scholarly journals Wing interference patterns are consistent and sexually dimorphic in the four families of crane flies (Diptera, Tipuloidea)

ZooKeys ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 1080 ◽  
pp. 135-163
Author(s):  
Robert T. Conrow ◽  
Jon K. Gelhaus
Keyword(s):  
Sexually Dimorphic ◽  
Generic Level ◽  
Structural Colors ◽  
Insect Wings ◽  
Crane Flies ◽  
Drexel University ◽  
Representative Species ◽  
Stable Species ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
First Time

Wing interference patterns (WIP) are stable structural colors in insect wings caused by thin-film interference. This study seeks to establish WIP as a stable, sexually dimorphic, species-level character across the four families of Tipuloidea and investigate generic level WIP. Thirteen species of Tipuloidea were selected from museum specimens in the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University collection. One wing from a male and female of each representative species was excised and mounted to a slide with coverslip, placed against a black background, and imaged using an integrated microscope camera. Images were minimally retouched but otherwise unchanged. Descriptions of the WIP for each sex of each species are provided. Twelve of thirteen species imaged had WIP, which were stable and species specific while eight of those twelve had sexually dimorphic WIP. Comparisons of three species of Nephrotoma were inconclusive regarding a generic level WIP. Gnophomyia tristissima had higher intraspecific variation than other species examined. This study confirms stable, species specific WIP in all four families of crane flies for the first time. More research must be done regarding generic-level stability of WIP in crane flies as well as the role sexual and natural selection play in the evolution of wing interference patterns in insects.

scholarly journals Love at first flight: Wing interference patterns are species-specific and sexually dimorphic in blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathan J. Butterworth ◽  
Thomas E. White ◽  
Phillip G. Byrne ◽  
James F. Wallman
Keyword(s):  
Sexually Dimorphic ◽  
Quantitative Evidence ◽  
Sexual Dimorphisms ◽  
Australian Species ◽  
Insect Wings ◽  
As Species ◽  
Tentative Model ◽  
Specific Variation ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Mating Cues

AbstractWing interference patterns (WIPs) are stable structural colours displayed on insect wings which are only visible at specific viewing geometries and against certain backgrounds. These patterns are widespread among flies and wasps, and growing evidence suggests that they may function as species- and sex-specific mating cues in a range of taxa. As such, it is expected that WIPs should differ between species and show clear sexual dimorphisms. However, the true extent to which WIPs vary between species, sexes, and individuals is currently unclear, as previous studies have only taken a qualitative approach, without considering how WIPs might be perceived by the insect. Here, we perform the first quantitative analysis of inter- and intra-specific variation in WIPs across seven Australian species of the blowfly genus Chrysomya. Using multispectral digital imaging and a tentative model of blowfly colour vision, we provide quantitative evidence that WIPs are species-specific, highlight that the extent of divergence is greater in males than in females, and demonstrate sexual dimorphisms in several species. These data provide evidence that WIPs have diversified substantially in blowflies and suggests that sexual selection may have played a role in this process.

First description of the male of Cretaconiopteryx grandis Liu & Lu, 2017 (Neuroptera: Coniopterygidae) from the Cretaceous Burmese amber

Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4674 (4) ◽  
pp. 482-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
HONGYU LI ◽  
BO WANG ◽  
XINGYUE LIU
Keyword(s):  
Male Genitalia ◽  
Upper Cretaceous ◽  
Sister Group ◽  
Sister Group Relationship ◽  
Burmese Amber ◽  
Representative Species ◽  
First Time

The male of Cretaconiopteryx grandis Liu & Lu, 2017, which is the only representative species of the extinct dustywing subfamily Cretaconiopteryginae, is described for the first time from the Upper Cretaceous Burmese amber. The male genitalia, well preserved in the examined specimen, show a number of plesiomorphic characters, which support the sister group relationship between Coniopterygidae and the rest of extant lacewing families. 

scholarly journals Bark traits, decomposition and flammability of Australian forest trees

2017 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saskia Grootemaat ◽  
Ian J. Wright ◽  
Peter M. van Bodegom ◽  
Johannes H. C. Cornelissen ◽  
Veronica Shaw
Keyword(s):  
Forest Tree ◽  
Remarkable Feature ◽  
Interspecific Differences ◽  
Eucalypt Plantations ◽  
Physical Traits ◽  
Key Driver ◽  
Multiple Species ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
First Time ◽  
Different Tissues

Bark shedding is a remarkable feature of Australian trees, yet relatively little is known about interspecific differences in bark decomposability and flammability, or what chemical or physical traits drive variation in these properties. We measured the decomposition rate and flammability (ignitibility, sustainability and combustibility) of bark from 10 common forest tree species, and quantified correlations with potentially important traits. We compared our findings to those for leaf litter, asking whether the same traits drive flammability and decomposition in different tissues, and whether process rates are correlated across tissue types. Considerable variation in bark decomposability and flammability was found both within and across species. Bark decomposed more slowly than leaves, but in both tissues lignin concentration was a key driver. Bark took longer to ignite than leaves, and had longer mass-specific flame durations. Variation in flammability parameters was driven by different traits in the different tissues. Decomposability and flammability were each unrelated, when comparing between the different tissue types. For example, species with fast-decomposing leaves did not necessarily have fast-decomposing bark. For the first time, we show how patterns of variation in decomposability and flammability of bark diverge across multiple species. By taking species-specific bark traits into consideration there is potential to make better estimates of wildfire risks and carbon loss dynamics. This can lead to better informed management decisions for Australian forests, and eucalypt plantations, worldwide.

scholarly journals The Morphological and Anatomical Traits of the Leaf in Representative Vinca Species Observed on Indoor- and Outdoor-Grown Plants

Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 622
Author(s):  
Alexandra Ciorîță ◽  
Septimiu Cassian Tripon ◽  
Ioan Gabriel Mircea ◽  
Dorina Podar ◽  
Lucian Barbu-Tudoran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spongy Parenchyma ◽  
Palisade And Spongy Parenchyma ◽  
Chemical Composition Of Plants ◽  
Ultrastructural Characteristics ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Microscopy Techniques ◽  
First Time ◽  
Thick Layers ◽  
Space Ratio ◽  
Indoor And Outdoor

Morphological and anatomical traits of the Vinca leaf were examined using microscopy techniques. Outdoor Vinca minor and V. herbacea plants and greenhouse cultivated V. major and V. major var. variegata plants had interspecific variations. All Vinca species leaves are hypostomatic. However, except for V. minor leaf, few stomata were also present on the upper epidermis. V. minor leaf had the highest stomatal index and V. major had the lowest, while the distribution of trichomes on the upper epidermis was species-specific. Differentiated palisade and spongy parenchyma tissues were present in all Vinca species’ leaves. However, V. minor and V. herbacea leaves had a more organized anatomical aspect, compared to V. major and V. major var. variegata leaves. Additionally, as a novelty, the cellular to intercellular space ratio of the Vinca leaf’s mesophyll was revealed herein with the help of computational analysis. Lipid droplets of different sizes and aspects were localized in the spongy parenchyma cells. Ultrastructural characteristics of the cuticle and its epicuticular waxes were described for the first time. Moreover, thick layers of cutin seemed to be characteristic of the outdoor plants only. This could be an adaptation to the unpredictable environmental conditions, but nevertheless, it might influence the chemical composition of plants.

Unique hooks in the male scaled squid Lepidoteuthis grimaldi

2003 ◽  
Vol 83 (5) ◽  
pp. 1099-1100 ◽  
Author(s):  
George D. Jackson ◽  
Steve O'Shea
Keyword(s):  
Sexually Dimorphic ◽  
First Time

The male scaled squid Lepidoteuthis grimaldii hereby reported for the first time, is equipped with a pair of grossly enlarged sabre-like hooks. These unique hooks, found only on males, are without parallel amongst cephalopods. As a sexually dimorphic character, they are more likely to be involved in reproduction than predation.

A new species of Tipula (Lunatipula) and two new records of crane flies from Kyrgyzstan (Diptera: Tipulidae)

2005 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 161-163
Author(s):  
V.E. Pilipenko
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
New Records ◽  
Crane Flies ◽  
First Time ◽  
A New Species

Tipula (Lunatipula) milkoi sp. n. is described from Kyrgyzstan. The new species belongs to the Tipula zarnigor group and is closely related to T. (L.) zarnigor Savchenko and T. (L.) lehriana Savchenko. Two tipulid species, Nephrotoma lundbecki lundbecki (Nielsen) and Tipula (Yamatotipula) pierrei Tonnoir, are recorded from Kyrgyzstan for the first time.

scholarly journals The conservation of a core virome in Aedes mosquitoes across different developmental stages and continents

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chenyan Shi ◽  
Lu Zhao ◽  
Evans Atoni ◽  
Weifeng Zeng ◽  
Xiaomin Hu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Vector Competence ◽  
Metagenomic Dataset ◽  
Aedes Mosquitoes ◽  
Stable Species ◽  
Core Set ◽  
Laboratory Colonies ◽  
Novel Virus ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Great Burden

AbstractMosquitoes belonging to the genus Aedes can efficiently transmit many pathogenic arboviruses, placing a great burden on public health worldwide. In addition, they also carry a number of insect specific viruses (ISVs), and it was recently suggested that some of these ISVs might form a stable species-specific “core virome” in mosquito populations. However, little is known about such a core virome in laboratory colonies and if it is present across different developmental stages. In this study, we compared the viromes in eggs, larvae, pupae and adults of Aedes albopictus mosquitoes collected from the field as well as from a lab colony. The virome in lab-derived Ae. albopictus is very stable across all stages, consistent with a vertical transmission route of these viruses, forming a “vertically transmitted core virome”. The different stages of field collected Ae. albopictus mosquitoes also contains this stable vertically transmitted core virome as well as another set of viruses shared by mosquitoes across different stages, which might be an “environment derived core virome”. Both these vertically and environmentally transmitted core viromes in Ae. albopictus deserve more attention with respect to their effects on vector competence for important medically relevant arboviruses. To further study this core set of ISVs, we screened 46 publically available SRA viral metagenomic dataset of mosquitoes belonging to the genus Aedes. Some of the identified core ISVs are identified in the majority of SRAs. In addition, a novel virus, Aedes phasmavirus, is found to be distantly related to Yongsan bunyavirus 1, and the genomes of the core virus Phasi Charoen-like phasivirus is highly prevalent in the majority of the tested samples, with nucleotide identities ranging from 94% to 99%. Finally, Guadeloupe mosquito virus, and some related viruses formed three separated phylogenetic clades. How these core ISVs influence the biology of mosquito host, arboviruses infection and evolution deserve to be further explored.

scholarly journals Ribosome profiling in Streptococcus pneumoniae reveals the role of methylation of 23S rRNA nucleotide G748 on ribosome stalling

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatsuma Shoji ◽  
Akiko Takaya ◽  
Yoko Kusuya ◽  
Hiroki Takahashi ◽  
Hiroto Kawashima
Keyword(s):  
Streptococcus Pneumoniae ◽  
Ribosome Profiling ◽  
23S Rrna ◽  
Ribosome Stalling ◽  
70S Ribosome ◽  
Exit Tunnel ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Peptidyltransferase Center ◽  
First Time

2.Abstract(1) BackgroundMany nucleotides in 23S rRNA are methylated post-transcriptionally by methyltransferases and cluster around the peptidyltransferase center (PTC) and the nascent peptidyl exit tunnel (NPET) located in 50S subunit of 70S ribosome. Biochemical interactions between a nascent peptide and the tunnel may stall ribosome movement and affect expression levels of the protein. However, no studies have shown a role for NPET on ribosome stalling using an NPET mutant.(2) ResultsA ribosome profiling assay in Streptococcus pneumoniae demonstrates for the first time that an NPET mutant exhibits completely different ribosome occupancy compared to wild-type. We demonstrate, using RNA footprinting, that changes in ribosome occupancy correlate with changes in ribosome stalling. Further, statistical analysis shows that short peptide sequences that cause ribosome stalling are species-specific and evolutionarily selected. NPET structure is required to realize these specie-specific ribosome stalling.(3) ConclusionsResults support the role of NPET on ribosome stalling. NPET structure is required to realize the species-specific and evolutionary conserved ribosome stalling. These findings clarify the role of NPET structure on the translation process.

scholarly journals Sperm chemotaxis is driven by the slope of the chemoattractant concentration field

eLife ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Héctor Vicente Ramírez-Gómez ◽  
Vilma Jimenez Sabinina ◽  
Martín Velázquez Pérez ◽  
Carmen Beltran ◽  
Jorge Carneiro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Marine Invertebrates ◽  
Strongylocentrotus Purpuratus ◽  
Concentration Field ◽  
Stimulus Function ◽  
Frequency Entrainment ◽  
Sperm Chemotaxis ◽  
Coupling Force ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
First Time ◽  
Fundamental Requirement

Spermatozoa of marine invertebrates are attracted to their conspecific female gamete by diffusive molecules, called chemoattractants, released from the egg investments in a process known as chemotaxis. The information from the egg chemoattractant concentration field is decoded into intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) changes that regulate the internal motors that shape the flagellum as it beats. By studying sea urchin species-specific differences in sperm chemoattractant-receptor characteristics we show that receptor density constrains the steepness of the chemoattractant concentration gradient detectable by spermatozoa. Through analyzing different chemoattractant gradient forms, we demonstrate for the first time that Strongylocentrotus purpuratus sperm are chemotactic and this response is consistent with frequency entrainment of two coupled physiological oscillators: i) the stimulus function and ii) the [Ca2+]i changes. We demonstrate that the slope of the chemoattractant gradients provides the coupling force between both oscillators, arising as a fundamental requirement for sperm chemotaxis.

scholarly journals The “good, the bad and the double-sword” effects of exposure to MPs and their organic additives on N2-fixing bacteria

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Víctor Fernández-Juárez ◽  
Xabier López-Alforja ◽  
Aida Frank-Comas ◽  
Pedro Echeveste ◽  
Antoni Bennasar-Figueras ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Posidonia Oceanica ◽  
Dioctyl Phthalate ◽  
Benthic Organisms ◽  
Protein Overexpression ◽  
Organic Additives ◽  
Physical Interactions ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Micro Organisms ◽  
First Time

AbstractThe accumulation of microplastics (MPs) pollution at depths suggests the susceptibility of benthic organisms (e.g. seagrasses and their associated macro- and micro-organisms) to the effects of these pollutants. Little is known about the direct effects of MPs and their organic additives on marine bacteria, e.g. in one of the most ecologically significant groups, the diazotrophs or N2-fixing bacteria. To fill this gap of knowledge, we exposed marine diazotrophs found in association with the endemic Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica to pure MPs which differ in physical properties (e.g. density, hydrophobicity and/or size), namely, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polystyrene (PS) and to their most abundant associated organic additives (e.g. fluoranthene, 1,2,5,6,9,10-hexabromocyclododecane [HBCD] and dioctyl-phthalate [DEHP]). Growth, protein overexpression, direct physical interactions between MPs and bacteria, phosphorus (P) acquisition mechanisms and N2-fixation rates were evaluated. Our results show species-specific responses of the autotrophic and heterotrophic N2-fixing bacteria tested and the responses were dependent on the type and concentration of MPs and additives. N2-fixing cyanobacteria were positively affected by environmental and high concentrations of MPs (e.g. PVC), as opposed to heterotrophic strains, that were only positively affected with high concentrations of ∼120 µm-size MPs (detecting the overexpression of proteins related to plastic degradation and C-transport), and negatively affected by 1 µm-size PS beads. Generally, the organic additives (e.g. fluoranthene) had a deleterious effect in both autotrophic and heterotrophic N2-fixing bacteria and the magnitude of the effect is suggested to be dependent on bacterial size. We did not find evidences that specific N2-fixation rates were significantly affected by exposure to MPs, albeit changes in bacterial abundance can affect the bulk N2-fixation rates. In summary, we reported for the first time, the beneficial (the “good”), deleterious (the “bad”) and/or both (the “double-sword”) effects of exposure to MPs and their organic additives on diazotrophs found in association with seagrasses.

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