Dynamics of the evolution of Batesian mimicry: molecular phylogenetic analysis of ant-mimicking Myrmarachne (Araneae: Salticidae) species and their ant models

Batesian mimicry is seen as an example of evolution by natural selection, with predation as the main driving force. The mimic is under selective pressure to resemble its model, whereas it is disadvantageous for the model to be associated with the palatable mimic. In consequence one might expect there to be an evolutionary arms race, similar to the one involving host-parasite coevolution. In this study, the evolutionary dynamics of a Batesian mimicry system of model ants and ant-mimicking salticids is investigated by comparing the phylogenies of the two groups. Although Batesian mimics are expected to coevolve with their models, we found the phylogenetic patterns of the models and the mimics to be indicative of adaptive radiation by the mimic rather than co-speciation between the mimic and the model. This shows that there is strong selection pressure on Myrmarachne, leading to a high degree of polymorphism. There is also evidence of sympatric speciation in Myrmarachne, the reproductive isolation possibly driven by female mate choice in polymorphic species.     

Ants and Habitat Specificity in Aphids

A number of rare butterflies are known to only utilise their host plant species when they grow in particular situations. Field data are presented showing that two rare species of aphid also only utilised their host plants when they grew in particular situations, namely near ant nests. The oak-feeding aphid Stomaphis quercus only occupied trees within 17 m of a Lasius fulignosus nest. The thyme-feeding aphid Aphis serpylli only occurred in a region of a Breckland grass heath where the sward contained a high density of Lasius niger nests, and then most commonly only in quadrats containing ant nests. The sward that was suitable for A. serpylli was generated by the action of farm traffic. It is concluded that ants indirectly impose habitat specificity on these aphids.     

When mutualists are pathogens: an experimental study of the symbioses between Steinernema (entomopathogenic nematodes) and Xenorhabdus (bacteria)

In this paper, we investigate the level of specialization of the symbiotic association between an entomopathogenic nematode (Steinernema carpocapsae) and its mutualistic native bacterium (Xenorhabdus nematophila). We made experimental combinations on an insect host where nematodes were associated with non-native symbionts belonging to the same species as the native symbiont, to the same genus or even to a different genus of bacteria. All non-native strains are mutualistically associated with congeneric entomopathogenic nematode species in nature. We show that some of the non-native bacterial strains are pathogenic for S. carpocapsae. When the phylogenetic relationships between the bacterial strains was evaluated, we found a clear negative correlation between the effect a bacterium has on nematode fitness and its phylogenetic distance to the native bacteria of this nematode. Moreover, only symbionts that were phylogenetically closely related to the native bacterial strain were transmitted. These results suggest that co-evolution between the partners has led to a high level of specialization in this mutualism, which effectively prevents horizontal transmission. The pathogenicity of some non-native bacterial strains against S. carpocapsae could result from the incapacity of the nematode to resist specific virulence factors produced by these bacteria.     

Costs of ant attendance for aphids

1. Interactions between aphids and ants are considered to be mutualistic, with both partners benefiting. Costs associated with such interactions are likely to be less obvious, although they can be expected, especially if these associations are facultative.
2. It is demonstrated here that there are costs in several life-history parameters to individual aphids resulting from ant attendance. Over several generations Aphis fabae cirsiiacanthoides feeding on Cirsium arvense , at a range of developmental stages, suffered significant costs when tended by Lasius niger , e.g. in terms of a prolonged developmental time, delayed offspring production, proportionally smaller gonads, fewer well developed embryos and a reduced mean relative growth rate. These effects are similar to those observed when aphids feed on poor quality plants.
3. This is the first indication that there is a cost for aphids associated with ant attendance. The significance of this for the evolution of ant attendance in aphids is discussed.     

Herbivory and assemblage structure of myrmecophytous understory plants and their associated ants in the central Amazon

Summary The species combinations of myrmecophytic plants were compared in three different, neighboring local central Amazon forest sites. The proportional contribution of myrmecophytes in each setting varied significantly, withMaieta guainensis being the most abundant in each locality. This pattern resulted in low site similarity values. Other recorded species wereHirtella physophora, Tachigalia myrmecophila, Duroia sp.,Tococa sp., andCordia nodosa. Little variability was found with respect to associated ants that inhabited the myrmecophytes, and mutual entropies indicated a high degree of mutualistic interactions. However, for the majority of myrmecophytes, no differences in herbivore damage levels could be attributed to the presence of ants, with onlyM. guianensis andT. myrmecophila demonstrating significantly lower damages when inhabited by ants. Their respective ant associates,Pheidole minitula andPseudomyrmex concolor, were thus the only plant-ants with a demonstrable ability to reduce the levels of herbivory in their host plant.     

Microsatellite markers for the palaeotropic pioneer tree genus Macaranga (Euphorbiaceae) and their cross‐species transferability

We developed primer sequences for five polymorphic microsatellite loci in the tropical ant‐plant genus Macaranga (Euphorbiaceae). Population genetic parameters were determined on the basis of 30 individuals from each of two Macaranga species in Borneo. Allele numbers per locus ranged from three to 13. Expected and observed heterozygosities ranged from 0.160 to 0.850 and from 0.130 to 0.700, respectively. Four of the five primer pairs cross‐amplify polymorphic PCR products in a wide range of Macaranga species.     

壳斗科植物叶绿体基因组结构及变异分析

利用生物信息学方法比较壳斗科6个属14个物种的叶绿体基因组间差异,以近缘物种榛为外类群构建系统进化树,揭示壳斗科叶绿体基因组的结构特征及变异规律。结果显示,14种壳斗科植物的叶绿体基因组均为双链环状分子结构,大小在160 kB左右,差异较小,最大仅差1 366 bp;基因顺序基本一致,而基因数量有所差异,infA、petG、rpl22、ycf1、ycf15等多个基因在部分物种中发生丢失;主要有32个蛋白编码基因长度发生变异,其原因是内含子的丢失、内含子或者编码区的长度改变,华南锥基因长度变异较大;4个IR边界相对保守,但锥栗、Castanea pumila、华南锥3个物种由于边界扩张导致rps19基因部分序列进入到IR区;以榛为外类群构建的系统发育树,各进化支支持率较高,分辨率较好。研究结果表明,叶绿体基因组可以用于分析关系较近与进化较快物种的系统发生问题,为系统发育和进化研究提供依据。     

基于细胞核rDNA ITS片段的水青冈属的分子系统发育

对山毛榉科水青冈属6种、1亚种、1栽培变种的ITS区片段进行了测序和分析,并对其中2个具有ITS序列多态性的分类群进行了ITS区克隆。水青冈属ITS系统发育树聚成两支,位于基部的是分布于北美的大叶水青冈,另一分支则包括了欧洲和东亚的类群。在欧洲和东亚分支中,又包括两支,其中日本北部的波叶水青冈位于基部,台湾水青冈和欧亚大陆的水青冈形成另外一支。ITS区分析与现行的水青冈属基于形态学性状的属下分类系统有一定差异,而与本属现存物种的地理分布格局较为一致。各类群间TIS区序列差异较小,显示属内现存物种的分化时间不是太长。     

Isolation and characterization of 11 new microsatellite markers for Macaranga (Euphorbiaceae)

We provide primer sequences for 11 new polymorphic microsatellite markers developed in the tropical ant-plant genus Macaranga (Euphorbiaceae), after enrichment cloning of Macaranga tanarius and Macaranga hypoleuca. Allele numbers per locus ranged from two to 16 among 20 accessions of M. tanarius, and from three to 10 among 22 accessions of M. hypoleuca. Observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.150 to 0.900 and from 0.375 to 0.894 in M. tanarius, and from 0.545 to 1.000 and from 0.434 to 0.870 in M. hypoleuca, respectively. Six of the 11 primer pairs successfully cross-amplified polymorphic polymerase chain reaction products in Macaranga winkleri.     

Adaptive radiation in the Afrotropical region of the Paleotropical genus Lissocephala (Drosophilidae) on the pantropical genus Ficus (Moraceae)

Abstract. Of sixty-three extant genera of Drosophilidae, the genus Lissocephala is unique in having produced a diverse radiation superimposed on a plant-insect mutualism. Lissocephala is basically Paleotropical, with twenty-three Afrotropical and eight Oriental and Australasian species, and seemingly the adaptive radiation occurred on a taxonomically restricted group of host-plants, species of Ficus (Moraceae), solely in the African floristic region. A paradox results from the consideration that only the African radiation is linked with a strict diversification on Ficus species, even though this host plant genus is more diverse in the Oriental region. The focus of the present work is to document the diversity of host-figs exploited by Lissocephala in the African mainland (twenty-two fig species have yielded twenty-three Lissocephala species, but similarities in numbers between insects and plants does not seemingly result from species specificity), and to show that the clear-cut divide between the two African strictly fig-breeding Lissocephala lineages (the juncta and sanu groups) observed from male terminalia is further supported on the basis of 28S nuclear DNA divergence. Evolutionary scenarios are discussed whereby the two African Lissocephala lineages might have diverged on the African mainland or arisen independently from Oriental ancestors. Although the possibility remains that the juncta and sanu lineages set foot independently on the African mainland, it is more likely that there was a single colonization event for a common juncta—sanu ancestor. A stepwise host-fig transfer would then have occurred on the African mainland. The African Lissocephala ancestor would have first spread among the Sycomorus figs and only secondarily among the Galoglychia figs.