Decrease in Carabid Beetles in Grasslands of Northwestern China: Further Evidence of Insect Biodiversity Loss

Ground-dwelling beetles are important functional components in nutrient-poor grasslands of middle temperate steppe ecosystems in China. Here, we assessed the changes in ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) communities in the grasslands of northwestern China over 12 years to improve the management and conservation of beetles all over the world. The Generalized Additive Model (GAM) was applied to estimate the changes in carabid beetle communities in two regions: a desert steppe (Yanchi region), and a typical steppe and meadow steppe (Guyuan region). During the 12-year investigation, a total of 34 species were captured. We found that species abundance and richness per survey declined by 0.2 and 11.2%, respectively. Precipitation was the main factor affecting the distribution of carabid beetles. A distinct decline in carabid beetle species in the Yanchi region indicated that they may be threatened by less precipitation and loss of habitat, which could be due to climate change. Overall, species richness was stable in the Guyuan region. It is necessary to estimate and monitor the changes in carabid beetle communities in a temperate steppe of northern China and to protect them. Extensive desertification seriously threatens the distribution of carabid beetles. Future research should develop methods to protect carabid beetle communities in temperate steppes in China.

Assemblage Characteristics of Butterflies and Carabid Beetles as a Function of Soil Characteristics and Plant Diversity in Differently Managed Fields, Forests and Ecotones: A Case Study in Tuczno Forest District, Poland

A drastic decline in insect fauna on a large scale has been reported. We assume that this is a multifactorial problem involving biotope types and plant diversity, soil characteristics and human activity (management of areas). The aim of our study was to analyze diversity patterns of carabid beetles and butterflies as predatory and phytophagous arthropod groups in response to soil characteristics and plant diversity in different types of ecosystems and ecotones with diverse management situated in a heterogeneous landscape composed of different forests, agricultural and post-agricultural areas of different stages of succession and watercourses and mires in north-western Poland. Three different forests, three fallows, two meadows and two ecotones, differing with respect to the involved ecosystems, were included in the study. Our results showed that the study site types differed with respect to soil characteristics and plant diversity, but ecotones were not characterized by explicitly higher diversity in these parameters. For both carabid beetles and butterflies, characteristic assemblages for individual study sites could be demonstrated. We could also show differences in the most important factors between these two taxonomic groups. We assume that management type is important regarding ecosystem characteristics and biodiversity. Large-scale management strategies are necessary in order to maintain or create landscapes with high natural qualities.

A semantically enriched taxonomic revision of Gryonoides Dodd, 1920 (Hymenoptera, Scelionidae), with a review of the hosts of Teleasinae

Teleasinae are commonly collected scelionids that are the only known egg parasitoids of carabid beetles and therefore play a crucial role in shaping carabid populations in natural and agricultural ecosystems. We review the available host information of Teleasinae, report a new host record, and revise Gryonoides Dodd, 1920, a morphologically distinct teleasine genus. We review the generic concept of Gryonoides and provide diagnoses and descriptions of thirteen Gryonoides species and two varieties: G. glabriceps Dodd, 1920, G. pulchellus Dodd, 1920 (= G. doddi Ogloblin, 1967, syn. nov. and G. pulchricornis Ogloblin, 1967, syn. nov.), G. brasiliensis Masner & Mikó, sp. nov., G. flaviclavus Masner & Mikó, sp. nov., G. fuscoclavatus Masner & Mikó, sp. nov., G. garciai Masner & Mikó, sp. nov., G. mexicali Masner & Mikó, sp. nov., G. mirabilicornis Masner & Mikó, sp. nov., G. obtusus Masner & Mikó, sp. nov., G. paraguayensis Masner & Mikó, sp. nov., G. rugosus Masner & Mikó, sp. nov., G. uruguayensis Masner & Mikó, sp. nov. We treat Gryonoides scutellaris Dodd, 1920, as status uncertain. Gryonoides mirabilicornis Masner & Mikó, sp. nov. is the only known teleasine with tyloids on two consecutive flagellomeres, a well-known trait of Sparasionidae. An illustrated identification key to species of Gryonoides, a queryable semantic representation of species descriptions using PhenoScript, and a simple approach for making Darwin Core Archive files in taxonomic revisions accessible are provided.

Atypus karschi Dönitz, 1887 (Araneae: Atypidae): an Asian purse-web spider established in Pennsylvania, USA

The Mygalomorph spiders of the family Atypidae are among the most archaic spiders. The genus Atypus Latreille, 1804 occurs in Eurasia and northern Africa, with a single enigmatic species, Atypus snetsingeri Sarno, 1973, restricted to a small area in southeastern Pennsylvania in Eastern USA. This study was undertaken to learn more about genetics of that species, its habitat requirements and natural history. A close relationship to European species could be assumed based on A. snetsingeri’s occurrence on the eastern coast of the USA, however molecular markers (CO1 sequences) confirmed that A. snetsingeri is identical with Atypus karschi Dönitz, 1887 native to East Asia; it is an introduced species. The specific epithet snetsingeri is therefore relegated to a junior synonym of A. karschi . The karyotype of A. karschi has 42 chromosomes in females and 41 in males (X0 sex chromosome system). Chromosomes were metacentric except for one pair, which exhibited submetacentric morphology. In Pennsylvania the above-ground webs are usually vertical and attached to the base of bushes, trees, or walls, although some webs are oriented horizontally near the ground. It was found in a variety of habitats from forests to suburban shrubbery, and over a wide range of soil humidity and physical parameters. Prey include millipedes, snails, woodlice, carabid beetles and earthworms. The number of juveniles in excavated female webs ranged from 70 to 201. Atypus karschi is the first known case of an introduced purse-web spider. It is rarely noticed but well-established within its range in southeastern Pennsylvania.

Associations between carabid beetles and fungi in the light of 200 years of published literature

Describing and conserving ecological interactions woven into ecosystems is one of the great challenges of the 21st century. Here, we present a unique dataset compiling the biotic interactions between two ecologically and economically important taxa: ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) and fungi. The resulting dataset contains the carabid-fungus associations collected from 392 scientific publications, 129 countries, mostly from the Palearctic region, published over a period of 200 years. With an updated taxonomy to match the currently accepted nomenclature, 3,378 unique associations among 5,564 records were identified between 1,776 carabid and 676 fungal taxa. Ectoparasitic Laboulbeniales were the most frequent fungal group associated with carabids, especially with Trechinae. The proportion of entomopathogens was low. Three different formats of the data have been provided along with an interactive data digest platform for analytical purposes. Our database summarizes the current knowledge on biotic interactions between insects and fungi, while offering a valuable resource to test large-scale hypotheses on those interactions.

Quantifying the Role of Ground Beetles for the Dispersal of Fusarium and Alternaria Fungi in Agricultural Landscapes

The spread by arthropods (zoochory) is an essential dispersal mechanism for many microorganisms, like plant pathogens. Carabid beetles are very abundant and mobile ground-dwelling insects. However, their role in the dispersal of economically relevant phytopathogens, like Fusarium and Alternaria fungi is basically unknown. We quantified the total fungal, Fusarium, and Alternaria load of carabid species collected in the transition zones between small water bodies and wheat fields by screening (i) their body surface for fungal propagules with a culture-dependent method and (ii) their entire bodies for fungal DNA with a qPCR approach. The analysis of entire bodies detects fungal DNA in all carabid beetles but Alternaria DNA in 98% of them. We found that 74% of the carabids carried fungal propagules on the body surface, of which only half (49%) carried Fusarium propagules. We identified eight Fusarium and four Alternaria species on the body surface; F. culmorum was dominant. The fungal, Fusarium and Alternaria, load differed significantly between the carabid species and was positively affected by the body size and weight of the carabids. Carabid beetles reveal a remarkable potential to disseminate different fungi. Dispersal by ground-dwelling arthropods could affect the spatial-temporal patterns of plant disease and microorganisms in general.

Unequivocal Differences in Predation Pressure on Large Carabid Beetles between Forestry Treatments

Carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) are considered as one of the most cardinal invertebrate predatory groups in many ecosystems, including forests. Previous studies revealed that the predation pressure provided by carabids significantly regulates the ecological network of invertebrates. Nevertheless, there is no direct estimation of the predation risk on carabids, which can be an important proxy for the phenomenon called ecological trap. In our study, we aimed to explore the predation pressure on carabids using 3D-printed decoys installed in two types of forestry treatments, preparation cuts and clear cuts, and control plots in a Hungarian oak–hornbeam forest. We estimated the seasonal, diurnal and treatment-specific aspects of the predation pressure on carabids. Our results reveal a significantly higher predation risk on carabids in both forestry treatments than in the control. Moreover, it was also higher in the nighttime than daytime. Contrarily, no effects of season and microhabitat features were found. Based on these clues we assume that habitats modified by forestry practices may act as an ecological trap for carabids. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of how ecological interactions between species may change in a modified forest environment.

Fleshy scoli removed without detriment: structure and potential anti-predation function in a slug caterpillar (Limacodidae)

Anti-predator outgrowths are found prevalent in animals such as stinging spines of caterpillars. However, an encounter with a predator is usually fatal as caterpillars would die easily even if just small body parts were taken. Here, we showed the larvae of Phrixolepia sp. did not get injured when the fleshy but not urticating scoli were removed. By showing the morphologic traits, we assume these particular scoli function as enlarged warning signals and substitute to be attacked so that caterpillars can warn multiple predators, with a lower chance of getting injured when encountering natural enemies, such as birds and carabid beetles.