasus. Most of the samples from Lithuania represented COI haplotypes, which were not previously detected in other countries.

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First Report of Tobacco mild green mosaic virus in Capsicum chinense in Venezuela

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pd-90-1108a ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 90 (8) ◽

pp. 1108-1108 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

C. Córdoba ◽

A. García-Rández ◽

N. Montaño ◽

C. Jordá

Keyword(s):

Mosaic Virus ◽

Seed Transmission ◽

Tomato Mosaic Virus ◽

Capsicum Chinense ◽

Rt Pcr ◽

Plant Host ◽

First Report ◽

Coat Protein Region ◽

Pcr Product ◽

First Time

In July 2003, noticeable deformations of leaves were observed on a local variety of Capsicum chinense, also called ‘Aji dulce’, from a pepper plantation located in Venezuela, (Monagas State). ‘Aji dulce’ is a basic ingredient of the Venezuelan gastronomy with an estimated cultivated area of 2,000 ha. The seeds of this local pepper are obtained by the growers who reproduce and multiply their own seeds every year. Seeds of affected plants were sent to our laboratory, and a group of approximately 100 seeds was sown in a controlled greenhouse that belongs to the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain. Three months later, obvious curling and bubbling developed on the leaves of the plants. Extracts of symptomatic plants tested negative for Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV), Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMV), and Tobacco etch virus (TEV) by double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (DAS-ELISA) with policlonal antibodies specific to each virus (Loewe Biochemica GMBH, Sauerlach, Germany; Phyto-Diagnostics, INRA, France). Total RNA was isolated from 0.5 g of original seed sent from Venezuela and from 25 samples of leaves of plants grown in the greenhouse with an RNeasy Plant Mini Kit (Qiagen Sciences, Germantown, Maryland). The RNA isolated was used in reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with specific primers for Tobacco mild green mosaic virus (TMGMV) (1) predicted to amplify a 530 bp of the coat protein region. From all samples, a RT-PCR product of the expected size was obtained and then sequenced. BLAST analysis of one sequence (GenBank Accession No. DQ460731) showed high levels of identity with TMGMV isolates, with more than 99% nucleotide identity with the DSMZ PV-112 isolate (GenBank Accession No. AJ429096). The symptomatology observed on pepper plants, the TMGMV RT-PCR assay, and the consensus of sequenced regions with TMGMV lead us to conclude that TMGMV was the causal agent of the diseased C. chinense plants. Although TMGMV has a wide plant host range occurring worldwide (1), to our knowledge, this is not only the first time TMGMV has been detected in Venezuela, but also the first report of TMGMV in C. chinense in Venezuela and the first reliable probe of the TMGMV seed transmission. Reference: (1) J. Cohen et al. Ann. Appl. Biol. 138:153, 2001.

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Redbay Ambrosia Beetle-Laurel Wilt Pathogen: A Potential Major Problem for the Florida Avocado Industry

EDIS ◽

10.32473/edis-hs379-2008 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 2008 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Jonathan H. Crane ◽

Jorge E. Peña ◽

J. L. Osborne

Keyword(s):

Woody Plants ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Ambrosia Beetle ◽

Plant Host ◽

Laurel Wilt ◽

Redbay Ambrosia Beetle ◽

Plant Hosts ◽

The U.S

HS1136, a 7-page illustrated factsheet by Jonathan H. Crane, Jorge Peña, and J.L. Osborne, describes this insect-fungal pest attacking woody plants in the laurel family, including avocado. Includes descriptions, origin, detection and spread of the pest, plant hosts in the U.S., a map of counties with the beetle, plant host symptoms and damage, management strategies & restrictions, agencies working on the issue, research and extension efforts, and references. Published by the UF Department of Horticultural Sciences, February 2008. Revised December 2008.

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Philippine mossy forest stick insects: first record of the genus Otraleus Günther, 1935 in the country, with four new species, and the new genus Capuyanus gen. nov. (Phasmida, Diapheromeridae, Necrosciinae)

European Journal of Taxonomy ◽

10.5852/ejt.2017.265 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Joachim Bresseel ◽

Jérôme Constant

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Type Species ◽

New Genus ◽

Single Species ◽

First Record ◽

The Philippines ◽

Identification Key ◽

Distribution Maps ◽

Stick Insects ◽

First Time

The genus Otraleus Günther, 1935 is recorded from the Philippines for the first time. Four new species, Otraleus bellemansae sp. nov., O. applai sp. nov., O. christianae sp. nov. and O. elizabethae sp. nov., are described from the highlands of Northwestern Luzon. The characters allowing separation from O. hypsimelathrus Günther, 1935 and O. labanrataensis Soew-Choen, 2016, are given. A new genus closely related to Otraleus, Capuyanus gen. nov., is described with a single species, C. magwilangi sp. nov., as type-species. An identification key and distribution maps are provided for all species.

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Rubbery Taproot Disease of Sugar Beet in Serbia Associated with ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis-07-20-1602-re ◽

2021 ◽

pp. PDIS-07-20-1602

Author(s):

Živko Ćurčić ◽

Jelena Stepanović ◽

Christina Zübert ◽

Ksenija Taški-Ajduković ◽

Andrea Kosovac ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sugar Beet ◽

Abiotic Factors ◽

Plant Host ◽

Tuf Gene ◽

Phytoplasma Infection ◽

The 1960S ◽

The One ◽

Stolbur Phytoplasma ◽

First Time ◽

Important Disease

Rubbery taproot disease (RTD) of sugar beet was observed in Serbia for the first time in the 1960s. The disease was already described in neighboring Bulgaria and Romania at the time but it was associated with abiotic factors. In this study on RTD of sugar beet in its main growing area of Serbia, we provide evidence of the association between ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’ (stolbur phytoplasma) infection and the occurrence of typical RTD symptomatology. ‘Ca. P. solani’ was identified by PCR and the sequence analyses of 16S ribosomal RNA, tuf, secY, and stamp genes. In contrast, the causative agent of the syndrome “basses richesses” of sugar beet—namely, ‘Ca. Arsenophonus phytopathogenicus’—was not detected. Sequence analysis of the stolbur strain’s tuf gene confirmed a previously reported and a new, distinct tuf stolbur genotype (named ‘tuf d’) that is prevalent in sugar beet. The sequence signatures of the tuf gene as well as the one of stamp both correlate with the epidemiological cycle and reservoir plant host. This study provides knowledge that, for the first time, enables the differentiation of stolbur strains associated with RTD of sugar beet from closely related strains, thereby providing necessary information for further epidemiological work seeking to identify insect vectors and reservoir plant hosts. The results of this study indicate that there are differences in hybrid susceptibility. Clarifying the etiology of RTD as a long-known and economically important disease is certainly the first step toward disease management in Serbia and neighboring countries.

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Insecticidal Activities Against Odontotermes formosanus and Plutella xylostella and Corresponding Constituents of Tung Meal from Vernicia fordii

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects12050425 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (5) ◽

pp. 425

Author(s):

Hui Zhang ◽

Guilin Chen ◽

Shiyou Lü ◽

Lin Zhang ◽

Mingquan Guo

Keyword(s):

Ethyl Acetate ◽

Petroleum Ether ◽

Forest Pests ◽

Vernicia Fordii ◽

Chemical Profiles ◽

Odontotermes Formosanus ◽

First Time ◽

Chemical Pesticides ◽

Agricultural Fertilizer ◽

Insecticidal Activities

The environmental pollution, pesticide resistance, and other associated problems caused by traditional chemical pesticides with limited modes of action make it urgent to seek alternative environmentally-friendly pesticides from natural products. Tung meal, the byproduct of the detoxified Vernicia fordii (Hemsl.) seed, has been commonly used as an agricultural fertilizer and as a pesticide. However, its active insecticidal extracts and ingredients remain elusive. In the present study, the contact toxicities of tung meal extracts against the agricultural and forest pests like O. formosanus and P. xylostella were examined. Our results showed that ethyl acetate and petroleum ether extracts showed the strongest toxicity against O. formosanus and P. xylostella, respectively. In order to further explore the chemical profiles of the ethyl acetate and petroleum ether extracts, UPLC-Q/TOF-MS and GC-MS analyses have been performed, and 20 and 29 compounds were identified from EA and PE extracts, respectively. The present study, for the first time, verified the noteworthy insecticidal activities on the aforementioned agricultural and forest pesticides and revealed the potential active parts and chemical composition, which are conducive to further exploiting the potential of tung meal as a natural plant-derived insecticide for biological control of agricultural and forest pests.

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