Body Size Variation in a Social Sweat Bee, Halictus ligatus (Halictidae, Apoidea), across Urban Environments

High morphological variation is often associated with species longevity, and it is hypothesized that urban-dwelling species may require more plasticity in functional traits such as body size in order to maximize fitness in heterogeneous environments. There has been published research regarding the functional trait diversity of urban bee pollinators. However, no two cities are identical, so the implementation of multi-city studies is vital. Therefore, we compared body size variation in female Halicus ligatus sweat bees from May–October 2016 from three distinct Midwestern United States cities: Chicago, Detroit, and Saint Louis. Additionally, to elucidate potentially influential environmental factors, we assessed the relationship between temperature and measured body size. We collected bees in community gardens and urban farms and measured their head width and intertegular distance as a proxy for overall body size. We utilized an ANCOVA to determine whether body size variation differed significantly across the three surveyed cities. Results indicated that H. ligatus females in Chicago, Detroit, and Saint Louis had significantly different body size ranges. These findings highlight the importance of intraspecific body size variation and support our prediction that bees from different urban environments will have distinct ranges in body size due to local ecological factors affecting their populations. Additionally, we found a significant influence of temperature, though this is probably not the only important ecological characteristic impacting bee body size. Therefore, we also provided a list of predictions for the future study of specific variables that are likely to impact functional trait diversity in urban bees.

Beyaz ve Kahverengi Varyetelerine Göre Japon Bıldırcın’larının (Coturnix coturnix japonica) Canlı Ağırlık ve Zoometrik Yapılarının Belirlenmesi

This study was carried out to determine some zoometric measurements and body weights in two different varieties of Japanese Quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica), white and brown. For this purpose, live weights and variables of twelve different body measurements were evaluated in 30 white and brown varieties (15 males, 15 females), a total of 60 six-week-old quails housed under the same nutritional and environmental conditions. Although higher values were obtained in terms of average body weights at six weeks of age compared to many of the literature reports, there was no difference in terms of the two-color varieties compared in this study, while females were found to be significantly heavier than males. While white quails had higher values than brown ones in terms of head width, beak width, beak length, sternum length, tarsus length and wing length, females had higher values in live weight, body length, chest circumference and tarsus diameter variables according to gender. Positive correlations were found between body weights of six-week-old Japanese quails and the variables of skull length, body length, sternum length, middle finger length, wing length, chest circumference and tarsus diameter. Considering the fact that the consumption of quail will increase for the spread of quail breeding, it can be recommended to carry out more comprehensive studies on the factors that will enable people to prefer quail in nutrition.

Impact of Cymbopogon flexuosus (Poaceae) essential oil and primary components on the eclosion and larval development of Aedes aegypti

The current study describes the effects of sub-lethal concentrations and constituent compounds (citral and geranyl acetate) of Cymbopogon flexuosus essential oil (EO) on the development of Aedes aegypti. We treated eggs with 6, 18, or 30 mg L−1 and larvae with 3 or 6 mg L−1 of EO and its major compounds (citral and geranyl acetate). Citral and geranyl acetate were evaluated at 18, 30, and 42 mg L−1 and compared with commercial growth inhibitors (diflubenzuron and methoprene). We measured larval head diameter, siphon length, and larval length. Finally, we examined concentrations of molt hormone (MH) and juvenile hormone III (JH III) using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. All geranyl acetate concentrations decreased egg hatching, while EO altered molting among larval instars and between larvae and pupae, with an increase in the larval length (3 mg L−1: 6 ± 0.0 mm; 6 mg L−1: 6 ± 0.7 mm) and head width (3 mg L−1: 0.8 ± 0 mm; 6 mg L−1: 0.8 ± 0.0 mm) compared with the control group. We did not detect chromatographic signals of MH and JH III in larvae treated with C. flexuosus EO or their major compounds. The sub-lethal concentrations C. flexuosus EO caused a similar effect to diflubenzuron, namely decreased hormone concentrations, an extended larval period, and death.

The evolution of body size in termites

Termites are social cockroaches. Because non-termite cockroaches are larger than basal termite lineages, which themselves include large termite species, it has been proposed that termites experienced a unidirectional body size reduction since they evolved eusociality. However, the validity of this hypothesis remains untested in a phylogenetic framework. Here, we reconstructed termite body size evolution using head width measurements of 1638 modern and fossil termite species. We found that the unidirectional body size reduction model was only supported by analyses excluding fossil species. Analyses including fossil species suggested that body size diversified along with speciation events and estimated that the size of the common ancestor of modern termites was comparable to that of modern species. Our analyses further revealed that body size variability among species, but not body size reduction, is associated with features attributed to advanced termite societies. Our results suggest that miniaturization took place at the origin of termites, while subsequent complexification of termite societies did not lead to further body size reduction.

Ability of the ISAS3Fun Method to Detect Sperm Acrosome Integrity and Its Potential to Discriminate between High and Low Field Fertility Bulls

The objective of the present study was to investigate whether fertility differences in bulls are reflected in variations of sperm quality when analysing only one ejaculate per male. Two experiments were performed. In the first experiment, frozen semen samples from 20 adult bulls were tested; 10 bulls had high field fertility and 10 bulls had low field fertility. Analyses of sperm motility, membrane integrity, and membrane–acrosome integrity with the ISAS3Fun method were performed. Sperm morphometry of the fluorescence sperm subpopulations obtained with the ISAS3Fun method was also analysed. Significant differences between high- and low-fertility groups were only found with the ISAS3Fun technique, specifically in sperm acrosome integrity, the proportion of spermatozoa with an intact acrosome and damaged membrane, and in sperm head width of spermatozoa with intact structures. Discriminant analyses allowed us to correctly classify 90% of sperm samples in their fertility group using sperm quality parameters. Given that only the results obtained with the ISAS3Fun technique were related to bull fertility, we performed a second experiment aimed to validate the efficacy of this technique to detect the acrosomal integrity of bull spermatozoa, comparing them with the conventional FITC-PNA/propidium iodide (PNA/PI) combination under capacitating conditions. The results indicated that the ISAS3Fun combination provided an accurate assessment of both viability and acrosomal integrity for ejaculated spermatozoa, while the PNA/PI combination underestimated the extension of acrosomal damage due to false negatives. It was concluded that the simultaneous assessment of sperm plasma membranes and acrosome integrity with the ISAS3Fun method is precise and seems to have a greater potential to discriminate between high- and low-fertility bulls than more conventional in vitro sperm quality tests.

A new species and a new record of the ant genus Ooceraea Roger, 1862 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Dorylinae) from Thailand

Currently, 16 species of the genus Ooceraea Roger, 1862 are known from the Oriental, Australian and Oceanian realms, but no identified species have ever been recorded from Thailand. Here Ooceraea siamensis sp. n. is described from Thailand based on the worker and dealate queen. The new species is most similar to O. biroi (Forel, 1907), a species widely distributed across tropical and subtropical regions of the world, but can be distinguished from the latter by postpetiole slightly longer than broad in dorsal view (clearly shorter than broad in O. biroi), by foveae on first gastral tergite and sternite denser and coarser (weak in O. biroi), and by smaller size (head width in new species 0.33–0.38 mm while in O. biroi 0.46–0.49 mm). The type series of the new species was collected from a colony in soil and partly in a coconut seed. Ooceraea duadridentata Yamada, Luong et Eguchi, 2018 is recorded from Thailand for the first time.

Phenotypic Characterization for Identification, Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of Boset and Minjar Shenkora Goats of Ethiopia

This study was conducted on a total of 776 goats (part of Central highland goat breeds of Ethiopia), 306 from Boset district of Oromia region and 470 were from Minjar Shenkora district of Amhara region. A format developed by using food and agriculture organization discerption list was used for recording of morphological traits, bodyweight and linear body measurements. Both qualitative and quantitative traits were recorded from randomly sampled mature goats and the data were analyzed using SAS software. The goat type in the study area was characterized by a higher proportion of plain coat color patterns (62.5). Ingeneral, the majority (98.4%) of the studied goats were horned and characterized by backward orientation (67%) with a straight shape (49.3%). They presented a concave facial profile (73.8%), slop up toward the rump back profile (66.2%), no wattle (99.6%), no toggle (90.7%), no ruff (85.9%) and no beard (57.3%). The location had a significant effect on body weight and some other linear body measurements. Traits like body length, rump length, horn length, head length, head width and shin circumference were significantly higher in Boset district. In contrast, rump width and cannon bone length were significantly lower. The mean body weight of male goats in Boset and Minjar Shenkora district were 30.5±1.05 kg with a range of 16 to 47 and 27.5±0.56 with a range of 13 to 57, respectively. While for female counterpart mean body weights (kg) were 28.4±0.35 with a range of 17 to 45 for Boset and 27.5±0.33 with a range 15 to 57 for Minjar Shenkora district. Heart girth had the highest correlation with body weight in both sexes and shoulder width in Boset male goats. The wider variation in most quantitative measurement traits would open an opportunity for further improvement, conservation and utilization work.

Termites (Insecta: Isoptera) diversity in forest conseccion areas of PT Inhutani I, Indonesia

Termites as wood biodeterioration agents have an important role in the ecosystem. This study aimed to observe termite diversity. A termites survey was conducted on Forest Concession Areas of PT. Inhutani I, South Sulawesi Indonesia. The termite specimens collected used the standardized transect sampling protocols at three different sites (forest with mixed vegetation, Pinus merkusii plantation, and logged-over area; and measurement of nine morphological characters of the soldier was conducted, i.e: head length without mandibles, head width at base of mandible, maximum width of head, left mandible length, pronotum length, maximum width of pronotum, postmentum length, postmentum width of postmentum, and the number of antenna segments. The results showed that there are four species found based on the morphological characteristics and morphometrical data, namely: Odontotermes javanicus., Nasutitermes sp., Schedorhinotermes sp. and Coptotermes curvignathus. The highest termite abundance was found in forest with mixed vegetation. The termite diversity in logged-over area and forest with mixed areas was moderate, while species diversity in pine plantation was low.

The history of body size evolution in termites

Termites are social cockroaches. Because non-termite cockroaches are larger than basal termite lineages, which themselves include large termite species, it has been proposed that termites experienced a unidirectional body size reduction since they evolved eusociality. However, the validity of this hypothesis remains untested in a phylogenetic framework. Here, we reconstructed termite body size evolution using head width measurements of 1638 modern and fossil termite species. We found that the unidirectional body size reduction model was only supported by analyses excluding fossil species. Analyses including fossil species suggested that body size diversified along with speciation events and estimated that the size of the common ancestor of modern termites was comparable to that of modern species. Our analyses further revealed that body size variability among species, but not body size reduction, is associated with features attributed to advanced termite societies. Our results suggest that miniaturization took place at the origin of termites, while subsequent complexification of termite societies did not lead to further body size reduction.

Does body size influence mating success? A morphometric study of two Anastrepha (Diptera: Tephritidae) fruit fly species

Male mating success depends on various traits and factors, and correctly identifying these traits can be key in the context of pest management. For tephritid pests, controlled through the sterile insect technique (SIT) traits, such as male size, can be manipulated through mass-rearing procedures. Thus, it is particularly important to understand whether male size can favor mating success. Here, we evaluated mating success of males of different sizes in Anastrepha ludens and Anastrepha obliqua, two species controlled through SIT. For both species, a morphometric analysis was performed of mated and unmated mass-reared and wild males in field cages. In both A. ludens and A. obliqua, wild females did not discriminate their mates based on male size and mated more frequently with wild males regardless of size. For mass-reared males, we found no evidence of an advantage of the large males compared to small males in mating success. However, we did find differences between the morphometric traits of mass-reared and wild males. In A. ludens, traits associated to mating success were Face Width (FW), Head Width (HW), Thorax Length (TL) and Wing Length (WL), and for A. obliqua were FW, HW, WL and WW (Wing Width). Overall, FW and TL were more consistent predictors of mating success. In conclusion, female choice seems to suggest multivariate selection, confirming that overall body size (expressed as pupal diameter, which is highly correlated with weight) is not a decisive factor in male mating success in these two species. However, morphological traits such as FW, HW, TL, WL and WW may be relevant in mating preference of wild female.