Showing papers on "Lepidoptera genitalia published in 2008"

Timing is everything? Phenological synchrony and population variability in leaf‐chewing herbivores of Quercus

Abstract: Specialization on ephemeral resources (e.g. new leaves) should produce large annual variation in herbivore population size when the timing of availability of those resources is unpredictable. Despite considerable evidence for impacts of synchrony with budburst on survival of larval Lepidoptera, previous studies of adult Geometridae and Noctuidae found no correlations between insect phenology and population variability. 2. We surveyed larval Lepidoptera feeding on Quercus alba and Q. velutina in Missouri from 1993 to 2003 and examined population variability, measured as the coefficient of variation of population density (CV), in a subset of abundant species. We compared CV values among species whose larvae feed only in spring, early summer, mid-summer, late summer, or all season. We predicted that univoltine species whose larvae eclose and complete development in spring during leaf expansion would have higher variability than species feeding later in the season, having multiple generations, or having longer development times. 3. As predicted and consistent with hypotheses, spring-feeding species had CV values 32% higher than species feeding in summer months. Coefficients of variation were also 34% higher in leaf-rolling and mining guilds compared with free-feeders, suggesting that mobile species may compensate for asynchrony with budburst by dispersing to higher quality plants or plant parts. Multivoltine species, however, did not differ from univoltine species in population variability. 4. Our results suggest that asynchrony with plant phenology and factors that might exacerbate it, such as climate change, will have the largest impacts on the dynamics of spring-feeding Lepidoptera, particularly species with limited mobility.

Molecular Characterization of Host Strains of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Southern Brazil

Abstract: Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a Neotropical species found from Argentina to the United States of America. In its distribution area, two genetically distinct strains are found that differ in their plant host distribution. The strains are morphologically identical, and they can only be reliably distinguished by molecular markers. In this study, we characterized caterpillars collected in corn, Zea mays L., and rice, Oryza sativa L., plantations in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The mitochondrial haplotype typical of the rice strain was found in 100% of the caterpillars collected from that crop, whereas 83% of the caterpillars obtained from corn were of the corn strain haplotype. A sex-linked tandem repeat element called FR was previously shown to have a strain-biased distribution in North American populations. We demonstrated that the same element is found in Brazilian fall armyworm and that it also organized in large tandem repeat clusters that are most frequently observed in caterpillars collected from rice and that display the rice strain mitochondrial haplotype. These results indicate that the Brazilian and North American fall armyworm populations are virtually indistinguishable with respect to the known genetic markers that are diagnostic of strain identity. Furthermore the data are consistent with other studies suggesting substantial gene flow between these widely separated populations. The strain-biased distribution of the FR element makes it a potentially useful marker to estimate interstrain hybridization frequencies of this species in Brazil.

Molecular markers to discriminate among four pest species of Helicoverpa (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

Abstract: The four significant pest species in the Helicoverpa genus (H. armigera, H. assulta, H. punctigera and H. zea) are morphologically similar and can only be reliably distinguished through dissection of adult genitalia. Two partial regions of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and the cytochrome b (Cyt b) genes were amplified by PCR and digested with restriction endonucleases. The restriction patterns, generated by the endonucleases BstZ17I and HphI, demonstrated reliable differentiation of the four Helicoverpa pest species. This technique is fast, reliable and effective at distinguishing specimens irrespective of their life stages and offers support to conventional taxonomic differentiation based on morphological characters.

Species of Lepidoptera defoliators of Eucalyptus as new host for the parasitoid Palmistichus elaeisis (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

Abstract: Pupae of Thyrinteina arnobia (Stoll) and Thyrinteina leucoceraea Rindge (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) were obtained from Eucalyptus cloeziana F. Muell and Eucalyptus urophylla S.T. Blake plants, respectively. Specimens of a parasitoid emerged from T. arnobia pupae and also found parasitising T. leucoceraea pupae in the field were identified as Palmistichus elaeisis Delvare and LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). This is the first report on P. elaeisis parasitizing T. arnobia and T. leucoceraea pupae in natural conditions in Brazil. P. elaeisis also parasitized these hosts and Bombyx mori Linnaeus (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae), Anticarsia gemmatalis Hubner, Pseudaletia sequax Franclemont, Alabama argillacea Huebner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Dirphia moderata Bouvier (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) and Halysidota pearsoni Watson (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) in the laboratory. The production and release of P. elaeisis could be an efficient alternative for controlling Lepidoptera defoliators in eucalyptus plantations.

The lock-and-key mechanisms of the internal genitalia of the Noctuidae (Lepidoptera): How are they selected for?

Abstract: In the Noctuidae, the owlet moths, the internal genitalia, i.e. the aedeagus and vesica (penis) in the males, and the bursa copulatrix in the females, together form a lock-and-key mechanism (LKM). The species-specific structures have their counterparts in the opposite sex. The internal LKM constitutes a specific reproductive isolation mechanism (lock-and-key hypothesis), which seem to be the rule in the ditrysian Lepidoptera, and also occurs in the Carabidae (Coleoptera) and some other insects. In contrast, the external genitalia rarely have species-specific counterparts in the sexes. Several results indicate the presence of LKMs: In the Noc- tuidae, (1) heterospecific differences in the male vesica may prevent sperm transfer or lead to mechanical failure during copulation, (2) the more complicated the specific genitalia structures, the more aberrations may occur even in conspecific copulations, and (3) in many species pairs and groups, and in one large genus, Apamea, the structures in the opposite sexes show a strictly specific corre- spondence, but, (4) when there is precopulatory isolation due to differences in pheromone production or perception, the internal genitalia may be identical. Conversely, in the Colias butterflies (Pieridae), (5) frequent heterospecific hybridization is associated with the similarity of the internal genitalia. The LKMs seem to protect genomes against alien genes, supposedly selected for because of the lower fitness of specimens with an imprecise LKM and/or inferiority of hybrids. In the literature, the diversity of the noctuid genitalia has been ascribed to sexual selection, because the females were classified as polyandrous. Most species produce the main part of their eggs monandrously, and remate, if at all, in their old age, and are thus successively monandrous and polyandrous. The allopatric divergence in the structure of the internal genitalia of 39 Holarctic pairs of sister species of Noctuidae is suggested to be due to genetic drift. The insecure function of the female pheromones and external genitalia of males are illustrated with the aid of original photographs.

Foliage chemistry and the distribution of Lepidoptera larvae on broad-leaved trees in southern Ontario

Abstract: This study addresses the influence of foliage chemistry on the distribution of Lepidoptera larvae across species of trees. I used ordination and analysis of principal coordinates to describe the partitioning of the larvae of 24 species of Lepidoptera over 23 species of host trees taking into account 13 chemical properties of the foliage. Canonical analysis of principal coordinates (CAP) revealed two significant axes linking the two datasets. The first constrained axis (r 2 = 0.83) was associated with increasing amounts of soluble carbohydrates and decreasing amounts of hemicellulose, polyphenols, and potassium per cm2 leaf area. The second constrained axis (r 2 = 0.68) was associated with increasing amounts of soluble carbohydrates and decreasing magnesium. Variation in nitrogen and phosphorus, which are major factors in larval nutrition, were not associated with turnover of Lepidoptera species between species of host tree. Of the total variance in the positions of tree species on the first four constrained CAP axes, 44% was correlated with positions determined by foliage chemistry, 32% on the first two constrained axes. Within the space described by the first two canonical axes, congeneric species of tree clustered together, with the exception that Acer negundo was removed from other species of Acer, which grouped in a tight cluster with species in the order Fagales, as well as with Tilia and Ulmus. Alnus and Prunus also grouped together. No species of tree with a negative score on constrained axis 2 exhibited high Lepidoptera species richness, but the average number of individuals per collection tended to be high. These tree species also contain triterpenes in their leaves and harbored disproportionately more tent- and web-making species of Lepidoptera. These analyses show that patterns of distribution across host tree species within an assemblage of Lepidoptera species can be understood, at least in part, in terms of the qualities of the resources upon which they feed.

Spatial Analysis ofLobesia botrana(Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) Male Population in a Mediterranean Agricultural Landscape in Central Italy

Abstract: The results obtained from the spatial analysis of pheromone-baited trap catch data of Lobesia botrana (Denis and Schiffermüller) males are reported. The research was undertaken in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. In the study area, vineyards (of Vitis vinifera L.) are the predominant cultivation, surrounded by hedgerows and small woodlots, and interspersed with cereal crops and olive groves. The main purpose of the study was to investigate the spatio-temporal dynamics of L. botrana, inside and outside vineyards, and to evaluate the effect of the landscape elements on pest distribution. A trend orientation over the experimental area was observed along the direction from northwest to southeast. Correlograms fitted using a spherical model showed in all cases an aggregated distribution and an estimated range having a mean of 174 m in 2005 and 116 m in 2006. Contour maps highlighted that spatial distribution of L. botrana was not limited to vineyards, but its presence is high particularly inside olive groves. The adult distribution on the experimental area changed during the season: hot spots of flight I were positioned inside olive groves; during flights II and III, they were concentrated in vineyards. L. botrana males were also captured in uncultivated fields, but never in high densities. Our results showed that a large proportion of the adult population of L. botrana inhabits areas outside those usually targeted by pest management programs. Thus, in Mediterranean agro-ecosystems, it is highly recommended to consider the whole landscape, with particular attention to olive crops.

Survey of the native insect natural enemies of Hyphantria cunea (Drury) (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) in China.

Abstract: The fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea (Drury) (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae), is an invasive and important pest in China. Investigations on insect natural enemies have been conducted from 1996 to 1999 in five provinces and one municipality of China in order to select effective species for biological control. Two carabid predators (Coleoptera) and 25 parasitoid species were found, among which 23 were parasitic wasps (Hymenoptera), including five hyperparasitic species and two tachinid flies (Diptera). The two carabids preyed on young larvae inside webs, two braconid wasps parasitized larvae, and 18 parasitoid species attacked the fall webworm during the pupal and/or 'larval-pupal' stages. Among these parasitoids, there were one genus and nine species that are new to science and four species new to China, which were described and published by the senior author Yang. The average parasitism rates of fall webworm pupae were 25.8% and 16.1% in the overwintering generation and the first generation (summer generation), respectively. These findings reveal that these natural enemies play an important role in the natural control of the pest. Chouioia cunea Yang (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), a gregarious pupal endo-parasitoid, was recommended as a promising biological control agent against the fall webworm in China.

The biology of lepidoptera infesting stored products, with special reference to population dynamics

Abstract: Summary I. This review provides a background to those aspects of the biology and behaviour of Lepidoptera infesting stored products which may be important in terms of population dynamics. 2. The general biologies of four common species of Phycitid moth are described. 3. Both the fecundity and the fertility of the adult can be influenced by the diet of the female, the size of the female, the numbers of adults per unit area and a variety of environmental factors. 4. Egg mortality may be caused by sterility or cannibalism. Larval mortality may be caused by starvation or cannibalism. Crowding leads to emigration, reduced size and extended developmental period. Pupal and adult mortalities are of minor importance. Pupae may suffer developmental disorders and adults are killed by spiders and lost by emigration. 5. Parasitoids, predators and diseases, which also contribute to mortality of eggs, larvae, pupae and adults, are described. 6. The importance of planning and sampling in order to obtain detailed data on populations are discussed, together with the analysis of the data. 7. It is shown that Lepidoptera which infest stored products and the parasitoids associated with them have proved convenient experimental tools for the elucidation of certain aspects of population dynamics. A small number of studies have succeeded in identifying the main factors or processes responsible for fluctuation or regulation of the densities of these moths.

Descriptions of two new species of Hemileucinae (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) from the region of Muzo in Colombiaevidence from morphology and DNA barcodes

Abstract: Two new species of Hemileucinae are described from the region of Muzo (Boyaca department) in the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia. Leucanella bonillensis, new species, is a small greyish species whose closest relatives are L. newmani (Lemaire) and L. acutissima (Walker). It can be distinguished from those two species by several subtle differences in wing pattern and coloration as well as a few characters of the male genitalia, which are overall very conserved within the genus. Cerodirphia zulemae, new species, belongs to the very uniform species-group of C. speciosa (Cramer), characterised by a pink ground colour and the presence of a “Y”-shaped discal mark on the forewing. Based on its male genitalia, the new species is related to C. brunnea (Draudt) and C. apunctata Dias & Lemaire. It may be distinguished from the former by its more vivid ground colour, but detailed examination of the male genitalia are necessary to differentiate it from C. apunctata. Colour pictures of the habitus of the new species and their relatives are provided, and their genital structures are figured as well, including both sexes for C. zulemae. We also provide additional support to these descriptions based on genetic data obtained in the context of a global DNA barcoding campaign recently initiated for saturniid moths. Both L. bonillensis and C. zulemae are unambiguously distinguished from closest relatives based on genetic distances (no intraspecific distances in either case; interspecific distance ranges 5.6–6.6% and 6.7–12.5%, respectively) and inference of phylogenetic hypotheses based on partial sequences of the COI mitochondrial gene. These results emphasize the potential of DNA barcoding to support taxonomic work in species-groups considered difficult to address through morphology.

Revision of Holarctic Teleiodini (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae)

Abstract: The 25 genera of Teleiodini (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) occurring in the Holarctic Region are revised. A new genus and new species, Arcutelphusa talladega, are described from Alabama and Mississippi, United States. Evippe Chambers (1873a) is synonymized with Agnippe Chambers (1872a), Hapalosaris Meyrick (1917) is synonymized with Coleotechnites Chambers (1880b), and Laris Omelko (1988) is synonymized with Parastenolechia Kanazawa (1985). Telphusa is restricted to three species, and Teleiodes is restricted to four species. A key to genera and a checklist of species, which includes 28 new combinations, are provided. Each generic treatment includes descriptions of imagos, including venation and genitalia, and immature stages so far as known, larval hosts, diversity and distribution, and illustrations of selected species.

An Empirical Test of the F2 Screen for Detection of Bacillus thuringiensis-Resistance Alleles in Tobacco Budworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Abstract: Insects exposed to genetically modified crops expressing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins are under intense selection pressure that could result on widespread Bt resistance. Screening for early indications of Bt resistance developing in targeted Lepidoptera is conducted in many of the regions where genetically modified cotton and corn have been commercialized. Heliothis virescens (F.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) has been selected in the laboratory to have a gene for resistance to Cry1Ac. We used this laboratory line to test the assumptions and theoretical predictions related to detection of recessive Bt-resistant alleles in field populations based on a second generation (F2) screen. By creating single-pair families from mating a heterozygous Cry1Ac-resistant moth with a Cry1Ac-susceptible moth, we simulated the most common genotype when Bt-resistance alleles are at low frequency in the field. The second generation (F2) neonates of single-pair families were screened daily with diagnostic concentration bioassays. Cry1Ac-resistant homozygous larvae were detected, but the proportion of resistant larvae was generally below the theoretical expectation of 6.25% and was influenced by the moth F1 sib-mating density and by the day of oviposition of F2 eggs. Logistical considerations such as F1 sib-mating density and F2 neonate screening are important for the successful implementation of a reliable method.

Diversity and comparative phenology of Lepidoptera on Bt and non-Bt maize in South Africa

Abstract: The use of Bt maize could directly or indirectly affect non-target organisms. Assessment of the impacts of Bt crops is hampered by the lack of even the most basic checklist of the species present in most systems. In South Africa the maize agroecosystem is of particular interest because of the large area planted with Bt maize (Event MON810) for the control of Busseola fusca (Fuller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Chilo partellus (Swinhoe) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) populations. The aims of this study were to determine the diversity of Lepidoptera species that feed on or are closely associated with maize, and to assess the possible effects of Bt maize on the incidence of Lepidoptera damage under field conditions. Field surveys were conducted at 24 sites during the 2004/2005 and 2005/2006 cropping seasons. Fifteen species of Lepidoptera were recorded on maize. Six of these species were recorded to feed on Bt maize. Limited information is available on host plants and biology of some of these species. The...

The Tortricidae (Lepidoptera) of the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador.

Abstract: The Tortricidae (Lepidoptera) of the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. Sixteen species of Tortricidae are recorded as being established on the Galapagos Archipelago, including nine that are described as new by Razowski & Landry and presumed to be endemic (Hedya brunneograpta, Eccopsis galapagana, E. floreana. Megaiota johni, Episimus alcedanus, Epinotia microscyphos, Proteoteras atromacula, Coniostola isabelae, and Dichrorampha galapagana). Two other endemic tortricids have been described from the Galapagos by Meyrick {Platynota colobota and Crocidosema synneurota). The other five species are either native or recently introduced by humans (Bactra philocherda Diakonoff, Endothenia eidolon Razowski & Pelz, Episimus transferranus (Walker), Epinotia lantana (Busck), Strepsicrates smithiana Walsingham). Four additional species are reported to have been intercepted by the Galapagos quarantine system (Anopinella sp., Lasiothyris sp., Transtillaspis sp., and Epinotia cosmoptila (Meyrick)), but they are apparently not established in the Galapagos. Hedya, Eccopsis, Proteoteras, and Coniostola are recorded for the first time from South America. Olethreutes olorina Walsingham is transferred to Hedya Hübner.

X-tox: An atypical defensin derived family of immune-related proteins specific to Lepidoptera

Abstract: We report here the isolation in Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera) of an immune-related protein (hereafter named Spod-11-tox), characterized by imperfectly conserved tandem repeats of 11 cysteine-stabilized alpha beta motifs (CS-αβ), the structural scaffold characteristic of invertebrate defensins and scorpion toxins Spod-11-tox orthologs were only found in Lepidopteran species, suggesting that this new protein family (named X-tox) is specific to this insect order Moreover, phylogenetic analysis suggests that X-tox proteins represent a new class of proteins restricted to Lepidoptera and likely derived from Lepidopteran defensins In S frugiperda, analysis of gene expression revealed that spod-11-tox is rapidly induced by infection However, and conversely to what is known for most insect antimicrobial peptides (AMP), spod-11-tox is mainly expressed in blood cells Moreover, recombinant Spod-11-tox produced in the Sf9 cell line does not show any antimicrobial activity Altogether, these results suggest that although X-tox proteins are derived from defensins, they may play a different and still unknown role in Lepidoptera immune response

Extreme Intraspecific Variation in Hystrichophora (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) Genitalia — Questioning the Lock-and-Key Hypothesis

Abstract: The lock-and-key hypothesis of genital evolution is evaluated using the highly variable male genitalia of two species of Hystrichophora (Tortricidae: Olethreutinae) moths. Traditionally, morphological differences in male genitalia have been used to differentiate similar species of Lepidoptera, and, while other characters may be examined, it is often assumed that genital morphology is the unique characteristic that “defines” a species. The significance of this assumption is based, many times unknowingly, on the lock-and-key hypothesis, which states that male and female genital compatibility serves to isolate different species reproductively. This concept is tested by quantifying the shape of Hystrichophora male valvae and analyzing variation in individual populations using principal components analysis. The resulting extreme levels of intraspecific variation support evolution by means of sexual selection and reject the traditional lock-and-key hypothesis.

Assessment of insect diversity along an altitudinal gradient in Pinderi forests of Western Himalaya, India

Abstract: Insect diversity, richness and abundance were evaluated at different altitudes in three forest habitats in the Western Himalayas. The habitats studied were all situated between 2100 and 3500 m and included a site with no disturbances, a site with a moderate level of disturbance and a site with a very high level of disturbance. The species composition and diversity of insects varied at all the three study sites, which demonstrates the effect of altitude and disturbances, as well as the effects of other ecological and climatic parameters on insect populations. The site at lowest altitude, which contained a moderate level of disturbance, supported the highest number of species (108), whereas the site at the highest altitude, which contained the maximum level of disturbance, supported the lowest number of species (77). When all of the sites were considered, 122 species of insects belonging to 43 families and 8 orders were recorded. Lepidoptera was the most dominant insect order recorded, with 46 species being observed. This was followed by Hymenoptera (20), Coleoptera (18), Orthoptera (12), Hemiptera (10), Odonata (9), Diptera (5) and Dermeptera (2). The most abundant species were Vanessa cashmirensis Fru. (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), Pieris canidia indica Sparr. (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), Apis laboriosa Smith (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Anomala dimidiata Hope (Coleoptera: Scarabidae), Chorthipus sp. (Orthoptera: Acrididae), Crocothemis servilia servilia (Drury) (Odonata: Libellulidae) and Syrphus fulvifacies Brunetti (Diptera: Syrphidae). The site at the lowest altitude and the sites with the longest rainy seasons had the highest Shannon–Wiener Diversity.

Polyphagy, flightlessness, and reproductive output of females: a case study with bagworms (Lepidoptera: Psychidae)

Abstract: 1. We evaluated the relation between plant-mediated larval traits and the fitness of female bagworms, Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis Haworth (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) by sampling 29 populations of bagworms on five plant genera (Thuja, Pinus, Picea, Juniperus, and Gleditsia). 2. Compared with those on other genera of plants, female larvae on Thuja attained a larger size at pupation and developed faster. The superior quality of Thuja as a larval food plant resulted in a higher potential fitness of females, as indicated by a low level of pupal mortality and high fecundity. 3. The fecundity of females increased with pupal size on different plant genera, and the effect of host plant genus was negligible compared with pupal size. 4. The mating success of females varied among different populations (0–37% unmated females), but neither host plant, emergence time, nor the size of females had a significant influence on the proportion of mated females. 5. The conversion of adult biomass into reproductive tissue, measured as the ratio between the biomass of eggs divided by the biomass of calling females, increased with the pupal size of females and approached 90% for large females. The high rate of egg conversion in bagworms may be related to the neoteny of short-lived females that invest little in somatic tissue.

Sub-lethal effects of SpltMNPV infection on developmental stages of Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Abstract: Application of different doses of SpltMNPV on final instars of Spodoptera litura showed dose-related mortality. A significant increase in the time for pupation and progeny mortality as well as reduced fecundity was observed in surviving larvae. Impact of sublethal doses on subsequent generation needs attention in designing baculovirus-based pest management.

Microbial population and diversity on the exoskeletons of four insect species associated with gorse (Ulex europaeus L.)

Abstract: Fungi and bacteria on the external surfaces of four gorse-associated insect species: gorse seed weevil Apion ulicis Forster (Coleoptera: Apionidae), light brown apple moth Epiphyas postvittana Walker (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), gorse pod moth Cydia ulicetana Denis and Schiffermuller (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) and gorse thrips Sericothrips staphylinus Haliday (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), were recov- ered by washing and plating techniques. The isolates were identified by morphology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) restriction fragment length polymorphism and sequencing of internally tran- scribed spacer (ITS) and 16S rDNA. A culture-independent technique (direct PCR) was also used to assess fungal diversity by direct amplification of ITS sequences from the washings of the insects. All insect species carried Alternaria, Cladosporium, Corallomycetella, Penicillium, Phoma, Pseudozyma spp. and entomopathogens. Ninety-four per cent of the 178 cloned amplicons had ITS sequence similarity to Nectria mauritiicola (syn. Corallomycetella repens) .E. postvittana carried the largest fungal spores (spore mean surface area of 126 mm 2 ) and the most fungal colony forming units per insect. Methylo- bacterium aquaticum and Pseudomonas lutea were isolated from all four insect species. P. fluorescens was the most abundant bacterium on the lepidopteran insects. This study presents the diversity of microbial taxa on insect exoskeletons, and provides the basis for developing a novel mycoherbicide delivery strategy for biological control of gorse using insects as vectors of a plant pathogen.

Microbial Diversity Associated with the Fruit-Piercing and Blood-Feeding Moth Calyptra thalictri (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Abstract: Previous inventories of the diversity of lepidopteran symbionts have been limited to Eubacteria. We conducted a microbial survey of Calyptra thalictri Borkhausen (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers for 16S rRNA sequences for Eubacteria, and primers for Archaea, fungi including yeast-like organisms, Microsporidia, and Wolbachia. Heads and abdomens of adult males of this fruit-piercing and blood-feeding moth were assayed separately. High-fidelity PCR and subsequent DNA analyses indicated that at least five microorganisms belonging to the α-, β-, and γ-Proteobacteria were present. Two eubacterial sequences, related to a Klebsiella sp. and a Sinorhizobium sp., were detected in the abdomens of all nine individuals sampled, and three additional sequences, two related to species in the genus Alcaligenes and one related to a Rhizobium sp., were found in some of the abdominal samples, suggesting all five could be associated with abdominal structures. No Archaea, fungi including yeast-like organisms, Microsporidia, or Wolbachia were detected. These results document the first microbial associates in a fruit-piercing and blood-feeding moth.

Lepidoptera and associated parasitoids attacking Hass and non-Hass avocados in Guatemala.

Abstract: A 5-mo survey for fruit feeding Lepidoptera attacking Hass and non-Hass avocados (Persea americana Miller [Lauraceae]) was conducted in Guatemala from 1 November 2006 to 1 April 2007. In total, 6,740 fruit were collected from 22 different areas in Guatemala. Eight species of Lepidoptera, of which at least two are species new to science, were reared from avocado fruit. Reared Lepidoptera were Amorbia santamaria Phillips and Powell, Cryptaspasma sp. nr. lugubris, Euxoa sorella Schaus, Histura n. sp., Holcocera n. sp., Micrathetis triplex Walker, Netechma pyrrhodelta (Meyrick), and Stenoma catenifer Walsingham. Hymenopteran parasitoids were reared from larvae of C. sp. nr. lugubris and S. catenifer. One species of parasitoid, Pseudophanerotoma sp., was reared from field collected C. sp. nr. lugubris larvae. The dominant parasitoid reared from S. catenifer was a gregarious Apanteles sp. Other parasitoid species reared from S. catenifer larvae were Brachycyrtus sp., Macrocentrus sp., and Pristomerus sp. The oviposition preference of C. sp. nr. lugubris for avocado fruit hanging in trees, dropped fruit on the ground, or exposed avocado seeds was investigated by studying the oviposition preferences of adult female moths and determining egg hatch times in the laboratory, and by investigating the longevity of avocado fruit on the ground under prevailing field conditions. Together, data from these studies suggested that C. sp. nr. lugubris may be an unrecognized pest of avocados that causes hanging fruit to drop to the ground prematurely. The influence of season and altitude on the phenology and distribution of avocado feeding Lepidoptera in Guatemala is discussed.

Pathogenicity of four fungal species to Indian meal moth Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)@@@Keturių mikromicetų rūšių patogeniškumas pietiniam Ugniukui, Plodia interpunctella (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae)

Abstract: The effect of four fungal species (Beauveria bassiana (B. b.), Lecanicillium (Verticillium) lecanii (L. l.), Metarhizium anisopliae var anisopliae (M. a.) and Paecilomycers farinosus (P. f.)) isolates from forest soil in Lithuania was tested on adults and one species tested on mature larvae of Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella Hübner (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Under laboratory conditions, the insects were sprayed with conidial suspension (concentration 2.6 × 106 ml–1 conidia/ ml). All the fungal isolates tested were pathogenic, however, with a different dynamics of their effect. During the first-three-day period after spraying, the highest mortality (35–40% versus control) caused by P. f. and M. a., and there was no significant difference in the survival as compared to control when B. b. and L. l. were sprayed. The median lethal time period when mortality reached 50% (LT50) or 100% (LT100) varied depending on fungus species from 1 to 5 days and from 9 to 12.3 days, respectively. P. f., was effective to P. interpunctella adults, but not to larvae of the species, as during 14 days of testing no 50% of mortality was reached.

New and interesting Portuguese Lepidoptera records from 2007 (Insecta: Lepidoptera)

Abstract: 38 species are added to the Portuguese Lepidoptera fauna and two species deleted, mainly as a result of fieldwork undertaken by the authors in the last year....

Bt-transgenic maize does not deter oviposition by two important African cereal stem borers, Chilo partellus Swinhoe (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) and Sesamia calamistis Hampson (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Abstract: Objective: To assess Chilo partellus Swinhoe (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) and Sesamia calamistis Hampson (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) ovipositional responses on Bt (Event 216, containing the Cry1Ab gene) and isogenic non-Bt (CML 216) maize plants. Methodology and results: Stem borer moths were allowed to oviposit on maize plants in oviposition cages under both choice (cages containing both Bt and non-Bt plants) and non-choice conditions (cages containing either only Bt or non-Bt plants). There were no significant differences in the mean numbers of: egg batches per plant, eggs per batch, eggs laid per plant and egg hatchability between Bt and non-Bt plants in both choice and non-choice tests. Conclusion and application of findings: Event 216 did not deter oviposition by Chilo partellus and Sesamia calamistis. This factor should be taken into consideration when designing suitable refuge arrangements for managing resistance. Although most of the larvae exposed to the Bt plants would be killed, thus reducing chances of the pests developing resistance, an effective resistance management strategy would require that the Bt plants are further engineered to incorporate additional genes that would make them unattractive for oviposition by stem borer moths.

Checklist of American Coptotriche (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Tischeriidae) with Descriptions of Two New Species from the Tropical Forest of Belize (Central America)

Abstract: Two new species are described from the tropical forest of Belize: Coptotriche singularis (host-plant unknown) and C. forsteroniae (leaf-miner on Forsteronia myriantha, Apocynaceae). The external features and male genitalia are figured and described for both species. A checklist of Coptotriche species comprising 31 species currently known from the Americas is given. Most of the species are known from mainland USA and Canada, and only a few from the Neotropics (the Caribbean and Belize).

Catalogue of the family Sesiidae in China (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae)

Abstract: A catalogue of the family Sesiidae in China is provided based partially on the research of the previous literature and partially on the study of the specimens in our collection. A total of 108 species in 26 genera are listed, along with the available information of distribution and host plants.