Purification and characterization of a serine protease with fibrinolytic activity from Tenodera sinensis (praying mantis)

Mantis egg fibrolase (MEF) was purified from the egg cases of Tenodera sinensis using ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel filtration on Bio-Gel P-60 and affinity chromatography on DEAE Affi-Gel blue gel. The protease was assessed homogeneous by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and has a molecular mass of 31500 Da. An isoelectric point of 6.1 was determined by isoelectric focusing. Amino acid sequencing of the N-terminal region established a primary structure composed of Ala-Asp-Val-Val-Gln-Gly-Asp-Ala-Pro-Ser. MEF readily digested the Aalpha- and Bbeta-chains of fibrinogen and more slowly the gamma-chain. The nonspecific action of the enzyme results in extensive hydrolysis of fibrinogen and fibrin releasing a variety of fibrinopeptide. The enzyme is inactivated by Cu2+ and Zn2+ and inhibited by PMSF and chymostatin, yet elastinal, aprotinin, TLCK, TPCK, EDTA, EGTA, cysteine, beta-mercaptoethanol, iodoacetate, E64, benzamidine and soybean trypsin inhibitor do not affect activity. Antiplasmin was not sensitive to MEF but antithrombin III inhibited the enzymatic activity of MEF. Among chromogenic protease substrates, the most sensitive to MEF hydrolysis was benzoyl-Phe-Val-Arg-p-nitroanilide with maximal activity at pH 7.0 and 30 degrees C. MEF preferentially cleaved the oxidized B-chain of insulin between Leu15 and Tyr16. D-Dimer concentrations increased on incubation of cross-linked fibrin with MEF, indicating the enzyme has a strong fibrinolytic activity.     

Update on the praying mantises (Insecta: Mantodea) of South-East Vietnam

A report of Mantodea species collected in South-East Vietnam (provinces Dong Nai, Binh Phuoc and Lam Dong) is presented. New for Vietnam are the subfamily Phyllothelyinae, the tribe Anaxarchini of the subfamily Hymenopodinae and the species Leptomantella lactea (Saussure, 1870), Tropidomantis gressitti Tinkham, 1937, Amantis bolivari Giglio-Tos, 1915, Anaxarcha graminea Stål, 1877, Creobroter nebulosa Zheng, 1988, Phyllothelys breve (Wang, 1993), Ceratocrania macra Westwood, 1889, Ceratomantis saussuri Wood-Mason, 1876 and Theopompa tosta Stål, 1877, as well as five additional species whose precise identifications are less certain. Eighteen species are new for the South-East region and seven are new for the provinces sampled. The fauna of Vietnam now contains 69 species of Mantodea, 40 of which occur in the South-East region. Morphological, taxonomical and identification details for selected species are discussed and illustrated.     

Spectral sensitivity studies on the visual system of the praying mantis, Tenodera sinensis

In these studies a constant ERG response was used as a measure of visual sensitivity to different wavelengths of light. The dark-adapted compound eye of Tenodera sinensis is dominated by a single class of photoreceptors. with a major peak of sensitivity at about 510–520 nm, and with a minor peak of sensitivity in the near-ultraviolet region at about 370 nm. The dark-adapted dorsal ocellus does not contain a homogeneous population of sensory receptors. The sensitivity function of the dark-adapted ocellus to longer wavelength light (yellow and red) is determined by a single receptor with a major peak of sensitivity in the green at 510–520 nm with some sensitivity in the near-ultraviolet. Sensitivity at shorter wavelengths (near-ultraviolet and blue), however, involves the stimulation of both this and a near-ultraviolet-sensitive receptor with a maximum sensitivity at about 370 nm. Anatomically, the sensory cells of the dorsal ocellus of Tenodera were determined histologically to be grouped into two distinct regions, each group making its own separate contribution to the ocellar nerve. This may represent the separation of two different photoreceptor types in the ocellus of the mantis.     

Enzymic activities involved in the oothecal sclerotization of the praying mantid,Tenodera aridifolia sinensis saussure

The enzyme(s) responsible for the sclerotization of mantid ootheca is secreted by the left colleterial gland. From an extract of the glands of Tenodera aridifolia sinensis, two soluble enzyme fractions of different activities were obtained. One fraction acted on N-acetyldopamine (NADA), a precursor of a representative sclerotizing agent, and produced NADA-quinone. The other did not act on NADA itself but converted the quinone to a highly reactive intermediate, such as quinone methide, which was able to react nonenzymically with nucleophilic compounds. Other insoluble enzyme preparations obtained from the silk and pupal cuticle of the Japanese giant silk moth, Dictyoploca japonica, also had these two activities.     

Sexual dimorphism of auditory function and structure in praying mantises (Mantodea; Dictyoptera)

Sexual dimorphism of tympanate auditory systems in insects has bees described in only a few taxonomically isolated cases. However, widespread sexual dimorphism occurs in the ultrasound-sensitive, midline ear of the praying mantis.
In dimorphic species, it is always the female mantis that shows a reduction in ultrasonic hearing. The dimorphism may be mild—a difference in tuning and small reduction in sensitivity—or extreme with no evidence of audition in the female. In all but the mildest cases, the reduction in hearing is accompanied by significant anatomical divergence from the male ear structure. Two distinct metathoracic groove ('ear') types are linked to hearing reduction in the females.
Anatomical evidence of auditory sexual dimorphism appears in 34% of the 183 mantis genera examined. The dimorphic genera are widely but non-uniformly distributed within three of the four largest mantis families.
Auditory sexual dimorphism is closely correlated with dimorphism in wing length. In general, mantises with functional wings have sensitive ultrasonic hearing while those with short wings do not. These findings support the hypothesis that ultrasonic hearing in mantises is part of a defensive system against attack by echolocating bats.     

New data on the fauna,taxonomy and ecology of praying mantises (Dictyoptera,Mantodea) from Russia

Two little-known species of praying mantises, Severinia turcomaniae (Saussure, 1872) and Rivetina nana Mistshenko, 1967, are reported for the faunas of Russia and Europe for the first time based on the material collected in Astrakhan Province of Russia. New data on the morphology, ecology, and distribution of these species are given. The male genitalia of S. turcomaniae and the female of R. nana are described for the first time. The lectotype of Oxythespis turcomaniae Saussure, 1872 is designated and deposited in the collection of the Zoological Museum of the Moscow University. The synonymy of O. turcomaniae and Mantis wagneri Kittary, 1849 is shown to be insufficiently justified; M. wagneri is provisionally placed in the genus Severinia Finot, 1902. Since R. nana Lindt, 1968 is most probably not a synonym of R. nana Mistshenko, 1967 but a separate species, a substitute name R. pseudonana Shcherbakov nom. n. is proposed for the former. Some characters traditionally used for the identification of Rivetina species are shown to be significantly variable and thus unreliable. A key to 11 praying mantis species of the Russian fauna is provided. The recent discovery of S. turcomaniae and R. nana in the northern Caspian Sea region is assumed to reflect the expansion of the natural ranges of thermophilic species caused by increasing aridity of the climate.     

Purification and characterization of a plasmin-like protease from Tenodera sinensis (Chinese mantis)

A novel type of protease (mantis egg fibrinolytic enzyme, MEF-2) was isolated from the egg cases of Tenodera sinensis. The protease was homogeneous by SDS-PAGE and its apparent molecular mass was 32,900 Da. The amino acids in the N-terminal region were Ile-Val-Gly-Gly-Glu-Glu-Ala-Val-Ala-Gly-Asp-Phe-Pro-Ile-Val-Ser-Leu-Gln-Glu. The enzyme was inhibited by PMSF, TLCK, aprotinin, benzamidine, soybean trypsin inhibitor and also slightly by elastatinal, EDTA, EGTA, cysteine and beta-mercaptoethanol, but TPCK, iodoacetate and E-64 did not affect the activity. MEF-2 was not sensitive to alpha(1)-antitrypsin but antithrombin III and alpha(2)-antiplasmin inhibited the enzyme. MEF-2 preferentially cleaved the oxidized B-chain of insulin between Arg(22) and Gly(23). Among chromogenic protease substrates, the most susceptible to MEF-2 hydrolysis was benzoyl-Phe-Val-Arg-p-nitroanilide with maximal activity at 30 degrees C and pH 5.0. These results indicate that MEF-2 belongs to the trypsin family. Upon incubation of crosslinked fibrin with MEF-2, a steady increase of D-dimer suggests that the enzyme has a strong fibrinolytic activity. In conclusion, MEF-2 is a new type of proteolytic enzyme and has some potential for practical application in fibrinolysis.     

Sexual Cannibalism Increases Female Egg Production in the Chinese Praying Mantid (Tenodera sinensis)

Journal of Insect Behavior - The fecundity benefit of sexual cannibalism is a key parameter of models for the evolution and population-level consequences of sexual cannibalism. Previous studies of...     

Reconstructing the origins of praying mantises (Dictyoptera, Mantodea): the roles of Gondwanan vicariance and morphological convergence

A comprehensive taxonomic sampling of Mantodea (praying mantises), covering virtually all higher‐level groups, was assembled to reconstruct the phylogeny of the order. Sequence data were generated from five mitochondrial and four nuclear loci (12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, Histone III, Cytochrome Oxidase I & II, NADH dehydrogenase subunit 4, and Wingless) for 329 mantis exemplars along with seven cockroach and eight termite species. Only seven of 14 families, 14 of 33 subfamilies, and seven of 14 tribes were recovered as monophyletic, indicating that phylogeny is largely incongruent with classification. Mapping biogeographical regions on the phylogeny demonstrated that our results adhere closer to biogeographical distributions than to classification. Specific patterns in distribution suggest that major morphological convergences have confounded taxonomists’ ability to reconstruct natural groups. A major revision of higher‐level relationships is in order through a comprehensive investigation of morphology and molecular data. We found that major mantis lineages diverged prior to and during the isolation of geographical regions and subsequent ecomorphic specializations within these regions may have led to convergences in morphology. Divergence time estimation places the origin of Mantodea at the beginning of the Jurassic with most modern mantises originating on Gondwana in the Cretaceous. The first major divergence among modern mantises occurred as a result of the north–south splitting of South America and Africa. Subsequent divergences resulted from the breakup of Gondwana. The position of the Indian subcontinent appears to be central to the diversification of Afrotropical and Indomalayan mantises while Antarctica may have served as the conduit for the mantis invasions into South America and Australasia. When India separated from Antarctica and drifted north it distributed mantis lineages back into the Afrotropics and carried a diverse taxonomic assemblage to Asia.     

The type material of Mantodea (praying mantises) deposited in the National Museum of Natural History,Smithsonian Institution,USA

The collection of Mantodea of the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, includes 26 holotypes, 7 allotypes, 4 lectotypes, 23 paratypes, and 1 paralectotype. Four type specimens were designated as lectotypes within this work. Highly accurate measurement data, high resolution images of specimens and labels, verbatim label data, georeferenced coordinates, original and newly assigned database codes, and bibliographic data are presented for all primary types. Label data for all paratype specimens in the collection are provide in tabular form. The location of the USNM collection has been moved to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History as a loan under the Off-site Enhancement Program.     

Re‐evolution of a morphological precursor of crypsis investment in the newly revised horned praying mantises (Insecta,Mantodea, Vatinae)

The Neotropical praying mantis tribe Vatini Stål is revised using total evidence phylogenetic analysis based on molecular and coded morphological data. The subfamily Vatinae is redefined to only include Neotropical taxa with the removal of distantly related African and Asian lineages. A new tribe is erected under Vatinae (Heterovatini trib.n. ) for two unique genera with historically unstable taxonomic placement (Heterovates Saussure and Chopardiella Giglio‐Tos). Phylogenetic results and morphology support the synonymy of three genera (Lobovates Deeleman‐Reinhold, Phyllovates Kirby, and Hagiotata Saussure & Zehntner) and the validity of Chopardiella Giglio‐Tos, Heterovates Saussure, Callivates Roy, Pseudovates Saussure, Vates Burmeister, and Zoolea Audinet Serville. A new genus (Alangularis gen.n. ) is created for a former species of Vates with unique morphology and separate phylogenetic placement. All genera are redescribed based on external morphology and the male genital complex. A key to genera for Vatinae is provided with dorsal habitus images of representatives for each genus. A distinct pattern of correlated evolution of morphological characters linked to crypsis was uncovered. Cuticular leg lobes within single leg segments are evolving as sets, and serially homologous lobes appear simultaneously or in close succession. The posteroventral lobes in the apical position on thoracic femora appear to be the precursors to multiple positive rate shifts in the evolutionary accumulation of cryptic features. One shift occurred early in the evolution of Vatinae while the second occurred much later, after the loss and re‐evolution of the posteroventral lobes in the apical position on thoracic femora, a violation of Dollo's law. This published work has been registered in ZooBank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:724C16AF-069A-46A1-B66C-007D8DE18C68 .     

Internal reproductive anatomy of the praying mantid Ciulfina klassi (Mantodea: Liturgusidae)

Using light and scanning electron microscopy, the internal male and female reproductive anatomy of the praying mantid Ciulfina klassi is identified and described. This is the first detailed study to investigate the internal reproductive morphology of any Mantodea. The female structures identified were (1) paired ovaries with primitive panoistic type ovarioles, (2) a single blind-ended spermatheca with secretory gland cells and surrounding layer of striated muscle, and (3) female accessory glands associated with the production of the ootheca (the egg casing). The male structures identified were (1) paired multi-tubular testes, in which different stages of spermatogenesis were observed, (2) tubular vasa deferentia, (3) seminal vesicles, (4) male accessory glands and (5) a single muscular ejaculatory duct. Knowledge of basic reproductive morphology can be used to infer function and so provide key information for future research into reproductive behavior and physiology in the Mantodea.     

中华大刀螳形态学、生物学特性及饲养观察

中华大刀螳Tenodera sinensis Saussure既是传统的中药材,又是重要的天敌昆虫,因而具有重要的经济价值.为了充分开发和利用中华大刀螳资源,在人工饲养条件下,对其形态学特征和生物学特性进行了研究.结果表明:中华大刀螳为渐变态昆虫,一生经历卵、若虫和成虫3个虫态.室内1年完成1个世代,且无越冬现象.若虫共8龄,以1龄若虫发育历期最短,平均为11.73 d,8龄若虫发育历期最长,平均为24.75 d;3龄若虫存活率最低,为81.08％,5龄若虫存活率最高,为100％;雌、雄成虫阶段的平均历期为99.36 d和72.86 d.此外,本文介绍了中华大刀螳各虫态的形态特征和生物学特性.     

甲状腺激素对白头鹎基础产热的影响

甲状腺激素对动物的基础产热有调节作用,甲状腺活性的增加往往与基础代谢的增加相伴行。通过每日饲喂甲状腺素(T4)研究了甲状腺机能亢进对白头鹎(Pycnonotus sinensis)代谢产热的影响。代谢率的测定采用封闭式流体压力呼吸计测定,细胞色素C氧化酶(COX)采用铂氧电极-溶氧仪测定,反应温度为30℃,肝脏和肌肉的线粒体状态4呼吸采用铂氧电极-溶氧仪测定,反应温度为30℃,线粒体蛋白的测定以牛血清蛋白作为标准,采用Folin-phenol方法,测定肝脏和肌肉组织的蛋白质含量。与对照组相比,甲亢组的基础代谢率(BMR)明显升高;肝脏及肌肉组织状态4呼吸增加;肝脏和肌肉线粒体的COX活力升高。     

Cannibalistic siblicide in praying mantis nymphs (Miomantis caffra)

Inclusive fitness theory predicts that cannibalism should be more likely to arise if close relatives can be avoided, suggesting that cannibalistic species will possess mechanisms for minimizing predation on kin. Juvenile Miomantis caffra are good candidates for the possession of such traits because; (1) groups of siblings hatch together into the same locale, (2) they are aggressive hunters, and (3) they are strongly cannibalistic. In this study, the possibility of kin recognition or avoidance in M. caffra is investigated by laboratory comparison of cannibalism rates between groups of differing relatedness. In order to examine the likelihood of encounters between early instar siblings, the extent of dispersal away from the ootheca in the days following hatching is also observed. Nymphs did not rapidly disperse after hatching, so the chances of full siblings encountering one another in the wild appear to be high. Despite this, cannibalism was equally high in groups of full siblings and groups of mixed parenthood. We suggest that for M. caffra, a generalist ambush predator, the benefits of indiscriminate aggression may outweigh any inclusive fitness benefits that would be gained from kin discrimination.     

Chirally dimorphic male genitalia in praying mantids (Ciulfina: Liturgusidae)

Although male polymorphisms occur widely in nature and have received considerable recent attention from studies of alternative mating strategies, male genital polymorphisms are less well known. Here, we describe a dimorphism in the orientation of the male genitalic complex of the praying mantid genus Ciulfina. Populations of Ciulfina species vary in the proportion of males with dextral (right‐oriented) and sinistral (left‐oriented) genitalia, ranging from directional asymmetry (single orientation only) to apparent antisymmetry (equal proportions of both orientations). The proportion of dextral males varied between species (C. baldersoni: 46%; C. rentzi: 24%; C. klassi: 100%; C. biseriata: 83%) and between populations. We used elliptic Fourier analysis to quantify shape and size variation between the genitalia of dextral and sinistral males and determined that the two forms were mirror images of one another in two species. We found that the level of mechanical reproductive isolation between heterospecific populations of opposite genital orientation was no greater than that between heterospecific populations with the same orientation or of mixed orientation. Genital orientation therefore did not influence premating isolation between these species, despite complete postmating isolation. The geographic proximity of populations to heterospecifics also showed no particular pattern with respect to genital orientation. These results suggest that reversible trait asymmetry in Ciulfina is not driven by reproductive isolation, and add to the growing evidence against the species isolation hypothesis for rapid genital evolution. J. Morphol. 271:1176–1184, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Spermatophore feeding and mating behaviour in praying mantids (Mantodea: Liturgusidae)

In a number of insects, males transfer sperm to females via an externally attached spermatophore, which females subsequently remove and consume. Here I report the first study of spermatophore feeding in a praying mantid. While studies of praying mantid mating behaviour have largely focused on sexual cannibalism, this behaviour is not known in the genus Ciulfina . The general patterns of mating behaviour and spermatophore feeding are described for four species: Ciulfina rentzi , Ciulfina klassi , Ciulfina biseriata and Ciulfina baldersoni . Copulation duration and postcopulatory spermatophore attachment duration were found to vary both inter- and intraspecifically. Ciulfina rentzi exhibited a considerably longer mean copulation duration and a considerably shorter mean postcopulatory spermatophore attachment duration than the other Ciulfina species. Smaller males copulated for longer durations in C. rentzi and C. klassi . For C. baldersoni , both copulation duration and postcopulatory spermatophore attachment duration increased with female mass. The genus Ciulfina is highlighted as an intriguing new system in which to test hypotheses surrounding the function of spermatophore feeding and the significance of copulation duration.