Adding Biotic Interactions into Paleodistribution Models: A Host-Cleptoparasite Complex of Neotropical Orchid Bees

Orchid bees compose an exclusive Neotropical pollinators group, with bright body coloration. Several of those species build their own nests, while others are reported as nest cleptoparasites. Here, the objective was to evaluate whether the inclusion of a strong biotic interaction, such as the presence of a host species, improved the ability of species distribution models (SDMs) to predict the geographic range of the cleptoparasite species. The target species were Aglae caerulea and its host species Eulaema nigrita. Additionally, since A. caerulea is more frequently found in the Amazon rather than the Cerrado areas, a secondary objective was to evaluate whether this species is increasing or decreasing its distribution given South American past and current climatic conditions. SDMs methods (Maxent and Bioclim), in addition with current and past South American climatic conditions, as well as the occurrences for A. caerulea and E. nigrita were used to generate the distribution models. The distribution of A. caerulea was generated with and without the inclusion of the distribution of E. nigrita as a predictor variable. The results indicate A. caerulea was barely affected by past climatic conditions and the populations from the Cerrado savanna could be at least 21,000 years old (the last glacial maximum), as well as the Amazonian ones. On the other hand, in this study, the inclusion of the host-cleptoparasite interaction complex did not statistically improve the quality of the produced models, which means that the geographic range of this cleptoparasite species is mainly constrained by climate and not by the presence of the host species. Nonetheless, this could also be caused by unknown complexes of other Euglossini hosts with A. caerulea, which still are still needed to be described by science.     

Multiple-Geographic-Scale Genetic Structure of Two Mangrove Tree Species: The Roles of Mating System,Hybridization, Limited Dispersal and Extrinsic Factors

Mangrove plants comprise a unique group of organisms that grow within the intertidal zones of tropical and subtropical regions and whose distributions are influenced by both biotic and abiotic factors. To understand how these extrinsic and intrinsic processes influence a more fundamental level of the biological hierarchy of mangroves, we studied the genetic diversity of two Neotropical mangrove trees, Avicenniagerminans and A. schaueriana, using microsatellites markers. As reported for other sea-dispersed species, there was a strong differentiation between A. germinans and A. schaueriana populations sampled north and south of the northeastern extremity of South America, likely due to the influence of marine superficial currents. Moreover, we observed fine-scale genetic structures even when no obvious physical barriers were present, indicating pollen and propagule dispersal limitation, which could be explained by isolation-by-distance coupled with mating system differences. We report the first evidence of ongoing hybridization between Avicennia species and that these hybrids are fertile, although this interspecific crossing has not contributed to an increase in the genetic diversity the populations where A. germinans and A. schaueriana hybridize. These findings highlight the complex interplay between intrinsic and extrinsic factors that shape the distribution of the genetic diversity in these sea-dispersed colonizer species.     

A new record of Amphitetranychus quercivorus (Acari: Tetranychidae) in Korea and molecular comparison with A. viennensis

Amphitetranychus quercivorus (Ehara and Gotoh, 1990) was first identified in Mongolian oak tree Quercus mongolica in Daegu, Korea. In comparison to A. viennensis (Zacher), A. quercivorus was much shorter in the distal, dorsally directed portion of the male aedeagus, as well as smaller and less folded in the distal anastomosed portion of the female peritreme. Comparison of the nucleotide sequences of ITS2 and COI revealed 90% and 89% similarities, respectively, between the two species. In addition, species-specific primer sets for each species were designed using unique ITS2 sequences and then used to diagnose these two species under plant quarantine. We report the Korean name of this species as “Sin-gal-na-mu-eung-ae”.     

Study on two genera,Yasumatsua Togashi and Aproceros Malaise (Hymenoptera: Argidae: Sterictiphorinae), from South Korea with description of a new species

Yasumatsusa Togashi, 1970 and Aproceros Malaise, 1931 are recorded for the first time from South Korea. A new species, Yasumatsua koreana Lee & Lee sp. nov., and newly recorded species, Aproceros pallidicornis (Mocsáry, 1909), are described. Photographs of the new species and a key to genera of Korean Sterictiphorinae are provided.     

Integrating Paleodistribution Models and Phylogeography in the Grass-Cutting Ant Acromyrmex striatus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Southern Lowlands of South America

Past climate changes often have influenced the present distribution and intraspecific genetic diversity of organisms. The objective of this study was to investigate the phylogeography and historical demography of populations of Acromyrmex striatus (Roger, 1863), a leaf-cutting ant species restricted to the open plains of South America. Additionally, we modeled the distribution of this species to predict its contemporary and historic habitat. From the partial sequences of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase I of 128 A. striatus workers from 38 locations we estimated genetic diversity and inferred historical demography, divergence time, and population structure. The potential distribution areas of A. striatus for current and quaternary weather conditions were modeled using the maximum entropy algorithm. We identified a total of 58 haplotypes, divided into five main haplogroups. The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that the largest proportion of genetic variation is found among the groups of populations. Paleodistribution models suggest that the potential habitat of A. striatus may have decreased during the Last Interglacial Period (LIG) and expanded during the Last Maximum Glacial (LGM). Overall, the past potential distribution recovered by the model comprises the current potential distribution of the species. The general structuring pattern observed was consistent with isolation by distance, suggesting a balance between gene flow and drift. Analysis of historical demography showed that populations of A. striatus had remained constant throughout its evolutionary history. Although fluctuations in the area of their potential historic habitat occurred during quaternary climate changes, populations of A. striatus are strongly structured geographically. However, explicit barriers to gene flow have not been identified. These findings closely match those in Mycetophylax simplex, another ant species that in some areas occurs in sympatry with A. striatus. Ecophysiological traits of this species and isolation by distance may together have shaped the phylogeographic pattern.     

A taxonomic review of Korean Hydroglyphus Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae: Hydroporinae) with a description of new species

A taxonomic study of Hydroglyphus Motschulsky in Korea is presented. Four species are recognized including a new species, Hydroglyphus coreanus sp. nov. Hydroglyphus flammulatus (Sharp) is reported for the first time in the Korean peninsula and H. geminus (Fabricius) is a new addition to the South Korean fauna. Habitus and SEM photographs, distribution maps, and key to the Korean species are provided.     

Metagenomic Survey of Viral Diversity Obtained from Feces of Subantarctic and South American Fur Seals

The Brazilian South coast seasonally hosts numerous marine species, observed particularly during winter months. Some animals, including fur seals, are found dead or debilitated along the shore and may harbor potential pathogens within their microbiota. In the present study, a metagenomic approach was performed to evaluate the viral diversity in feces of fur seals found deceased along the coast of the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The fecal virome of two fur seal species was characterized: the South American fur seal (Arctocephalus australis) and the Subantarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus tropicalis). Fecal samples from 10 specimens (A. australis, n = 5; A. tropicalis, n = 5) were collected and viral particles were purified, extracted and amplified with a random PCR. The products were sequenced through Ion Torrent and Illumina platforms and assembled reads were submitted to BLASTx searches. Both viromes were dominated by bacteriophages and included a number of potentially novel virus genomes. Sequences of picobirnaviruses, picornaviruses and a hepevirus-like were identified in A. australis. A rotavirus related to group C, a novel member of the Sakobuvirus and a sapovirus very similar to California sea lion sapovirus 1 were found in A. tropicalis. Additionally, sequences of members of the Anelloviridae and Parvoviridae families were detected in both fur seal species. This is the first metagenomic study to screen the fecal virome of fur seals, contributing to a better understanding of the complexity of the viral community present in the intestinal microbiota of these animals.     

A New Species of the Genus Adela (Lepidoptera: Adelidae) from South America

Adela boliviella n. sp., described from central Bolivia, is the first representative of the subfamily Adelinae found in South America. This species is closely related to Adela astrella Walsingham, from which it differs by larger compound eyes in males (interocular index, i.e. the ratio of vertical eye diameter to interocular distance, equals 1.5 compared to 0.75 in A. astrella), smaller extent of pale yellow scales in the forewing (0.25× forewing length compared to 0.40 in A. astrella), absence of a silver band outside the fascia and presence of three glossy silver spots near the apex of the forewing (six in A. astrella).     

Review of Atlantoscia Ferrara & Taiti, 1981 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Oniscidea: Philosciidae) with new records and new species

The neotropical genus Atlantoscia Ferrara & Taiti, 1981 includes three species, A. floridana Van Name, 1940, occurring in coastal regions of Florida (USA), Brazil, Argentina, and Ascension and Saint Helena islands, A. rubromarginata Araujo & Leistikow, 1999 and A. petronioi Campos-Filho, Contreira and Lopes-Leitzke, 2012 from Brazil. Two new species from Brazil are here described, one from the state of Bahia and one from the state of São Paulo. All the new species have respiratory areas on pleopods 1–5 exopods. The specimens were collected in areas of Atlantic Forest and in cocoa (Theobroma cacao) plantations. New records of A. floridana and A. rubromarginata and distribution maps are presented.