Comparative descriptions of the pupae of five species of the <i>Culicoides imicola complex</i> (Diptera, Ceratopogonidae) from South Africa

The viruses causing the economically important livestock diseases of African horse sickness (AHS) and bluetongue (BT) are transmitted by biting midges of the genus Culicoides (Diptera, Cerato po gonidae). In the Old World the most important vectors of these diseases are Culicoides imicola Kieffer, 1913, Culicoides brevitarsis Kieffer, 1917 and Culicoides bolitinos Meiswinkel, 1989. All three of these vectors belong to the Imicola complex of the subgenus Avaritia Fox, 1955. This species complex now comprises 12 sibling species; ten occur in sub-Saharan Africa and are difficult to identify (based mostly on subtle variations in the wing patterns) and so additional methods of reliable identification are needed. The pupal exuviae of the five commonest sibling species (C. imicola, C. bolitinos, Culicoides loxodontis Meiswinkel, 1992, Culicoides tuttifrutti Meiswinkel, Cornet & Dyce, 2003 and Culicoides sp. # 107) harvested from a variety of large herbivore dung types and from decaying fruits, are described and illustrated in detail. It is shown that they can be differentiated clearly on a number of morphological characters and, furthermore, are separable into two distinct groups based (principally) on the shape of the respiratory organ. A key for identifying and differentiating these five pupae is provided. Also, the pupa of the Oriental-Australasian C. brevitarsis was compared with its allopatric sister taxon, C. bolitinos. Because they share a common larval habitat (cattle and buffalo dung) and are almost inseparable in the adult phenotype, the question of their possible synonymy is raised. However, their respective pupae could not be differentiated on gross morphology and so it is argued that this unresolved problem requires a molecular solution.

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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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Stability of the effect of silencing genes involved in the midgut homeostasis on Anopheles arabiensis mosquito reared under different breeding site conditions

10.21203/rs.2.21780/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Serkadis Debalke ◽

Tibebu Habtewold ◽

George K. Christophides ◽

Luc Duchateau

Keyword(s):

Gene Silencing ◽

Anopheles Arabiensis ◽

Breeding Site ◽

Larval Habitat ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Female Adult ◽

Breeding Sites ◽

First Instar ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

The Stability

Abstract Background: Malaria vector mosquitoes acquire midgut microbiota primarily from their habitat. The homeostasis of these microbial communities plays an essential role in the mosquito longevity, the most essential factor in the mosquito vectorial capacity. Our recent study revealed that silencing genes involved in regulation of the midgut homeostasis including FN3D1, FN3D3, and GPRGr9 reduced the survival of female adult Anopheles arabiensis mosquito. In the present study, we investigate the stability of the gene silencing efficiency of mosquitoes reared in three different breeding conditions representing distinct larval habitat types: town brick pits in Jimma, flood pools in the rural land of Asendabo and roadside pools in Wolkite. Methods: First instar larvae of An. arabiensis mosquitoes were reared separately using water collected from the three breeding sites. The resulting adult females were micro-injected with dsRNA targeting the FN3D1 gene (AARA003032) and their survival was monitored. Control mosquitoes were injected with dsRNA Lacz. In addition, the load of midgut microbiota of these mosquitoes was determined using flow cytometry.Result: Survival of naïve adult female mosquitoes differed between the three sites. Mosquitoes reared using water collected from brick pits and flood pools survived longer than mosquitoes reared using water collected from roadside. However, the FN3D1 gene silencing effect on survival did not differ between the three sites. Conclusion: The present study revealed that the efficacy of FN3D1 gene silencing is not affected by variation in the larval habitat. Thus, silencing this gene using genetic engineering approaches can have a large potential for application throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

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The identity of Barbus capensis Smith, 1841 and the generic status of southern African tetraploid cyprinids (Teleostei, Cyprinidae)

European Journal of Taxonomy ◽

10.5852/ejt.2018.410 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Paul H. Skelton ◽

Ernst R. Swartz ◽

Emmanuel J. Vreven

Keyword(s):

Natural History ◽

Southern Africa ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Natural History Museum ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Careful Examination ◽

New Genera ◽

History Museum ◽

Generic Status ◽

Sub Saharan

The identity of Barbus capensis, as described by Andrew Smith (1841), is reviewed following a careful examination of the lectotype in the Natural History Museum, London. Evidence shows clearly that it represents a specimen of the Berg-Breede River whitefish or ‘witvis’ and not the species known as the Clanwilliam yellowfish, to which it was attributed until recently. The original illustration of the species is shown to be a composite of these two different species. A replacement name for the Clanwilliam yellowfish is drawn from the earliest described synonym, Labeobarbus seeberi (Gilchrist & Thompson, 1913). Following widespread recognition that the genus Barbus Daudin, 1805 does not occur in sub-Saharan Africa, the generic status of the Berg-Breede River whitefish (witvis) and other tetraploid cyprinines of southern Africa is reviewed, taking genetic and morphological characters into account. Five distinct lineages, each representing a genus, are recognized, including the genera Pseudobarbus Smith, 1841 and Cheilobarbus Smith, 1841, and three new genera described herein: Amatolacypris gen. nov., Sedercypris gen. nov. and Namaquacypris gen. nov.

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Microsporidia MB is found predominantly associated with Anopheles gambiae s.s and Anopheles coluzzii in Ghana

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-98268-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jewelna Akorli ◽

Esinam Abla Akorli ◽

Seraphim Naa Afoley Tetteh ◽

Godwin Kwame Amlalo ◽

Millicent Opoku ◽

...

Keyword(s):

West Africa ◽

Malaria Vector ◽

Sibling Species ◽

Horizontal Transfer ◽

Anopheles Arabiensis ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Anopheles Coluzzii ◽

Vector Species ◽

Anopheles Gambiae S.S ◽

Sub Saharan

AbstractA vertically transmitted microsporidian, Microsporidia MB, with the ability to disrupt Plasmodium development was reported in Anopheles arabiensis from Kenya, East Africa. To demonstrate its range of incidence, archived DNA samples from 7575 Anopheles mosquitoes collected from Ghana were screened. MB prevalence was observed at 1.8%. An. gambiae s.s constituted 87% of positive mosquitoes while the remaining were from An. coluzzii. Both sibling species had similar positivity rates (24% and 19%; p = 0.42) despite the significantly higher number of An. gambiae s.s analysed (An. gambiae s.s = 487; An. coluzzii = 94; p = 0.0005). The microsporidian was also more prevalent in emerged adults from field-collected larvae than field-caught adults (p < 0.0001) suggestive of an efficient vertical transmission and/or horizontal transfer among larvae. This is the first report of Microsporidia MB in Anopheles mosquitoes in West Africa. It indicates possible widespread among malaria vector species and warrants investigations into the symbiont’s diversity across sub-Saharan Africa.

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Revision of the Aphthona cookei species group in Sub-Saharan Africa: pests of Jatropha curcas L. in biodiesel plantations (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini)

Entomologia ◽

10.4081/entomologia.2013.e7 ◽

2013 ◽

pp. e7 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

M. Biondi ◽

F. Urbani ◽

P. D’Alessandro

Keyword(s):

Jatropha Curcas ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Species Group ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Scanning Electron Micrographs ◽

Ecological Data ◽

Male And Female ◽

Jatropha Curcas L ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Scanning Electron

The Aphthona cookei species-group from Sub-Saharan Africa, comprising some pests of Jatropha curcas L., is herein analyzed and revised. This species-group includes: Aphthona cookei (Gerstaecker, 1871), A. dilutipes Jacoby, 1906, A. nigripes (Allard, 1890), A. thikana Bryant, 1940, A. usambarica Weise, 1902, A. weisei (Jacoby, 1899b), A. whitfieldi Bryant, 1933 and the new species A. namibiana sp. n. from Namibia. The following new synonymies are proposed: Aphthona cookei (Gerstaecker, 1871)=Aphthona weisei abokana Bechyné, 1959 syn. n.; Aphthona dilutipes Jacoby, 1906=Aphthona damarorum Weise, 1914 syn. n.; Aphthona nigripes (Allard, 1890)=Pseudeugonotes vannutellii Jacoby, 1899a syn. n. A key to the species, micrographs of male and female genitalia, scanning electron micrographs of peculiar morphological characters, and distributional and ecological data are supplied. Finally, the results of a discriminant analysis using six morphological characters are also reported.

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A revision of pipistrelle-like bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in East Africa with the description of new genera and species

Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society ◽

10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa087 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Ara Monadjem ◽

Terrence C Demos ◽

Desire L Dalton ◽

Paul W Webala ◽

Simon Musila ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

New Genera ◽

East African ◽

Systematic Relationships ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Three New Species ◽

Associated Species ◽

African Bats

Abstract Vespertilionidae (class Mammalia) constitutes the largest family of bats, with ~500 described species. Nonetheless, the systematic relationships within this family are poorly known, especially among the pipistrelle-like bats of the tribes Vespertilionini and Pipistrellini. Perhaps as a result of their drab pelage and lack of obvious morphological characters, the genus and species limits of pipistrelle-like bats remain poorly resolved, particularly in Africa, where more than one-fifth of all vesper bat species occur. Further exacerbating the problem is the accelerating description of new species within these groups. In this study, we attempt to resolve the systematic relationships among the pipistrelle-like bats of sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar and provide a more stable framework for future systematic efforts. Our systematic inferences are based on extensive genetic and morphological sampling of > 400 individuals covering all named genera and the majority of described African pipistrelle-like bat species, focusing on previously unstudied samples of East African bats. Our study corroborates previous work by identifying three African genera in Pipistrellini (Pipistrellus, Scotoecus and Vansonia), none of which is endemic to Africa. However, the situation is more complex in Vespertilionini. With broad taxonomic sampling, we confirm that the genus Neoromicia is paraphyletic, a situation that we resolve by assigning the species of Neoromicia to four genera. Neoromicia is here restricted to Neoromicia zuluensis and allied taxa. Some erstwhile Neoromicia species are transferred into an expanded Laephotis, which now includes both long-eared and short-eared forms. We also erect two new genera, one comprising a group of mostly forest-associated species (many of which have white wings) and the other for the genetically and morphologically unique banana bat. All four of these genera, as recognized here, are genetically distinct, have distinctive bacular morphologies and can be grouped by cranial morphometrics. We also demonstrate that the genus Nycticeinops, until now considered monospecific, includes both Afropipistrellus and the recently named Parahypsugo, thus representing the fifth African genus in Vespertilionini. A sixth genus, Hypsugo, is mostly extra-limital to sub-Saharan Africa. Finally, we describe three new species of pipistrelle-like bats from Kenya and Uganda, uncovered during the course of systematic bat surveys in the region. Such surveys are greatly needed across tropical Africa to uncover further bat diversity.

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Congolius, a new genus of African reed frog endemic to the central Congo: A potential case of convergent evolution

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-87495-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Tadeáš Nečas ◽

Gabriel Badjedjea ◽

Michal Vopálenský ◽

Václav Gvoždík

Keyword(s):

Convergent Evolution ◽

New Genus ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Congo Basin ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Phylogenetic Position ◽

Rain Forests ◽

Potential Case ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

High Level

AbstractThe reed frog genus Hyperolius (Afrobatrachia, Hyperoliidae) is a speciose genus containing over 140 species of mostly small to medium-sized frogs distributed in sub-Saharan Africa. Its high level of colour polymorphism, together with in anurans relatively rare sexual dichromatism, make systematic studies more difficult. As a result, the knowledge of the diversity and taxonomy of this genus is still limited. Hyperolius robustus known only from a handful of localities in rain forests of the central Congo Basin is one of the least known species. Here, we have used molecular methods for the first time to study the phylogenetic position of this taxon, accompanied by an analysis of phenotype based on external (morphometric) and internal (osteological) morphological characters. Our phylogenetic results undoubtedly placed H. robustus out of Hyperolius into a common clade with sympatric Cryptothylax and West African Morerella. To prevent the uncovered paraphyly, we place H. robustus into a new genus, Congolius. The review of all available data suggests that the new genus is endemic to the central Congolian lowland rain forests. The analysis of phenotype underlined morphological similarity of the new genus to some Hyperolius species. This uniformity of body shape (including cranial shape) indicates that the two genera have either retained ancestral morphology or evolved through convergent evolution under similar ecological pressures in the African rain forests.

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Evolutionary relationships, biogeography and morphological characters of Glinus (Molluginaceae), with special emphasis on the genus composition in Sub-Saharan Africa

PhytoKeys ◽

10.3897/phytokeys.173.60898 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 173 ◽

pp. 1-92

Author(s):

Alexander P. Sukhorukov ◽

Alexander Sennikov ◽

Marie Claire Veranso-Libalah ◽

Maria Kushunina ◽

Maya V. Nilova ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Tree ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Wide Distribution ◽

Late Eocene ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Evolutionary Relationships ◽

Morphological Description ◽

Analysis Model ◽

Tropical Africa ◽

Sub Saharan

Glinus is a small genus of Molluginaceae with 8–10 species mostly distributed in the tropics of the World. Its composition and evolutionary relationships were poorly studied. A new molecular phylogeny constructed here using nuclear (ITS) and chloroplast (rbcL, trnK-matK) markers confirmed the monophyly of the genus. Based on ITS analysis, the following well-supported lineages are present within Glinus: the G. bainesii lineage is recovered as sister to the remainder of the genus followed by G. oppositifolius. Three other clades are: G. hirtus with G. orygioides; G. radiatus and G. lotoides; the latter is represented by a sample from North America, and G. zambesiacus as sister to G. setiflorus + G. lotoides + G. dictamnoides. On the plastid gene tree, G. bainesii + G. oppositifolius form a sister clade to all other Glinus species. The next clade is formed by G. hirtus and G. orygioides followed by G. radiatus plus an American sample of G. lotoides. The next branch comprises G. setiflorus as sister to G. zambesiacus + G. lotoides + G. dictamnoides. Glinus seems to have originated from Africa around the Late Eocene or Early Miocene, with further radiations to Australia and the Americas during the Late Miocene or Late Pliocene. Compared with the previous limited character set used for the diagnostics, we have found ten new morphological and carpological traits distinguishing Glinus members. In both trees based on nuclear and plastid datasets, the major phylogenetic clades cannot be characterized by the peculiar morphological characters. Many shared character states leading to their contrasting pattern in the multivariate analysis model are interpreted as a high homoplasy in the phylogenetically distant species. We paid special attention to the composition of the genus in Sub-Saharan Africa, a region with the greatest species diversity. Our results provide new insight into the taxonomy of Glinus in this region. Glinus lotoides var. virens accepted in many previous works is a synonym of G. dictamnoides that is closely related to G. lotoides based on molecular analysis and morphological characters. The status of the American populations of G. lotoides needs further investigation due to different characters of the specimens from the Old and the New World. Many specimens previously identified as G. lotoides var. virens and as the intermediates G. lotoides × G. oppositifolius belong to G. zambesiacussp. nov. and G. hirtuscomb. nov. (≡ Mollugo hirta); the latter species is resurrected from synonymy after 200 years of unacceptance. In some African treatments, G. hirtus was known under the invalidly published name G. dahomensis. Glinus zambesiacus is distributed in the southern and eastern parts of tropical Africa, and G. hirtus previously assumed to be endemic to West Africa is indeed a species with a wide distribution across the tropical part of the continent. Glinus microphyllus previously accepted as endemic to West Tropical Africa together with other new synonyms (G. oppositifolius var. lanatus, G. herniarioides, Wycliffea rotundifolia) is considered here as G. oppositifolius var. keenaniicomb. nov. (≡ Mollugo hirta var. keenanii), a variety found across the entire distribution of G. oppositifolius (Australia, Asia, and Africa). The presence of the American G. radiatus in Africa is not confirmed, and all records of this species belong to G. hirtus. The lectotypes of some names (G. dictamnoides, G. herniarioides, Mollugo hirta, M. setiflora, Pharnaceum pentagynum, Wycliffea) as well as a neotype of G. trianthemoides are designated. A new key to the identification of all Glinus species in Sub-Saharan Africa is provided. A checklist is given of all accepted species in this region (G. bainesii, G. hirtus, G. lotoides, G. oppositifolius s.l., G. setiflorus, and G. zambesiacus) with their nomenclature, morphological description and geographical distribution.

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Adamastoraltica humicola, new genus and new species: the first example of possible moss-inhabiting flea beetle genus from sub-Saharan Africa (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae)

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4763.1.8 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4763 (1) ◽

pp. 99-108 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

MAURIZIO BIONDI ◽

MATTIA IANNELLA ◽

PAOLA D’ALESSANDRO

Keyword(s):

New Genus ◽

Flea Beetle ◽

Extensor Tendon ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Western Cape ◽

Western Cape Province ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

The Republic ◽

External Characteristics

Adamastoraltica humicola gen. nov. and sp. nov. from the Republic of South Africa (Western Cape Province) is described. The new genus, collected in the humus, shows external characteristics typical of the moss-inhabiting flea beetle genera, mainly: very small size, very convex and subglobose body, antennae with enlarged apical antennomeres, strongly reduced hind wings, greatly simplified and shortened mesothorax and metathorax, and elytra lacking humeral calli. Adamastoraltica gen. nov. shows some similarities with the Asian genus Cangshanaltica Konstantinov, Chamorro, Prathapan, Ge & Yang. However, the absence of the scutellum brings this new genus close to Stegnaspea Baly, also occurring in Western Cape Province. For the new flea beetle genus, data on distribution are supplied, along with preliminary ecological notes. Photomicrographs of main morphological characters, including male and female genitalia, and metafemoral extensor tendon are also provided. Finally, the updated distribution of the moss-inhabiting flea beetle genera described so far, excluding the subtribe Monoplatina, is supplied.

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A new species of Trachusa Panzer, 1804 (Megachilidae: Anthidiini) from southern Africa, with notes on the subgeneric classification and a key to the Afrotropical species

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4399.3.3 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4399 (3) ◽

pp. 329

Author(s):

MAX KASPAREK

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Southern Africa ◽

Single Species ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Junior Synonym ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Colour Features ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

A New Species

Only a single species of the genus Trachusa Panzer, 1804 is currenlty known from southern Africa: Trachusa aquiphila (Strand, 1912). A second species is described here from Namibia: Trachusa namibiensis sp. n., with habitus similar to T. aquiphila, but distinguished by morphological characters and colour features. The new species combines features of the subgenera Trachusa (Paraanthidium Friese) and Trachusa (Massanthidium Pasteels), therefore the latter is here regarded as a junior synonym of Paraanthidium, and all three species which have been assigned to subgenus Massanthidium are here transferred to Trachusa (Paraanthidium). Trachusa (Paraanthidium) and Trachusa (Congotrachusa) are now the only subgenera occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. Trachusa namibiensis sp. n. seems not to be rare and was found sympatrically with T. aquiphila. It is polylectic and was found on the wing in autumn (March).

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