A taxonomic review of Eucalantica Busck (Lepidoptera, Yponomeutidae) with descriptions of six new species

The New World genus Eucalantica Busck, 1904 is reviewed. It comprises seven species, six of which are described as new: Eucalantica costaricae Sohn & Nishida, sp. n., Eucalantica ehecatlella Sohn & Nishida, sp. n., Eucalantica icarusella Sohn & Nishida, sp. n., Eucalantica powelli Sohn, sp. n., and Eucalantica pumila Sohn, sp. n., all five from Costa Rica; Eucalantica vaquero Sohn, sp. n. from southern USA and Mexico. The type species, Eucalantica polita (Walsingham, 1881), is redescribed and a lectotype and two paralectotypes are designated. Illustrations and keys based on the forewing patterns and the genitalia of each sex are provided. Our review suggests that there remains an undiscovered high diversity of Eucalantica in the tropical highlands of Central America.     

Two new species of Stenoloba (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) from East Asia with the first description of S. nora female genitalia

Two new species of Stenoloba Staudinger, 1892 are described: S. ronkayi Sohn and Tzuoo sp. nov. from Taiwan and S. hystrix Sohn sp. nov. from northern Vietnam. The relationships of the new species with the actual species groups of Stenoloba are discussed. The formerly unknown female of S. nora Kononenko and Ronkay, 2001 and its genitalia are described here for the first time.     

Differential expression of 10 sweetpotato peroxidases in response to sulfur dioxide, ozone, and ultraviolet radiation

Secretory class III plant peroxidase (POD, EC 1.11.1.7) is believed to function in diverse physiological processes, including responses to various environmental stresses. To understand the function of each POD in terms of air pollutants and UV radiation, changes in POD activity and expression of 10 POD genes isolated from cell cultures of sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) were investigated in the leaves of sweetpotato after treatment with sulfur dioxide (SO(2) 500ppb, 8h/day for 5 days), ozone (O(3) 200ppb, 8h/day for 6 days), and ultraviolet radiation (UV-B 0.6mWm(-2) for 24h, UV-C 0.16mWm(-2) for 24h). All treatments significantly reduced the PSII photosynthetic efficiency (F(v)/F(m)). POD-specific activities (units/mg protein) were increased in leaves treated with SO(2) and O(3) by 5.2- and 7.1-fold, respectively, compared to control leaves. UV-B and UV-C also increased POD activities by 3.0- and 2.4-fold, respectively. As determined by RT-PCR analysis, 10 POD genes showed differential expression patterns upon treatment with air pollutants and UV radiation. Among the POD genes, swpa1, swpa2, and swpa4 were strongly induced following each of the treatments. Interestingly, basic POD genes (swpb1, swpb2, and swpb3) were highly expressed following SO(2) treatment only, whereas neutral swpn1 was highly induced following O(3) treatment only. These results indicated that some specific POD isoenzymes might be specifically involved in the defense mechanism against oxidative stress induced by air pollutants and UV radiation in sweetpotato plants.     

The flavonoid myricetin reduces nocturnal melatonin levels in the blood through the inhibition of serotonin N-acetyltransferase

Melatonin is secreted during the hours of darkness and is thought to influence the circadian and seasonal timing of a variety of physiological processes. AANAT, which is expressed in the pineal gland, retina, and various other tissues, catalyzes the conversion of serotonin to N-acetylserotonin and is the rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthetic pathway of melatonin. The compounds that modulate the activity of AANAT can be used to treat patients with circadian rhythm disorders that are associated with specific circadian rhythm alterations, such as shift work disorder. In the present study, we screened modulators of AANAT activity from the water extracts of medicinal plants. Among the 267 tested medicinal plant extracts, Myricae Cortex (Myrica rubra), Perillae Herba (Perilla sikokiana), and Eriobotryae Folium (Eriobotrya japonica) showed potent inhibition of AANAT activity. Myricetin (5,7,3′,4′,5′-pentahydroxyflavonol), a main component of the Myricae Cortex, strongly inhibited the activity of AANAT and probably block the access to the substrate by docking to the catalytic residues that are important for AANAT activity. Myricetin significantly decreased the nocturnal serum melatonin levels in rats. In addition, the locomotor activity of rats treated with myricetin decreased during the nighttime and slightly increased throughout the day. These results suggest that myricetin could be used as a therapy to increase nighttime alertness by changing the circadian rhythm of serum melatonin and locomotor activity.     

The fossil record and taphonomy of butterflies and moths (Insecta,Lepidoptera): implications for evolutionary diversity and divergence-time estimates

Background

It is conventionally accepted that the lepidopteran fossil record is significantly incomplete when compared to the fossil records of other, very diverse, extant insect orders. Such an assumption, however, has been based on cumulative diversity data rather than using alternative statistical approaches from actual specimen counts.

Results

We reviewed documented specimens of the lepidopteran fossil record, currently consisting of 4,593 known specimens that are comprised of 4,262 body fossils and 331 trace fossils. The temporal distribution of the lepidopteran fossil record shows significant bias towards the late Paleocene to middle Eocene time interval. Lepidopteran fossils also record major shifts in preservational style and number of represented localities at the Mesozoic stage and Cenozoic epoch level of temporal resolution. Only 985 of the total known fossil specimens (21.4%) were assigned to 23 of the 40 extant lepidopteran superfamilies. Absolute numbers and proportions of preservation types for identified fossils varied significantly across superfamilies. The secular increase of lepidopteran family-level diversity through geologic time significantly deviates from the general pattern of other hyperdiverse, ordinal-level lineages.

Conclusion

Our statistical analyses of the lepidopteran fossil record show extreme biases in preservation type, age, and taxonomic composition. We highlight the scarcity of identified lepidopteran fossils and provide a correspondence between the latest lepidopteran divergence-time estimates and relevant fossil occurrences at the superfamily level. These findings provide caution in interpreting the lepidopteran fossil record through the modeling of evolutionary diversification and in determination of divergence time estimates.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-015-0290-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Taxonomic review of the genus Thecobathra (Lepidoptera,Yponomeutidae) from Taiwan

The Taiwanese species of Thecobathra are reviewed. Four new species of Thecobathra: T. heppneri n. sp., T. minuta n. sp., T. pauciguttata n. sp., and T. taiwanensis n. sp. are described. The female genitalia of T. basilobata are described for the first time. Keys to all the Taiwanese species of Thecobathra are provided.     

Composted sewage sludge can improve the physiological properties of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Betula schmidtii</Emphasis> grown in tailings

We investigated how the application of composted sewage sludge to tailings affects the physiological response of woody plants growing on abandoned coal-mining sites. Twenty seedlings ofBetula schmidtii were transplanted to pots containing various combinations of artificial soil plus nursery soil, tailings, composted soil, or tailings amended with composted soil. Dry weights, shoot to root ratios, relative growth rates (RGR), chlorophyll content and fluorescence, and carbohydrate concentrations were assessed at the end of the experiment. Growth responses differed significantly among soil types. For example, dry weights were greatest for seedlings grown in composted soil and smallest for plants raised in pure tailings. Shoot to root ratios were higher for seedlings in composted soil compared with those in either tailings or nursery soil. Leaf chlorophyll content was twice as high for seedlings from composted soil than for those in the nursery soil or tailings; chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm) was lower for seedlings in either nursery soil or tailings than for those in composted soil. In contrast, plants grown in either nursery soil or tailings had higher starch concentrations in their stems, whereas the carbohydrate allocation of seedlings in composted soil was highest in the leaves, followed by stems and roots. Overall, the carbohydrate content was highest in the leaves, except for seedlings treated with tailings. Therefore, we believe that composted soil can improve the physiological and biochemical properties of trees growing in tailings when appropriate nutrients are supplemented.