Diversity of Pyrite-Hosted Solid Inclusions and their Metallogenic Implications—A Case Study from the Myszków Mo–Cu–W Porphyry Deposit (the Kraków–Lubliniec Fault Zone, Poland)

Pyrite from the central part of the Myszków porphyry deposit in Poland was investigated using a combination of reflected and transmitted polarizing microscopy, back-scattered imaging with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Raman micro-spectroscopy. Five generations of pyrite (I–V) found in hydrothermal veins were distinguished, differing in morphology, microtexture, and the types and amounts of solid inclusions. In general, pyrite hosts a diversity of mineral inclusions, including both gangue and ore phases, i.e., chlorite, quartz, monazite, cerianite-(Ce), xenotime, K-feldspars, albite, sericite, barite, magnetite, chalcopyrite, galena, sphalerite, bastnaesite (Ce), bismuthinite, native silver, cassiterite, rutile, anatase, and aikinite-group species. The presence of inclusions is good evidence of various stages of the evolution of the hydrothermal lode system ranging from high- to low-temperature conditions. During the formation of stockworks, some fluctuations in the physicochemical conditions of mineralizing fluids were indicated by the occurrence of cassiterite formed from acidic, reducing solutions, and hematite hosted in xenotime or REE phases found in pyrite, which signal more oxidizing conditions. Periodically, some episodes of boiling in the hydrothermal, porphyry-related system were recorded. They were mainly evidenced by the presence of (1) lattice-bladed calcite found in the close vicinity of pyrite II, (2) irregular grain edges of pyrite I, (3) clustered micropores in pyrite I, and (4) the variety of mineral inclusions hosted in I and II generations of pyrite.

Enigmatic Pilus-like Endospore Appendages of Bacillus cereus Group Species

The endospores (spores) of many Bacillus cereus sensu lato species are decorated with multiple hair/pilus-like appendages. Although they have been observed for more than 50 years, all efforts to characterize these fibers in detail have failed until now, largely due to their extraordinary resilience to proteolytic digestion and chemical solubilization. A recent structural analysis of B. cereus endospore appendages (Enas) using cryo-electron microscopy has revealed the structure of two distinct fiber morphologies: the longer and more abundant “Staggered-type” (S-Ena) and the shorter “Ladder-like” type (L-Ena), which further enabled the identification of the genes encoding the S-Ena. Ena homologs are widely and uniquely distributed among B. cereus sensu lato species, suggesting that appendages play important functional roles in these species. The discovery of ena genes is expected to facilitate functional studies involving Ena-depleted mutant spores to explore the role of Enas in the interaction between spores and their environment. Given the importance of B. cereus spores for the food industry and in medicine, there is a need for a better understanding of their biological functions and physicochemical properties. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of the Ena structure and the potential roles these remarkable fibers may play in the adhesion of spores to biotic and abiotic surfaces, aggregation, and biofilm formation.

Agrobiodiversity Indicators and Measurement using R for Description, Monitoring, Comparison, Relatedness, Conservation and Utilization

Agrobiodiversity is the most important part of biodiversity. It can be described, quantified, compared, and related by using different statistical tools called agrobiodiversity statistics (agro-statistics). Six components and 25 groups of agrobiodiversity should be used for agrobiodiversity analysis. Six types and levels of agrobiodiversity can be quantified. Both quantitative and qualitative data are used for estimating scores and indices. The measurement objects for describing agrobiodiversity are community, household, site, crop group, species, landrace, etc. These objects are called operational agricultural units (OAU). Agromorphological, molecular, and perception data are used in agrobiodiversity studies. Among the many software, RStudio is very good. It is an integrated part of R and includes a console, syntax-highlighting editor, tools for plotting, history, debugging, and workspace management. Vegan and BiodiversityR packages are commonly used for estimating diversity indices and multivariate analysis. Richness, Shannon index and Simpson index are very common means of quantifying agrobiodiversity. Spatial and temporal analysis of agrobiodiversity helps monitor the status and plan the programs and activities.

Heterodera amaranthusiae n. sp. (Nematoda: Heteroderidae), a new cyst nematode parasitising Amaranthus retroflexus L. in China

Summary A new species of cyst-forming nematode, Heterodera amaranthusiae n. sp., is described and illustrated from the weed, Amaranthus retroflexus, in a potato field in Yunnan Province, China. It is characterised by having canary to russet-brown and asymmetric lemon-shaped cyst, distinct neck, bifenestrate vulval cone, relatively short vulval slit of 29 (28-32) μm, bullae absent and underbridge absent or weak if present. Second-stage juveniles are characterised by a well-developed stylet of 23 (22-25) μm with robust shaft and basal knobs concave anteriorly, tail conoid, 51 (48-58) μm long and hyaline region comprising 48 (41-53)% of its length. Morphologically and morphometrically it most resembles H. vallicola in the Humuli group. The ITS, 28S and COI gene sequences of H. amaranthusiae n. sp. clearly differentiate it from other Heterodera species. For diagnostic purposes, restriction enzyme analysis of the ITS region and three restriction enzymes, AluI, BsuRI (HaeIII) and CfoI (HhaI), were selected, clearly distinguishing H. amaranthusiae n. sp. from representative species in the Humuli group. Phylogenetic relationships with other species of the genus, inferred from two ribosomal regions and the cytochrome oxidase c subunit 1 region, based on Bayesian analysis, consistently showed that H. amaranthusiae n. sp. clustered with high support with other Humuli group species but with separate species status.

ddRAD Sequencing Sheds Light on Low Interspecific and High Intraspecific mtDNA Divergences in Two Groups of Caddisflies

Large-scale global efforts on DNA barcoding have repeatedly revealed unexpected patterns of variability in mtDNA, including deep intraspecific divergences and haplotype sharing between species. Understanding the evolutionary causes behind these patterns calls for insights from the nuclear genome. While building a near-complete DNA barcode library of Finnish caddisflies, a case of barcode-sharing and some cases of deep intraspecific divergences were observed. In this study, the Apatania zonella (Zetterstedt, 1840) group and three Limnephilus Leach, 1815 species were studied using double digest RAD sequencing (ddRAD-seq), morphology, and DNA barcoding. The results support the present species boundaries in the A. zonella group species. A morphologically distinct but mitogenetically nondistinct taxon related to parthenogenetic Apatania hispida (Forsslund, 1930) got only weak support for its validity as a distinct species. The morphology and genomic-scale data do not indicate cryptic diversity in any of the three Limnephilus species despite the observed deep intraspecific divergences in DNA barcodes. This demonstrates that polymorphism in mtDNA may not reflect cryptic diversity, but mitonuclear discordance due to other evolutionary causes.

Revision of the West Palaearctic Euura bergmanni and oligospila groups (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae)

Eight Western Palaearctic Euura species are here assigned to the bergmanni group (bergmanni, brevivalvis, dispar, glutinosae, leptocephalus, respondens, sylvestris, and viridis) and two species to the oligospila group (frenalis and oligospila). Euura pallens (Konow, 1903) (bergmanni group) is removed from the list of West Palaearctic taxa. Euura pyramidalis (Hellén, 1948) is treated as incertae sedis within the bergmanni group. Definitions of the bergmanni and oligospila groups are primarily based on genetic sequence data (mitochondrial COI and nuclear NaK and POL2). We report likely occurrence of heteroplasmy and amplification of NUMTs among some of the treated species, complicating the use of DNA barcoding in species discrimination. Based on morphological and genetic evidence, we establish that the correct name for the invasive willow sawfly in the southern hemisphere (South America, southern Africa, Australia, New Zealand), known there only in the female sex, is Euura respondens (Förster, 1854). The species is probably native to the Palaearctic (or even Holarctic) where males are common: possibly as common as females (examined from Europe and Central Asia). The name Euura oligospila (Förster, 1854) has been incorrectly used for the species in the southern hemisphere. The examination of type material and reliable association of males and females based on genetics revealed that females of E. oligospila are morphologically extremely similar to E. respondens (and to some other E. bergmanni group species), but male penis valves and genetics enable reliable separation of these species. Morphological separation of females of E. oligospila and E. respondens is possible, but challenging. Identification keys for males and females of the bergmanni and oligospila groups are provided. The following 15 new synonymies are proposed: Nematus validicornis Förster, 1854, syn. nov. with Euura bergmanni (Dahlbom, 1835); Pteronidea woollatti Lindqvist, 1971, syn. nov. and Nematus turgaiensis Safjanov, 1977, syn. nov. with Euura brevivalvis (Thomson, 1871); Pteronidea pseudodispar Lindqvist, 1969, syn. nov. with Euura dispar (Zaddach, 1876); Nematus (Pteronidea) fastosus var. ponojense Hellén, 1948, syn. nov. and N. (P.) fastosus var. punctiscuta Hellén, 1948, syn. nov. with Euura frenalis (Thomson, 1888); Nematus declaratus Muche, 1974, syn. nov. and N. desantisi D.R. Smith, 1983, syn. nov. with Euura respondens (Förster, 1854); Pteronidea straminea Lindqvist, 1958, syn. nov., P. angustiserra Lindqvist, 1969, syn. nov., and P. disparoides Lindqvist, 1969, syn. nov. with Euura sylvestris (Cameron, 1884); Pteronidea breviseta Lindqvist, 1946, syn. nov., P. breviseta Lindqvist, 1949, syn. nov., P. abscondita Lindqvist, 1949, syn. nov., and P. lauroi Lindqvist, 1960, syn. nov. with Euura viridis (Stephens, 1835). Lectotypes are designated for 18 nominal taxa: Amauronematus longicornis Konow, 1897; A. spurcus Konow, 1904; Nematus bergmanni Dahlbom, 1835; N. brevivalvis Thomson, 1871; N. curtispina Thomson, 1871; N. (Pteronidea) fastosus var. ponojense Hellén, 1948; N. (P.) fastosus var. punctiscuta Hellén, 1948; N. glutinosae Cameron, 1882; N. microcercus Thomson, 1871; N. polyspilus Förster, 1854; N. prasinus Hartig, 1837; N. respondens Förster, 1854; N. salicivorus Cameron, 1882; N. validicornis Förster, 1854; N. virescens Hartig, 1837; Pteronidea curtispina var. luctuosa Enslin, 1916; Pteronus fastosus Konow, 1904; and P. pallens Konow, 1903.

Review of the Merodon natans group with description of a new species, a key to the adults of known species of the natans lineage and first descriptions of some preimaginal stages

Merodon natans group (Diptera, Syrphidae) taxa are reviewed using an integrative taxonomic approach combining morphological, morphometric and molecular techniques. The approach substantiates recognition of the three species: M. calcaratus (Fabricius, 1794), M. natans (Fabricius, 1794) and M. pulveris Vujić & Radenković in Radenković et al. 2011, and reveals the existence of a new species, M. makrisi Vujić, Radenković & Tot sp. nov., which is described. It also highlights the existence of a series of natans group populations, especially on some of the Mediterranean islands, in the Levant and in the Afrotropical Region, for which more comprehensive data are required to clarify their status. A key is provided to the natans lineage species currently recognised, and preimaginal stages of some natans-group species are described for the first time. Redescriptions for M. calcaratus and M. natans are provided. A neotype is selected for M. natans. Lectotypes are designated for M. annulatus (Fabricius, 1794) and M. melancholicus (Fabricius, 1794). Merodon annulatus is recognised as a synonym of M. natans.

Evolution of a neuromuscular sexual dimorphism in the Drosophila montium species group

While epigamic traits likely evolve via sexual selection, the mechanism whereby internal sexual dimorphism arises remains less well understood. Seeking clues as to how the internal sexual dimorphism evolved, we compared the abdominal musculature of 41 Drosophila montium group species, to determine whether any of these species carry a male-specific muscle of Lawrence (MOL). Our quantitative analysis revealed that the size of a sexually dimorphic MOL analog found in 19 montium group species varied widely from species to species, suggesting the gradual evolution of this sexually dimorphic neuromuscular trait. We attempted the ancestral state reconstitution for the presence or absence of the neuromuscular sexual dimorphism in the A5 segment; the neuromuscular sexual dimorphism existed in an old ancestor of the montium group, which was lost in some of the most recent common ancestors of derived lineages, and subsequently some species regained it. This loss-and-gain history was not shared by evolutionary changes in the courtship song pattern, even though both traits were commonly regulated by the master regulator male-determinant protein FruM. It is envisaged that different sets of FruM target genes may serve for shaping the song and MOL characteristics, respectively, and, as a consequence, each phenotypic trait underwent a distinct evolutionary path.