Stem borer insects on Hopea odorata in Bogor, West Java, Indonesia

Haneda NF, Furqan M, Suheri M. 2020. Stem borer insects on Hopea odorata in Bogor, West Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 5308-5316. Hopea odorata Roxb. locally known as “merawan”, is a dipterocarp species that has the potentials to be developed for plantation forestry. Nonetheless, anecdotal evidence in Bogor, West Java, Indonesia, suggested that the trees suffered serious attacks caused by stem borer insects, causing defoliation of the crown and leading to stunted growth and death. This phenomenon suggests a more systematic investigation. The objectives of this research were: (i) to identify the species of stem borer which attacked H. odorata; (ii) to investigate the types and forms of the damage of H. odorata tree due to stem borer attack; and (iii) to study the effects of stem borer attack on the tree and wood of H. odorata. The results showed that all species of stem borer insects belong to Coleoptera, namely as Xyleborus perforans (Scolytidae), Xyleborinus perexiguus (Scolytidae), Platypus parallelus (Platypodidae), Belionota prasina (Buprestidae), Curculionid beetle, and Tenebrionid beetle. The number of boring holes on a single tree was 1932 holes, of which 98.6% caused by ambrosia beetles: Xyleborus perforans (1426 holes, 73.8%), Xyleborinus perexiguus (457 holes, 23.7%), and Platypus parallelus (21 holes, 1.1%). The length of boring tunnel at cross-section ranged between 2-35 cm and at longitudinal section ranged between 4-6 cm. The number of boring holes decreased along with the increasing height of tree stem. The patterns of boring tunnel at stem cross-section were branching (X. perforans, P. parallelus); encircled (X. perforans), black stains along their wall (X. perexiguus, X. perforans, P. parallelus).

Lenisaphelenchus ulomae n. gen., n. sp. (Rhabditida: Aphelenchoididae) isolated from the body cavity of Uloma marseuli Nakane (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) from Japan

Summary A new aphelenchoidid entomoparasitic nematode was isolated from the body cavity of overwintering individuals of a tenebrionid beetle, Uloma marseuli, collected at Shiga, Japan. The nematode is characterised by its six equal-sized lips forming a dome shape continuous with body contour. It has a moderately thick stylet, with wide lumen, a long two-part long (conus + conophore) and elongate oval or pear-shaped metacorpus with glandular anterior part. The male spicules are separate with a well-developed condylus, triangular rostrum and smoothly and strongly curved calomus-lamina complex. A gubernaculum or apophysis is absent. There are two pairs of papilliform male genital papillae. Females lack a post-vulval uterine sac, have a seemingly vestigial rectum and anus, and conical tail. The combination of the typological characters of the species does not fit any currently accepted aphelenchoidid genus and is somewhat intermediate between the Ektaphelenchinae and Entaphelenchinae. The molecular phylogenetic analysis also suggested that the nematode is close to both Ektaphelenchoides (Ektaphelenchinae) and Peraphelenchus (Entaphelenchinae). Thus, the nematode is described and illustrated as Lenisaphelenchus ulomae n. gen., n. sp. and tentatively placed in the Ektaphelenchinae.

The oldest fossil darkling beetle of the genus Neomida Latreille, 1829 (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) from Eocene Baltic amber examined with X-ray microtomography

Based on a single well-preserved specimen from Eocene Baltic amber, a new tenebrionid beetle Neomida groehni Nabozhenko et Bukejs sp. nov. (Diaperinae: Diaperini) is described and illustrated using phase-contrast X-ray microtomography. This oldest representative of the genus differs from all known extant and extinct congeners by the dorsally very weakly convex pronotum with undulate lateral margins (while other Neomida have a pronotum that is strongly convex along its transverse axis, with evenly rounded lateral margins); distinct, right posterior angles of pronotum; and elevated sutural area of the elytra.

RARE ENDEMIC DARKLING BEETLE HEDYPHANES NYCTERINOIDES FALDERMANN, 1837 (COLEOPTERA: TENEBRIONIDAE) FROM DAGESTAN AS AN INDICATOR OF HALOPHYTIC BIOTOPES

Aim. In this work, we aimed to study the distribution and habitat of rare Caucasian tenebrionid beetle Hedyphanes nycterinoides, as well as to identify reasons for the population re‐ duction and to develop a basis for its protection.Methods. Materials from the largest collection of the Zoological Institute RAS (St Petersburg) along with the authors’ fieldwork data were used for mapping the past and current distribution of the species, as well as for studying its habitat and possible trophic relations.Results. The taxonomic history of H. nycterinoides is complicated due to the loss of the type material. This taxon is currently interpreted as a separate species. H. nycterinoides is distributed across Piedmont Dagestan and Intermountain Dagestan (Russia); however, all known specimens were collected only in the 19th‐20th centuries (the last record is dated 1984). The population of H. nycterinoides from Intermountain Dagestan is likely to have died out due to the filling of the Irganay reservoir in 2008. Only one present‐day population from the arid Rubas valley in Southern Dagestan is known. The species inhabits saline soils (solonetz, solonchak) and feeds on saltworts. It is active in April–May in the evening or in the daytime provided it is cloudy.Conclusions. We recommend that H. nycterinoides be included in the list of threatened species of Dagestan as an indicator of the state of halophytic plant communities from the hilly landscapes of the Eastern Caucasus. The main factors of the contemporary population reduction include overgrazing and filling of reservoirs.

Knock-knock, who’s there: Sex-coding, competition and the energetics of tapping communication in the tok-tok beetle, Psammodes striatus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

ABSTRACTI describe the abdomino-substratal tapping communication system of a Southern African tenebrionid beetle, Psammodes striatus (Fabricius, 1775) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Molurini), using computer simulation of tapping signals and computer-assisted acquisition of precise response timing data, augmented with data from natural beetle-beetle communication. Communication consists of trains of 5 - 7 Hz taps in groups or trains separated by 2-3 sec intervals. Male beetles spontaneously produce groups of tap-trains with 8 - 18 taps per train. If other beetles reply, an alternating duet commences. Solitary female beetles do not tap spontaneously but respond to male tapping with short, distinctive tap-trains containing 4 – 6 taps; they ignore female signals. In contrast, extensive communication occurs between male beetles, the nature of which changes significantly if the stimulus call is typical of male or of female beetles. Inter-male communication consists of long tap-trains, but males interacting with females produce shorter tap-trains and engage in phonotactic behavior that is absent in inter-male communication. Females respond highly preferentially to inter-male communication, rather than to the signals produced spontaneously by single males. Finally, I propose a simple model of the selective advantages of this unusual communication system, and calculate its approximate energetic leverage over random locomotion (∼13x).

Tenebrionid secretions and a fungal benzoquinone oxidoreductase form competing components of an arms race between a host and pathogen

Entomopathogenic fungi and their insect hosts represent a model system for examining invertebrate-pathogen coevolutionary selection processes. Here we report the characterization of competing components of an arms race consisting of insect protective antimicrobial compounds and evolving fungal mechanisms of detoxification. The insect pathogenic fungusBeauveria bassianahas a remarkably wide host range; however, some insects are resistant to fungal infection. Among resistant insects is the tenebrionid beetleTribolium castaneumthat produces benzoquinone-containing defensive secretions. Reduced fungal germination and growth was seen in media containingT. castaneumdichloromethane extracts or synthetic benzoquinone. In response to benzoquinone exposure, the fungus expresses a 1,4-benzoquinone oxidoreductase,BbbqrA, induced >40-fold. Gene knockout mutants (ΔBbbqrA) showed increased growth inhibition, whereasB. bassianaoverexpressingBbbqrA(Bb::BbbqrAO) displayed increased resistance to benzoquinone compared with wild type. Increased benzoquinone reductase activity was detected in wild-type cells exposed to benzoquinone and in the overexpression strain. Heterologous expression and purification of BbBqrA inEscherichia coliconfirmed NAD(P)H-dependent benzoquinone reductase activity. TheΔBbbqrAstrain showed decreased virulence towardT. castaneum, whereas overexpression ofBbbqrAincreased mortality versusT. castaneum. No change in virulence was seen for theΔBbbqrAorBb::BbbqrAOstrains when tested against the greater wax mothGalleria mellonellaor the beetleSitophilus oryzae, neither of which produce significant amounts of cuticular quinones. The observation that artificial overexpression ofBbbqrAresults in increased virulence only toward quinone-secreting insects implies the lack of strong selection or current failure ofB. bassianato counteradapt to this particular host defense throughout evolution.