Three new species of genus Myrmica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Himalaya

Three new species of the genus Myrmica are described from the Himalayas. Myrmica curvispinosa sp. nov., Myrmica kothiensis sp. nov. and Myrmica religiosa sp. nov. belong to the Myrmica inezae species group, which is earlier represented by 4 species. Myrmica curvispinosa sp. nov. is described based on worker and gyne, with a report of ergatoid as well. Myrmica kothiensis sp. nov. and Myrmica religiosa sp. nov. are described based on worker caste only. A key to the species of the Myrmica inezae species group has been provided in the following.     

The ecology of Myrmica ants in relation to the conservation of Maculinea butterflies

Maculinea butterflies in Europe, and probably most of Asia, are host specific social parasites of various species of Myrmica ants. The latest summary of field data showing the pattern of host specificity by Maculinea is presented. Myrmica ants have been well studied in the laboratory but much less is known about the ecology of their natural populations. While the former is important in understanding the adaptive evolution of Maculinea larval behaviours, the latter is of more practical importance to conservationists charged with the protection of specific populations of Maculinea. The current knowledge of habitat partition, colony growth and colony reproduction within communities of Myrmica ants is summarized in relation to the ecology of Maculinea species. Concepts used in current population simulation models are explained. A key concept is the idea that community structure (both number of species and size and abundance of nests) is controlled by the quantity and quality of suitable nest sites. Some advice is given to conservationists who might need to manipulate Myrmica ant populations in order to maintain a robust population of a Maculinea species. © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998     

A new socially parasitic Myrmica, with a reassessment of the genus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Myrmica ereptrix, a new species socially parasitic on Myrmica rugosa, is described from a single female discovered in Kashmir, India. A synoptic table of the known social parasites in genus Myrmica is given and the genus-level names Paramyrmica, Sommimyrma and Sifolinia are discussed and newly synonymized with Myrmica. The genus Myrmica is redefined for all castes. An outline is given of the evolution of the characteristic venation of Myrmica alates. The structure of the metasternal process in genera of the A/y/Twca-group is discussed and used in the generic diagnosis for the first time.     

Larvae of Maculinea rebeli, a large-blue butterfly, and their Myrmica host ants: wild adoption and behaviour in ant-nests

The behavioural interactions between caterpillars of Maculinea rebeli Hir. and their Myrmica ant hosts were studied, both in the wild at the time of adoption, and inside captive nests of six Myrmica species.
In the wild, freshly moulted, final instar caterpillars left their food-plants at a time of day that coincided with the peak foraging activity of Myrmica (18:00-20:00 h). Once on the ground, caterpillars made no attempt to search for Myrmica but settled and waited for foraging ants to find them, which took up to 1.5 h. There was no adoption ritual: foragers of any Myrmica species picked up the caterpillars within 1–4 sec of discovery, and carried them directly to their nests.
Caterpillars grew from < 2 mg to 110 mg in laboratory ant-nests. About 60 mg was gained in autumn but 40% of this was lost during the winter, while the temperature was < 14 °C. Although caterpillars survived best with their normal host, Myrmica schencki , they could also survive in the nests of other Myrmica species. The presence of queen ants had no effect upon survival. The behaviour of the caterpillars was described and illustrated: this included the production of secretions that were drunk by the ants, begging for food and direct feeding by ants. The preferred solid food was ant eggs.
The results are discussed in terms of the social biology of Myrmica ants. It is hypothesized that Maculinea rebeli caterpillars mimic the touch pheromones of ant worker-larvae. This would explain the inability of ants to recognize caterpillars before touching them, their immediate adoption by any Myrmica species after discovery, host specificity inside wild ant-nests, the absence of queen-effect and the intimate attention of host workers.     

中国红蚁属分类研究(膜翅目:蚁科)

记述中国红蚁属Myrmica Latreille昆虫11种,其中1种为中国新纪录种,即盖列尼红蚁M.gallieni Bondroit;描述1新种,太白红蚁M.taibaiensis sp.nov。新种与M.inezae相近,其不同处为：1）新种上颚咀嚼缘具8齿,端部2齿尖长,从第3齿开始变为细齿,后者上颚咀嚼缘具9齿,端部4齿较粗大,2）新种并胸腹节刺指向斜后上方,后者并胸腹节刺较直立;3）新种体色成双色,胸部颜色明显淡于头部及腹部,后者体色一致。文中编制了11个种的工蚁分种检索表。     

Variation of body temperature of active amphibians along elevation gradients in eastern Nepal Himalaya

Understanding the thermal ecology of active amphibians, as well as its relationship with habitat and environmental features, is a central theme in ecology. However, this topic has been poorly studied in eastern Himalaya, which is a global biodiversity hotspot. To bridge this gap, we investigated how the body temperatures of active amphibians varied along an elevation gradient in the Arun and Tamor River catchments in eastern Nepal Himalaya in the present study. Amphibian assemblages were sampled from May to July in both 2014 and 2015 using nocturnal time-constrained visual encounter surveys, and the body temperature of each individual was directly measured using a digital infrared thermometer in the field. A combination of linear regression and hierarchical partitioning analyses was used to determine the effects of elevation and environmental variables on the body temperatures of active amphibians. In total, the body temperatures of 599 amphibian individuals belonging to 28 species from six families were recorded. Our results indicated that amphibian body temperature exhibited monotonically declining trends with increasing elevations in eastern Nepal Himalaya. Interestingly, this tread was much more pronounced in subtropical (lowland) areas than in warm and cool temperate regions. Inter- and intraspecies variations in body temperature were large, which can be attributed to distinct habitat utilization among species and the change in vegetation cover in different bioclimatic zones. Among all environmental variables, substrate temperature and water temperature were the best predictors of the amphibian body temperature. Overall, this study revealed amphibian body temperature patterns along an elevation gradient in eastern Nepal Himalaya, which were principally driven by temperature-related environmental factors. We believe our results can provide important information on amphibian physiological traits, which may help ecologists predict their responses to future climate change and formulate protection strategies.     

DNA barcoding as a heuristic tool for classifying undescribed Nearctic Myrmica ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The Palearctic species of the ant genus Myrmica are well studied. In contrast, the taxonomy of the Nearctic species is outdated, making identification impossible. We collected Myrmica samples in the Holarctic and investigated their diversity using mtDNA data. We analysed a barcode sequence of the Cytochrome Oxidase I gene for 57 Palearctic and 293 Nearctic Myrmica samples. We used sequences of known Palearctic species to search for Myrmica barcode patterns. All but one Palearctic species groups were recovered. The Nearctic diversity was much higher than known. We retrieved the punctiventris, crassirugis and incompleta groups, and established nine additional tentative species groups. Genetic distance analysis revealed a large overlap of intra- and inter-specific distances in Palearctic species and species groups. We could not find a variation gap to separate Nearctic sequences into species with COI data only. Variation in scape morphology divided two genetic groups further. Scape morphology correlated with most molecular groups, except three specimens. Our results illustrate that barcoding, using only a limited amount of genetic information, cannot serve as a universal proxy for taxonomy and species demarcation. It should be considered a first step in understanding the taxonomic diversity of an unknown group of organisms.     

Higher productivity at the cost of increased host-specificity when Maculinea butterfly larvae exploit ant colonies through trophallaxis rather than by predation

Abstract .1. Field studies were made of the benefits and costs of two feeding strategies in the genus Maculinea, whose final-instar larvae parasitise Myrmica ant colonies. Maculinea arion is an obligate predator of ant brood, whereas M. rebeli and M. alcon mimic ant larvae and are fed (like cuckoos) directly by the workers.
2. Samples of > 1500 Myrmica nests confirmed laboratory-based predictions that, by feeding at a lower trophic level, many (4.7-fold) more individuals of M. rebeli and M. alcon are supported per ant colony than M. arion.
3. Because of their efficient feeding, cuckoo species often occupied sites where their phytophagous early larval populations coincided to only a small extent (> 10%) with host Myrmica colonies, whereas all sites supporting M. arion had 50–100% of the phytophagous stages within foraging range of the host Myrmica species.
4. Greater host-specificity was identified as another consequence of cuckoo-feeding. The ecological cost of this is discussed .
5. The feeding of other Maculinea species had not been fully described: the data suggest that M. nausithous is a predator of ant brood and confirm that M. teleius is predacious .     

The genus Gottschelia Grolle (Jungermanniopsida,Lophoziaceae) in China,with a description of G. grollei,sp. nov.

Abstract

The genus Gottschelia Grolle is reported as new to mainland China, from Yunnan Province. Previously G. schizopleura (Spruce) Grolle was the only known Chinese species, reported from Taiwan. However, two further species have recently been found in the Gaoligong Shan range, Yunnan Province, G. patoniae Grolle, Schill & D.G. Long, previously known from the East Himalaya of Nepal and India (Sikkim) and G. grollei D.G. Long & Váňa, described here as a new species endemic to China, the fourth known species in the genus. The differences between the three Chinese species are enumerated with notes on distribution and ecology.     

Microsatellite loci for Myrmica kotokui and their application in some congeneric ant species distributed in northern Japan

We developed seven polymorphic microsatellite loci for Myrmica kotokui from RAPD (rapid analysis of polymorphic DNA) fragments. These loci showed two to six alleles with expected and observed heterozygosity of 0.13–0.73 and 0.14–0.78, respectively. These loci are transferable to the congeneric species as Myrmica rubra, Myrmica luteola and Myrmica taediosa from northern Japan. These loci will allow analyses of genetic structure of Myrmica species at both the colony level and population levels.     

Distribution,host specificity,and the potential for cryptic speciation in hoverfly Microdon myrmicae (Diptera: Syrphidae), a social parasite of Myrmica ants

1. In 2002 Microdon myrmicae, a social parasite of Myrmica ants, was taxonomically separated from Microdon mutabilis. The original study in the U.K. found Microdon myrmicae to be specific to one ant species, Myrmica scabrinodis, yet it became apparent that the range of Microdon myrmicae includes at least the western Palaearctic. 2. Current knowledge of the European distributions of both Microdon myrmicae and Microdon mutabilis in Europe is reviewed. Also, in detailed studies of two Polish populations, Microdon myrmicae was found to survive equally well with two Myrmica ant species. We examine, however, the possibility that this reflects the presence of two separate Microdon species, each connected to one species of Myrmica. 3. Forty populations of Microdon myrmicae and 37 populations of Microdon mutabilis are currently known in Europe. All the populations in central and southern Europe that were visited after the separation of the two species were identified as Microdon myrmicae, while Microdon mutabilis’ recognised range is now restricted to the British Isles and Scandinavia. Myrmica scabrinodis was found to host Microdon myrmicae in 26 out of 31 populations investigated. Four other Myrmica species were identified to the host Microdon myrmicae: Myrmica gallienii (eight populations), Myrmica rubra (four), Myrmica vandeli (one), and Myrmica sabuleti (one). Microdon myrmicae occurs in waterlogged grassland habitats, mainly of the ‘Molinietum’ type, resulting in a patchy distribution relative to its host ants. 4. In two populations Myrmica scabrinodis and Myrmica gallienii are both abundant and rear Microdon myrmicae in equal proportions. Microdon myrmicae pupae from Myrmica gallienii nests were heavier and the anterior respiratory organs were of significantly different shape. In contrast, the comparisons of Microdon myrmicae pupae among all other populations showed no significant differences, suggesting only one species throughout the European range.     

How ants find each other; temporal and spatial patterns in nuptial flights

Reproduction is a key factor in understanding population ecology and therefore species occurrence. However, patterns in reproductive behaviour for distinct ant species remain insufficiently known. In this paper strategies in mate finding are studied for six ant species (Lasius niger, Lasius umbratus, Temnothorax nylanderi, Myrmica rubra, Myrmica ruginodis, Stenamma debile) in a forest – forest edge – agricultural field gradient. Using window traps, we studied whether these species had a restricted nuptial flight season, displayed swarming behaviour, and whether the alates aggregated at the forest edge. The flight season was limited to one month or less for L. niger, T. nylanderi, M. rubra, M. ruginodis and S. debile. Swarming behaviour occurred in all but one (L. umbratus) species. Although none of the six species seemed to have highest nest density at the forest edge, three of them, M. rubra, M. ruginodis and S. debile, showed male aggregations there, indicating this to be the main reproduction site. This last finding could be due to a more suitable micro-climate, but most likely, edges are conspicuous land marks which are used by ants to meet mates. The behavioural patterns of ant sexuals at the forest edge can influence dispersal possibilities in fragmented landscapes, reproductive success and nest densities. Received 27 November 2007; revised 27 March; accepted 5 April 2008.     

The <Emphasis Type="Italic">Corydalis nana</Emphasis> complex (Fumariaceae sect. Latiflorae) in Western Himalaya

Corydalis nana Royle in the western Himalaya is found to be a complex of three species, including two hitherto undescribed. The true C. nana is a yellow-flowered species. The most common, greyish-blue or white-flowered species in the Sino-Indo-Nepal Himalaya, hitherto mistaken as C. nana, is a new species described here as Corydalis magni. An additional related species, Corydalis devendrae, characterised by tuberous roots and dorsally wingless/non crestate upper and lower petals is also described and illustrated from Uttarakhand state, India. A table comparing diagnostic characters, along with keys to taxa of the complex and a distribution map, are also included.     

Effects of inundation and salt on the survival of ants in a sandy coastal plain

Abstract. 1. Survival of four species of ants, Myrmica rubra, Myrmica scabrinodis, Lasius niger and Lasius flavus , exposed to prolonged inundation and the drinking of brackish water, was experimentally determined.
2. In most of the experiments, survival of Lasius flavus workers was much worse than either Lasius niger or Myrmica scabrinodis .
3. After inundation with brackish water, and drinking of brackish water for more than 3 weeks, survival of workers of Myrmica rubra was also more affected than that of Lasius niger and Myrmica scabrinodis .
4. As a rule, survival of dealated queens after inundation appeared to be better in Lasius flavus and Lasius niger , but worse in Myrmica rubra , compared with worker survival.
5. After surviving inundation, the capacity to produce eggs and workers was only slightly affected in queens of both Lusius species.
6. The conclusions based on the experimental mortality rates seem to be consistent both with ant species distribution and with frequency of inundation and salt stress in different parts of the coastal plain and surrounding sand-dunes on the Dutch Wadden island Schiermonnikoog.     

珠穆朗玛峰地区的锈菌

摘要:本文报告珠穆朗玛峰地区(中喜马拉雅)的锈菌计25属155种。所有标本系本文第一作者在1990年8月至10月在珠穆朗玛峰自然保护区(定结,吉隆,聂拉木和定日四县境内)进行科学考察时所采,保存在中国科学院微生物研究所真菌标本室。新种和中国新记录有:1.蓝钟花春孢锈菌Aecidium cyananthi J.Y. Zhuang sp. nov.2.坦登春孢锈菌Aecidium tandonii Mitter3.假风铃草鞘锈菌Coleosporium pseudocampanulae Kaneko, Kakishima & Ono4.坎宁安胶锈菌Gymnosporangium cunninghamianum Barclay5.无刺长栅锈菌Melampsoridium inerme Singh & Pandey6.巴克利多胞锈菌Phragmidium barclayi Dietel7.非洲短柄草柄锈菌戴维斯变种Puccinia brachypodii-phoenicoidis Guyot & Halencon var.davisii Cummins & H.C. Greene8.火把花生柄锈菌Puccinia colquhouniicola J.Y. Zhuang sp. nov.9.高山还羊参柄锈菌Puccinia crepidis-montanae Magnus10.迪里厄柄锈菌Puccinia durrieui Ono11.吉隆柄锈菌Puccinia gyirongensis J.Y. Zhuang sp. nov.12.苞茅柄锈菌Puccinia hyparrheniae Cummins13.淡灰柄锈菌Puccinia leucophaea H. Sydow & P. Sydow14.林克柄锈菌Puccinia linkii Klotzsch15.乳突柄锈菌Puccinia mammillata Schroeter16.帕氏柄锈菌Puccinia padwickii Cummins17.鞑靼茜草柄锈菌Puccinia rubiae-tataricae H. Sydow & P. Sydow18.风毛菊柄锈菌Puccinia saussureae Thuemen19.舌岩白菜柄锈菌Puccinia saxifragae-ciliatae Barclay20.葛缕子叶亮蛇床柄锈菌Puccinia selini-carvifoliae Savulescu21.西藏柄锈菌Puccinia thibetana J.Y. Zhuang sp. nov.22.脐景天柄锈菌Puccinia umbilici Guepin23.黄孢柄锈菌Puccinia xanthosperma H. Sydow & P. Sydow24.宫部膨痴锈菌Pucciniastrum miyabeanum Hiratsuka25.樱桃盖痂锈菌Thekopsora pseudo-cerasi Hiratsuka26.桑帕特轮孢锈菌Trochodium sampathense Thirumalachar27.间型拟夏孢锈菌Uredinopsis intermedia Kamei 新种有拉丁文描述,一些重要的种作了讨论。所有的种都列出了学名、寄主、采集地及标本号。     

Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci in the ant Myrmica scabrinodis

Five polymorphic microsatellite loci were developed for the ant Myrmica scabrinodis using a magnetic bead hybridization selection protocol. The number of alleles per locus varied between three and six. Cross‐species amplification of four of the loci yielded positive amplification products in four Myrmica species, suggesting their general suitability for microsatellite analysis within this taxonomic group.     

Phylogeny of spiny frogs Nanorana (Anura: Dicroglossidae) supports a Tibetan origin of a Himalayan species group

Recent advances in the understanding of the evolution of the Asian continent challenge the long‐held belief of a faunal immigration into the Himalaya. Spiny frogs of the genus Nanorana are a characteristic faunal group of the Himalaya–Tibet orogen (HTO). We examine the phylogeny of these frogs to explore alternative biogeographic scenarios for their origin in the Greater Himalaya, namely, immigration, South Tibetan origin, strict vicariance. We sequenced 150 Nanorana samples from 62 localities for three mitochondrial (1,524 bp) and three nuclear markers (2,043 bp) and complemented the data with sequence data available from GenBank. We reconstructed a gene tree, phylogenetic networks, and ancestral areas. Based on the nuDNA, we also generated a time‐calibrated species tree. The results revealed two major clades (Nanorana and Quasipaa), which originated in the Lower Miocene from eastern China and subsequently spread into the HTO (Nanorana). Five well‐supported subclades are found within Nanorana: from the East, Central, and Northwest Himalaya, the Tibetan Plateau, and the southeastern Plateau margin. The latter subclade represents the most basal group (subgenus Chaparana), the Plateau group (Nanorana) represents the sister clade to all species of the Greater Himalaya (Paa). We found no evidence for an east–west range expansion of Paa along the Himalaya, nor clear support for a strict vicariance model. Diversification in each of the three Himalayan subclades has probably occurred in distinct areas. Specimens from the NW Himalaya are placed basally relative to the highly diverse Central Himalayan group, while the lineage from the Tibetan Plateau is placed within a more terminal clade. Our data indicate a Tibetan origin of Himalayan Nanorana and support a previous hypothesis, which implies that a significant part of the Himalayan biodiversity results from primary diversification of the species groups in South Tibet before this part of the HTO was uplifted to its recent heights.     

The quantity and quality of overwintered larvae in five species of Myrmica (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The numbers of queens, workers and larvae were recorded for a sample of hibernating colonies from five different species of Myrmica. The larvae were divided into three size classes. The frequencies and distribution of larvae within these size classes have been compared between species and between queened and queenless colonies. A sample of each larval class was reared to the pupal stage and the resulting castes were recorded. The Discussion compares all the species with Myrmica rubra and attempts to explain the differences observed for the different species.     

UREDINALES FROM EAST HIMALAYA

<正> A list of 209 rust species recorded from East Himalaya, southeastern Xizang during a survey in 1982—1983 is given, Among them 15 species are described as new ones and 28 species are new records for China. All speciments are kept in the Herbarium Mycologicum Instituti Micribiologici Academiae Sinicae, Beijing.