The distribution and prevalence of helminths,coccidia and blood parasites in two competing species of gecko: implications for apparent competition

Across the Pacific the invading gecko species Hemidactylus frenatus has competitively displaced the resident gecko species Lepidodactylus lugubris in urban/surburban habitats. Do parasites enhance, inhibit, orhave no effect on this invasion? Parasites can confer an advantage to an invading species when the invader (1) introduces a new parasite to a resident species that has a greater detrimental effect on the resident than the invader, (2) is less susceptible to endemic parasites than the resident, and/or (3) increases the susceptibility of the resident to parasites. Conversely, parasites may protect a resident against invasion when endemic parasites have a greater impact on the invader than the resident. We screened more than one thousand H. frenatus and L. lugubris in areas of sympatry and allopatry from 28 islands and 5 sites on mainland Asia for a broad array of blood parasites, coccidia and helminths in order to evaluate the potential for parasites to affect their interaction. We found that 1) There were no parasites which appear to protect L. lugubris against invasion by H. frenatus. 2) H. frenatus does not introduce the same parasite to L. lugubris in every location where the two come in to contact, but probably has introduced different parasites in different locations. L. lugubris also seems to have introduced at least one parasite to H. frenatus. 3) The prevalence of parasite species shared by the two hosts is generally higher in H. frenatus; however, prevalence is determined by many factors and cannot be directly translated as susceptibility. We discuss the implications of this difference in prevalence for the Red Queen hypothesis. 4) The prevalence of the cestode Cylindrotaenia sp. is significantly higher in L. lugubris that are sympatric with H. frenatus than those which are allopatric.     

Comparative Analysis of Spermatozoa Morphology in Three Fish Species from the Suborder Scorpaenoidei

The methods of scanning and transmission electron microscopy are used for the investigation of external morphology and ultrastructure of spermatozoa in scorpaenoid fishes Parascorpaena picta, Dendrochirus zebra (Scorpaenidae), and Synanceia horrida (Synanceiidae). Based on the literature data, a comparison with other species of the genera Scorpaena, Sebastapistes, and Scorpaenopsis (Scorpaenidae) is conducted. In the studied species, the spermatozoon consists of the rounded head (its length is slightly smaller than its width), moderately developed midpiece, and flagellum. P. picta differs from the other species in the presence of the widening of the cytoplasmic channel surrounding the initial part of the flagellum, the largest numbers of mitochondrial sections, and the longest flagellum. S. horrida does not differ significantly from the representatives of the family Scorpaenidae. However, based on the contour of the head and midpiece (elliptic Fourier analysis), there is a trend to the separation of S. horrida from P. picta and D. zebra. The data on comparative spermatozoa morphology are discussed in relation to current phylogenetic schemes.     

Ecological aspects of development of testacean complexes in nests of Formica lugubris and Formica exsecta (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

Testacean population in the nests of Formica lugubris and F. exsecta was studied in a spruce forest and in a mixed birch forest. Samples of the nest material (spruce litter and grass fragments) were taken from the surface layers, the inner parts of the nests, and from underlying soil. In all, 33 species of testaceans were identified. The highest species diversity and abundance were observed in the Formica lugubris nests, in the upper layer of the F. exsecta nest, and in the spruce litter. In all the samples, 10 widespread aerophilic and edaphic species (Centropyxis aerophila, C. sylvatica, C. orbicularis, Cyclopyxis kahli, Trinema lineare, and others) were the most common, resulting in a uniform species composition in all the habitats studied. In the presence of the relevant substrate, this group is supplemented by species of appropriate ecological groups (bryophilic, acidophilic, and inhabitants of coarse humus). In the inner part of the Formica lugubris nest, the testacean population is characterized by a very high abundance of Plagiopyxis penardi, whereas the surface layer of the F. exsecta nest is characterized by abundant Cyclopyxis eurystoma and very low species diversity in the inner layers. The initial composition and decree of decomposition of plant remains due to ant activity are considered as the main factors responsible for the testacean species diversity, as well as the availability of substrates suitable for the development of different ecological groups of testaceans.     

Biology of Xylobiont larvae of limoniid flies of the genus Gnophomyia (Diptera, Limoniidae) with description of immature stages

New data on the larval and pupal morphology and the life history of limoniid flies (G. lugubris (Zett.), G. acheron Al., and G. viridipennis (Gimmerthal)) of the genus Gnophomyia are presented. Larvae of all the species are phloeophages and inhabit tree bark. Keys to larvae and pupae of these species are given.     

Occurrence of the marbled rose-chafer (Protaetia lugubris Herbst, Coleoptera, Cetoniidae) in rural avenues in northern poland

The occurrence of Protaetia lugubris, an endangered species developing in hollow trees, was studied in a network of rural avenues in northern Poland. We detected 1002 trees from nine species with hollows suitable for beetle development (25% of all trees inspected). Among them, 74 trees (7.4%) from seven species were occupied by P. lugubris. The distribution of P. lugubris was random with respect to tree species identity. The beetle preferred trees above 200 cm in circumference with a tendency towards higher occupancies of the bigger trees having circumferences above 300 cm. P. lugubris did not show any significant preferences according to hollow entrance area, exposition and road surface type. Our results indicate that P. lugubris is a generalist species colonizing all suitable hollows. Its occurrence indicates suitable conditions for many other species associated with tree cavities and decaying wood.     

A double-edged sword: parental care increases risk of offspring infection by a maternally vectored parasite

Parental care can protect offspring from predators but can also create opportunities for parents to vector parasites to their offspring. We hypothesized that the risk of infection by maternally vectored parasites would increase with the frequency of mother–offspring contact. Ammophila spp. wasps (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) build nests in which they rear a single offspring. Ammophila species exhibit varied offspring provisioning behaviours: some species enter the nest once to provision a single, large caterpillar, whereas others enter the nest repeatedly to provision with many smaller caterpillars. We hypothesized that each nest visit increases the risk of offspring parasitism by Paraxenos lugubris (Strepsiptera: Xenidae), whose infectious stages ride on the mother wasp (phoresy) to reach the vulnerable Ammophila offspring. We quantified parasitism risk by external examination of museum-curated Ammophila specimens—the anterior portion of P. lugubris protrudes between the adult host''s abdominal sclerites and reflects infection during the larval stage. As predicted, Ammophila species that receive larger numbers of provisions incur greater risks of parasitism, with nest provisioning behaviour explaining ca 90% of the interspecific variation in mean parasitism. These findings demonstrate that parental care can augment, rather than reduce, the risk of parasite transmission to offspring.     

Transition to viviparity in the order Scorpaeniformes: Brief review

Among teleost percoid fishes (Percomorpha), the subordes Scorpaenoidei (Scorpaeniformes) and Zoarcoidei (Perciformes) are of particular interest due to the presence of intermediate stages between oviparity and viviparity in several species. We analyze the features of reproductive biology in the fishes of the suborder Scorpaenoidei, including morphology of the urogenital system, gametogenesis, gamete ultrastructure, and embryonic development. The new materials are represented for three tropical coral reef fish species with external insemination from the family Scorpaenidae (Scorpaenopsis possi, Sebastapistes cyanostigma, and Dendrochirus zebra). In particular, a hypertrophied urinary bladder used for storage of mature sperm for insemination of pelagic egg clutch is described in the males. Evolutionary transition to viviparity within the family Sebastidae is discussed. Alternative reproductive strategies are registered in viviparous fishes from the suborders Scorpaenoidei and Zoarcoidei. They are connected with the production of a large number of morphologically weakly developed larvae and a small number of individuals at the juvenile state, respectively.     

Molecular markers allow sibling species identification in red wood ants (Formica rufa group)

Red wood ants (Formica rufa group) constitute a group of species that are considered to be among the most promising bioindicators in forest ecosystems. However, because of their morphological similarity and intraspecific variability, morphological species identification can be difficult. Considerable expertise is necessary to discriminate between the sibling species F. lugubris and F. paralugubris, two species that often live in sympatry in the same Alpine forests. New taxonomic tools providing rapid and reliable species identification are needed. We present a simple and reliable molecular technique based on mtDNA (COI gene) and a restriction enzyme for discriminating between F. lugubris and F. paralugubris. We confirm the validity of this method with a Bayesian analysis based on microsatellites. This new molecular tool represents a clear breakthrough for discriminating between F. lugubris and F. paralugubris and is likely to be helpful in large‐scale biomonitoring.     

Phylogeny and phylogeography of the genus Patella based on mitochondrial DNA sequence data

Although some molecular phylogenies of Patella species have been published in recent years, unresolved questions concerning the phylogeny and taxonomy of this genus still remain. We sequenced the mitochondrial genes cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA for all Patella species (Patella vulgata, Patella depressa, Patella candei, Patella caerulea, Patella lugubris, Patella ferruginea, Patella pellucida and the continental and Macaronesian forms of Patella ulyssiponensis and Patella rustica) and Cymbula safiana. Our results revealed the occurrence of five strongly supported clades, although relationships between these are not well supported. According to our data P. vulgata is a genetically distinct lineage and the close phylogenetic relationship between this species and P. depressa, found in previous mitochondrial DNA studies, is not supported. The Mediterranean Sea and the Macaronesian Islands seem to have played an important role in the speciation and diversification of this genus, although different clades show different phylogeographic patterns. Our dataset point to the necessity of a taxonomic revision, as P. candei is paraphyletic relative to P. lugubris.     

Responses of eight boreal flat bug (Heteroptera: Aradidae) species to clear-cutting and forest fire

Boreal flat bugs include a high proportion of species that are considered negatively affected by forestry. Knowledge on the biology and habitat demands of individual species is generally limited. We examined the influence on flat bugs of stand-age and clear-cutting, comparing five classes of spruce stands. The five classes were: clear-cut, unthinned, and thinned (all three products of current clear-cutting forestry), mature managed and old-growth stands (these two had never been clear-cut). We also compared unburned and recently burned mature pine forest. Fire, but not stand age, had a pronounced effect on species richness and total abundance. Aradus depressus showed a significant association with older forest stands. Aradus betulae occurred only in clear-cuts and burned forest indicating that this species is favored by disturbance in general. Aradus lugubris, Aradus crenaticollis and Aradus brevicollis were found only in the burned forest. Aradus brevicollis has not previously been shown to be associated with fire.     

Comparative analysis of the complete mitochondrial genomes of three rockfishes (Scorpaeniformes,Sebastiscus) and insights into the phylogenetic relationships of Sebastidae

Mitochondrial genome is a powerful molecule marker to provide information for phylogenetic relationships and revealing molecular evolution in ichthyological studies. Sebastiscus species, a marine rockfish, are of essential economic value. However, the taxonomic status and phylogenetic relationships of Sebastidae have been controversial so far. Here, the mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) of three species, S. tertius, S. albofasciatus, and S. marmoratus, were systemically investigated. The lengths of the mitogenomes’ sequences of S. tertius, S. albofasciatus, and S. marmoratus were 16910, 17056, and 17580 bp, respectively. It contained 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and one identical control region (D-loop) among the three species. The genetic distance and K_a/K_s ratio analyses indicated 13 PCGs were suffering purifying selection and the selection pressures were different from certain deep-sea fishes, which were most likely due to the difference in their living environment. The phylogenetic tree was constructed by Bayesian Inference (BI) and Maximum Likelihood (ML). Most interestingly, the results indicated that Sebastidae and Scorpaenidae were grouped into a separate branch, so the taxonomic status of Sebastidae should be classified into subfamily Sebastinae. Our results may lead to a taxonomic revision of Scorpaenoidei.     

Female reproductive cycles in the northernmost populations of the two gekkonid lizards,Hemidactylus frenatus andLepidodactylus lugubris

Lepidodactylus lugubris, a parthenogenetic gekkonid lizard of possible tropical origin, occurs on Kita-Daitojima Island of the Ryukyu Archipelago and lays eggs almost throughout the year. The oviposition season of the sympatric population of another primary tropical, but bisexual gecko,Hemidactylus frenatus, is confined to between April and September. Laboratory experiments indicate that the hatching ratio of the egg reduces with the decrease of incubation temperature in both species. Some eggs ofL. lugubris develop at 14°C of ambient temperature, wheras eggs ofH. frenatus always die at temperatures of 18°C or lower. Examinations of stomach contents and fat body mass in the monthly samples suggest that food availability is not severely low for the geckos even during the winter, rejecting the previous assumption that food stress suppresses vitellogenesis inH. frenatus. No other environmental factors that may induce reproductive seasonality as phenotypic physiological responses were detected either. Tropical populations ofH. frenatus andL. lugubris are known to lack distinct annual reproductive cyclicity. Thus, it is probable that the East AsianH. frenatus has evolved the winter quiescence of reproduction, presumably due to the poor embryonic tolerance of low temperatures. The absence of such seasonality in the sympatricL. lugubris seems to be attributable to its clonal nature which predicts the low genetic variability of the population from the colonization stage.     

Anatomical description and phylogenetic classification of the orbicular velvetfishes (Scorpaenoidea: Caracanthus)

Anatomical characters for two species of the orbicular velvetfishes (Caracanthus) are described, and the phylogenetic position of the genus among the superfamily Scorpaenoidea is estimated cladistically on the basis of morphological characters belonging to 112 transformation series. Caracanthus is nested within the family Scorpaenidae, having close relationships with Taenianotus and Pteroidichthys. Validity of the family Caracanthidae was not supported, Caracanthus being included within the Scorpaenidae.     

Genetic differentiation of disjunct populations of the antsFormica aquilonia andFormica lugubris in Europe

Summary The speciesFormica aquilonia andF. lugubris of the mound-building red wood ants have a disjunct boreoalpine distribution in Europe. The populations ofF. aquilonia in Finland, Switzerland and the British Isles show little genetic differentiation, whereas the populations ofF. lugubris show considerable differentiation. The Central European populations morphologically identified asF. lugubris can be genetically divided into two groups (here called types A and B). Type B is found in the Alps and the Jura mountains, and is genetically inseparable fromF. aquilonia. Type A lives sympatrically with type B in the Jura mountains and is also found in the British Isles. Sympatry of the two types in the Jura shows that these are separate species. It remains open whether type B is morphologically atypicalF. aquilonia or whether it is a separate species, perhaps with a past history of introgression betweenF. aquilonia andF. lugubris. The gene frequencies in the Finnish populations ofF. lugubris differ from those of both types A and B. Genetic differences withinF. lugubris indicate that the populations have evolved separately for a long time. The social structure ofF. lugubris colonies also shows geographic variation. The nests in Finland and the British Isles seem to be mainly monogynous and monodomous, whereas the nests in Central Europe are polygynous and form polydomous colonies.F. aquilonia has polygynous and polydomous colonies in all populations studied.     

Effect of physiological state and fungal inoculation on chemically modulated host-plant finding by Carpophilus hemipterus and Carpophilus lugubris

Host orientation by Carpophilus hemipterus L. and Carpophilus lugubris Murray (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) was investigated in a horizontal wind tunnel to ascertain if these species differ in their response to aseptic and fungal-inoculated hosts, and also to determine how age, nutritional status, diel period, and locomotory opportunity affect these behavioral responses. Both species responded to food odors beginning on Day 3 of adult life by walking upwind to the source; flight activity and flights to the odor source began for C. hemipterus on Day 4, but C. lugubris continued to walk to the source and rarely flew regardless of age. Both species displayed maximum response to food odors from 6 to 9 days after emergence and showed bimodality in host orientation during the photophase. C. hemipterus maintained with artificial diet took flight as frequently as when maintained with water only, as long as they were deprived of diet for 36 h before the test; however, after takeoff, beetles maintained with diet were less likely to fly to food odor in comparison to beetles maintained with water. C. lugubris maintained with diet until 36 h before the test displayed a reduction in walks upwind to sources of food odor compared to beetles maintained with water. Three hours of unrestricted locomotion under a high-pressure sodium lamp did not enhance upwind orientation to host odors by C. hemipterus maintained with diet or water, or by C. lugubris maintained with water; however, such preexposure to a sodium lamp resulted in reduced takeoffs in C. hemipterus maintained with artificial diet. Both species were attracted to all fruit and vegetable substrates offered; however, aseptic substrates were less attractive than were substrates inoculated with Saccharomyces cerevisiae Hansen or Candida krusei (Castellani) Berkhout for C. lugubris. Despite the broad host range exhibited by these two nitidulid species, each responded to chemical cues from longrange (2.5 m), a trait once assigned to specialists.     

Preadaptation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Formica aquilonia</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Formica lugubris</Emphasis> ants (Hymenoptera,Formicidae) to low wintering temperatures in Northeast Asia

The ants Formica aquilonia and F. lugubris which inhabit the entire forest zone of the North Palaearctic and are absent from the basins of the Yana, Indigirka, and Kolyma rivers were found in the coastal area of the Sea of Okhotsk. A possible climatic conditionality of their occurrence in the Northeast is considered based on the data on the biotopic distribution of ants, the temperature causation of their overwintering, and cold hardiness. On the Sea of Okhotsk coast, these ants overwinter at a depth of 40–200 cm in the soil. During winter, the minimum soil temperature at a depth of 40 cm under the anthill was ?5°C. The supercooling temperature of F. aquilonia was not lower than ?20.2 ± 0.5°C, that of F. lugubris, not lower than ?19.6 ± 0.4°C. Half of F. aquilonia individuals did not survive the daily exposure at ?13°C, F. lugubris, at ?16°C. These two cold-resistant species could inhabit some biotopes of the Kolyma River basin, similar to F. exsecta, F. lemani, and F. sanguinea, but they are absent there for some reasons that are not related to the temperature. A similar cold hardiness is characteristic of F. aquilonia in Estonia (Maavara, 1971, 1985), where it represents a side effect of diapause, since excessive cold hardiness has no adaptive significance for insects overwintering in the non-freezing soils of Estonia. Colonization of Siberia by ant species turned out to be possible only due to the existing cold hardiness, i.e. preadaptation to low temperature. On the Sea of Okhotsk coast, cold hardiness of the ants is non-adaptive due to the relatively mild conditions during winter.     

Historical and recent processes shaping the geographic range of a rocky intertidal gastropod: phylogeography,ecology, and habitat availability

Factors shaping the geographic range of a species can be identified when phylogeographic patterns are combined with data on contemporary and historical geographic distribution, range‐wide abundance, habitat/food availability, and through comparisons with codistributed taxa. Here, we evaluate range dynamism and phylogeography of the rocky intertidal gastropod Mexacanthina lugubris lugubris across its geographic range – the Pacific coast of the Baja peninsula and southern California. We sequenced mitochondrial DNA (CO1) from ten populations and compliment these data with museum records, habitat availability and range‐wide field surveys of the distribution and abundance of M. l. lugubris and its primary prey (the barnacle Chthamalus fissus). The geographic range of M. l. lugubris can be characterized by three different events in its history: an old sundering in the mid‐peninsular region of Baja (~ 417,000 years ago) and more recent northern range expansion and southern range contraction. The mid‐peninsular break is shared with many terrestrial and marine species, although M. l. lugubris represents the first mollusc to show it. This common break is often attributed to a hypothesized ancient seaway bisecting the peninsula, but for M. l. lugubris it may result from large habitat gaps in the southern clade. Northern clade populations, particularly near the historical northern limit (prior to the 1970s), have high local abundances and reside in a region with plentiful food and habitat – which makes its northern range conducive to expansion. The observed southern range contraction may result from the opposite scenario, with little food or habitat nearby. Our study highlights the importance of taking an integrative approach to understanding the processes that shape the geographic range of a species via combining range‐wide phylogeography data with temporal geographic distributions and spatial patterns of habitat/food availability.     

Ursinoscorpaenopsis kitai,a new genus and species of Scorpaenidae from the East China Sea

A new genus and new species of Scorpaenidae,Ursinoscorpaenopsis kitai, is described based on single specimen, 239.7 mm standard length, collected by bull trawl at the bottom, 132 m deep, in the East China Sea. The specimen had a paranuchal spine, supplemental spine on the last suborbital spine and non-fleshy, polyfurcate pectoral fin rays (all unique to the genus), in addition to an orange-reddish body, toothless palatine, swimbladder, supraneural and five unfused hypurals.Ursinoscorpaenopsis seems to be one of the more primitive genera among the Scorpaenidae.