Habitat Specificity, Host Plants and Areas of Endemism for the Genera-Group Blepharida s.l. in the Afrotropical Region (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini)

The genus Calotheca Heyden (Chrysomelidae) is mainly distributed in the eastern and southern parts of sub-Saharan Africa, with some extensions northward, while Blepharidina Bechyné occurs in the intertropical zone of Africa, with two subgenera, Blepharidina s. str. and Blepharidina(Afroblepharida) Biondi and D’Alessandro. These genera show different ecological preferences. Through an up-to-date presence–absence dataset, in the light of the terrestrial ecoregions of sub-Saharan Africa and the distribution of their possible host plants, we interpreted the pattern of occurrence of these three supraspecific taxa, by geostatistical analyses in GIS and R environments. The separation of Blepharidina from Calotheca was probably driven by changes in climate as adaptation to more xeric and warm environments with a major occupancy of semidesert and savannah habitats, especially in the Afroblepharida species. Based on our data and analyses, Calotheca is mainly associated with Searsia (Anacardiaceae), and Blepharidina is likely associated with Commiphora (Burseraceae). This hypothesis is also corroborated by the widespread and even dominance of the Commiphora plants in the ecoregions where both Blepharidina s.str. and, above all, Afroblepharida, are more common. The main areas of endemism of the two genera are also differently located: Calotheca in the temperate zone; Blepharidina within the intertropical belt.

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Assortments of Digestive Enzymes Induced in First Instar Larvae of Busseola fusca Feeding on Different Plants

International Journal of Insect Science ◽

10.1177/1179543319843521 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

pp. 117954331984352 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Gérald Juma ◽

Bruno Le Ru ◽

Paul-André Calatayud

Keyword(s):

Plant Species ◽

Digestive Enzymes ◽

Host Plants ◽

Feeding Habits ◽

Busseola Fusca ◽

Stem Borer ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Host Acceptance ◽

First Instar ◽

Sub Saharan

The stem borer Busseola fusca (Fuller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is an important pest of maize and sorghum in sub-Saharan Africa. This insect has oligophagous feeding habits, feeding mostly on maize and sorghum with a narrow range of wild Poaceous plant species. We hypothesised that first instar B. fusca larvae, the critical stage for successful establishment on a host plant, can establish and then grow on a particular plant as a result of induction of a complement of digestive enzymes that mediates host acceptance at first instars. A fast semi-quantitative analysis of potentially digestive enzymatic activities present in the first larvae previously fed for 4 days on leaves of host and non-host plants was performed using the API-ZYM kit system able to detect a multiplex of enzyme activities. Regardless of the plant species, the larvae exhibited higher activities of the carbohydrate metabolising enzymes than of aminopeptidases and proteases. In addition, highest activities of carbohydrates degrading enzymes were exhibited by larvae that consumed leaves of the most preferred plant species of B. fusca. Conversely, esterases were only detected in neonate larvae that consumed leaves of the less preferred and non-host plants. No alkaline phosphatase and lipase activities were detected. The significance of these results was discussed in terms of food requirements of first instar larvae when settling on a plant.

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Supraspecific taxonomy of the flea beetle genus Blepharida Chevrolat, 1836 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in the Afrotropical Region and description of Afroblepharida subgen. nov.

Insect Systematics & Evolution ◽

10.1163/1876312x-48022152 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 48 (2) ◽

pp. 97-155 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Maurizio Biondi ◽

Roberta Frasca ◽

Elizabeth Grobbelaar ◽

Paola D’Alessandro

Keyword(s):

New World ◽

Flea Beetle ◽

Cladistic Analysis ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

New Name ◽

New Subgenus ◽

Afrotropical Region ◽

Sub Saharan

The supraspecific taxonomy of the species traditionally attributed to the flea beetle genusBlepharidaChevrolat, 1836 is discussed. A cladistic analysis, based on 30 morphological characters of traditionalBlepharidaspecies, has revealed that two genera occur in Sub-Saharan Africa:CalothecaHeyden, 1887 andBlepharidinaBechyné, 1968. The latter genus is known from Africa, and probably also Madagascar, and has two subgenera:Blepharidinas.str. andAfroblepharidasubgen. nov. Twenty-seven traditionalBlepharidaspecies are here attributed to the genusCalothecaHeyden, while eighteen species are assigned to the genusBlepharidinaBechyné. FourBlepharidinaspecies,antinorii(Chapuis, 1879),gedyei(Bryant, 1948),scripta(Weise, 1904) andsomaliensis(Bryant, 1948), belong to the new subgenusAfroblepharida. The following new synonymies are established:Eutheca conradsiWeise, 1906= Eutheca erlangeriWeise, 1907 syn. nov. =Blepharidella irregularisBryant, 1945 syn. nov.;Blepharida marginalisWeise, 1902 =Blepharida monticolaWeise, 1926 syn. nov. =Blepharida ugandaeBryant, 1944 syn. nov.;Blepharida inornataJacoby, 1895 =Blepharida semisulcataAchard, 1922 syn. nov.;Blepharidella lewiniWeise in Lewin, 1912 =Blepharidella picticollisBryant, 1945 syn. nov.;Podontia nigrotessellataBaly, 1865= Blepharidella rubrosignataBryant, 1945 syn. nov.= Blepharidella variabilisBryant, 1945 syn. nov.;Blepharida ornataBaly, 1881= Blepharida freyiBechyné, 1954 syn. nov.;Podontia reticulataBaly, 1865= Blepharida guttulaBryant, 1944 syn. nov.;Blepharida antinoriiChapuis, 1879 =Blepharida sudanicaBryant, 1944 syn. nov.;Blepharida scriptaWeise, 1904= Blepharida geminataBryant, 1944 syn. nov. In addition:Blepharida plagipennisAchard, 1922, its locality certainly mislabeled, is transferred to the New World genusNotozonaChevrolat, 1837;Calotheca thunbergiis proposed as the new name forBlepharida stolida(Thunberg, 1808). Finally, an updated catalogue of the known species ofCalothecaandBlepharidinais also supplied, including new synonymies, material examined, new faunistic records, distributions and chorotypes.

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Horse flies (Diptera: Tabanidae) collected in Central African Republic, Gabon and Liberia with comments on their updated distribution

Acta Musei Silesiae Scientiae Naturales ◽

10.2478/cszma-2019-0025 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 68 (3) ◽

pp. 263-274 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jan Ježek ◽

Jan Votýpka ◽

Jana Brzoňová ◽

Jozef Oboňa

Keyword(s):

Current Distribution ◽

Central African Republic ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Malaise Trap ◽

Western Africa ◽

The Family ◽

Afrotropical Region ◽

Horse Flies ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Horse Fly

Abstract A zoogeographical review summarized the current distribution of 28 morphologically determined horse fly species recently collected in three Western Africa countries. In Malaise trap collections, the family Tabanidae was represented by three subfamilies, Pangoniinae, Chrysopsinae and Tabaninae (tribes Philolichini, Chrysopsini, Tabanini and Haematopotini), and six genera: Philoliche Wiedemann, 1828 (1 species), Chrysops Meigen, 1803 (3 specis), Ancala Enderlein, 1922 (2 species), Euancala Enderlein, 1922 (1 species), Tabanus Linnaeus, 1758 (13 species) and Haematopota Meigen, 1803 (8 species). Information contained in the principal publication The Catalogue of the Diptera of the Afrotropical Region 1980 is complemented by newly published studies on horse flies in Sub-Saharan Africa.

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Mango Fruit Fly, Marula Fruit Fly, Ceratitis cosyra (Walker) (Insecta: Diptera: Tephritidae)

EDIS ◽

10.32473/edis-in563-2003 ◽

1969 ◽

Vol 2004 (18) ◽

Author(s):

Gary J. Steck

Keyword(s):

Ivory Coast ◽

Host Plants ◽

Ceratitis Capitata ◽

Fruit Fly ◽

Cooperative Extension Service ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Mango Fruit ◽

University Of Florida ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Ceratitis Cosyra

Ceratitis cosyra is commonly known as the mango fruit fly or marula fruit fly based on its common occurrence in these host plants. Marula is a native African fruit related to mango and sometimes known locally as wild plum. The fly is a serious pest in smallholder and commercial mango across sub-Saharan Africa and has been recorded in Ivory Coast, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, where it is more destructive than either Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly; Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann)) or the Natal fruit fly (Ceratitis rosa Karsch) (Malio 1979; Labuschagne et al. 1996; Javaid 1979; De Lima 1979; Rendell et al. 1995; Lux et al. 1998). This document is EENY-286, originally published as DPI Entomology Circular 394, one of a series of Featured Creatures from the Entomology and Nematology Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Published: May 2003. EENY286/IN563: Mango Fruit Fly, Ceratitis cosyra (Walker) (Insecta: Diptera: Tephritidae) (ufl.edu)

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The first record of Astichus Förster (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae: Entiinae), parasitoids of Ciidae (Coleoptera) in bracket fungi, from the Afrotropical Region and the description of four new species from South Africa

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.3183.1.3 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 3183 (1) ◽

pp. 49 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

OTTILIE C. NESER

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

New Species ◽

South African ◽

First Record ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Distribution Maps ◽

Afrotropical Region ◽

The World ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

First Time

The genus Astichus Förster (Eulophidae: Entiinae) is recorded for the first time from sub-Saharan Africa and four newspecies are described from South Africa: A. micans n. sp., A. silvani n. sp., A. gracilis n. sp. and A. naiadis n. sp. .Astichusspecies are known as parasitoids of Ciidae (Coleoptera) tunnelling and living in bracket fungi. The South African speciesemerged together with Ciidae from a variety of bracket fungi from many localities in the region. They are easily separatedfrom known Astichus species from other regions in the world by their distinctive colour and patterning. A key to the SouthAfrican Astichus species, distribution maps, and notes on biology are included, as well as identifications of Ciidae and bracket fungus specimens encountered in the study.

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Contribution to the taxonomic revision of Brachycorythis-complex (Orchidaceae, Orchidoideae)

Biodiversity Research and Conservation ◽

10.2478/biorc-2021-0004 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 62 (1) ◽

pp. 5-117

Author(s):

Natalia Olędrzyńska ◽

Dariusz Lucjan Szlachetko

Keyword(s):

Molecular Markers ◽

Common Ancestor ◽

Taxonomic Revision ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Distribution Data ◽

Last Common Ancestor ◽

Ecological Preferences ◽

Sub Saharan

Abstract The aim of this paper is to present materials towards the taxonomic revision of Brachycorythis-complex (Orchidinae, Orchidaceae), which constitutes seven terrestrial genera and forty-eight species distributed in sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar and SW Asia. The detailed morphological descriptions, together with distribution data and ecological preferences for particular taxa are provided. Artificial keys for taxa identification were prepared. A molecular timescale for Brachycorythis species on a background of the subtribe Orchidinae was reconstructed using nuclear and plastid molecular markers. The results show that representatives of Brachycorythis separated from its last common ancestor presumably ca 20 Mya and the youngest taxa within the group seem to be its Asiatic representatives.

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Habitats and nutritional composition of selected edible insects in Zimbabwe

Journal of Insects as Food and Feed ◽

10.3920/jiff2015.0083 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2 (3) ◽

pp. 189-198 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

R. Musundire ◽

C.J. Zvidzai ◽

C. Chidewe ◽

B.K. Samende ◽

A. Chemura

Keyword(s):

Host Plants ◽

Sustainable Use ◽

Nutritional Composition ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Food Sources ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Edible Insects ◽

Animal Products ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Insects As Food

Edible insects are gaining recognition as food with potential of contributing to attainment of household food security. In sub-Saharan Africa, sustainable use of insects as food is threatened by lack of data on host plants and habitatassociations. In addition, lack of nutritional data on most edible insects reduces consumer confidence and limits integration of insect consumption with other food sources. This study was undertaken to review, collate and assembledispersed information of some edible insects of Zimbabwe. Data on species identities, host plants and habitats weregathered for 14 species from reputable literature sources and Bulawayo Natural History Museum records. In addition, nutritional assessments were carried out on 10 widely consumed insects in Zimbabwe. Standard ecological samplingprocedures were used to collect insect specimens. Proximate analyses were conducted following the Association of Official Analytical Chemists standard procedures using dried pulverised material. Majority (60%) of reviewedinsects had reliable host plants and habitats records. More than half of these were recorded in agro-ecosystems. On dry matter basis, protein content ranged from 22%(Gryllotalpa africana) to 55.4% (Gonimbrasia belina); fat content ranged from 10.8% (G. africana) to 41.6% (Macrotermes natalensis). Ash content was >10% in the ground dwelling G. africana (12.6%) and Eulopida mashona larvae (10.9%). Wide species differences were recorded for carbohydrate content; 0.4% in M. natalensis and 47.2% in G. africana. Carbohydrates content was inversely relatedto protein and fat contents for all insects. Energy and fat contents were positively related in all the insects. Overall, insect species from this study have high proximate constituents that can match plant and animal products diets andcan be considered as potential viable alternative nutritious food sources. Findings from this study are expected to promote greater recognition of insects as food in Zimbabwe and encourage up-scaling of their sustainable utilisation.

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RTS,S/AS01, a vaccine targeting pre-erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium falciparum

Emerging Topics in Life Sciences ◽

10.1042/etls20170101 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 1 (6) ◽

pp. 533-537

Author(s):

Lorenz von Seidlein ◽

Borimas Hanboonkunupakarn ◽

Podjanee Jittmala ◽

Sasithon Pukrittayakamee

Keyword(s):

Protective Efficacy ◽

Age Groups ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Phase Iii ◽

European Medicines Agency ◽

Older Children ◽

Pivotal Phase ◽

Malaria Epidemiology ◽

Maximum Benefit ◽

Sub Saharan

RTS,S/AS01 is the most advanced vaccine to prevent malaria. It is safe and moderately effective. A large pivotal phase III trial in over 15 000 young children in sub-Saharan Africa completed in 2014 showed that the vaccine could protect around one-third of children (aged 5–17 months) and one-fourth of infants (aged 6–12 weeks) from uncomplicated falciparum malaria. The European Medicines Agency approved licensing and programmatic roll-out of the RTSS vaccine in malaria endemic countries in sub-Saharan Africa. WHO is planning further studies in a large Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme, in more than 400 000 young African children. With the changing malaria epidemiology in Africa resulting in older children at risk, alternative modes of employment are under evaluation, for example the use of RTS,S/AS01 in older children as part of seasonal malaria prophylaxis. Another strategy is combining mass drug administrations with mass vaccine campaigns for all age groups in regional malaria elimination campaigns. A phase II trial is ongoing to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of the RTSS in combination with antimalarial drugs in Thailand. Such novel approaches aim to extract the maximum benefit from the well-documented, short-lasting protective efficacy of RTS,S/AS01.

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