Laboulbenia exigua and related taxa (Ascomycetes,Laboulbeniales)

TheLaboulbenia exigua group comprises seven species. Three of these species are described as new to science, and two new varieties ofL. exigua and one new variety ofL. balazucii are distinguished and described. New taxa areL. yamadae, L. consobrina, L. gebleri, L. exigua var.yaeyamae, L. exigua var.melanolabiata andL. balazucii var.exilis. This fungus group is characterized by grayish yellow to gray-brown thalli with simple inner and outer appendages, dark-spotted or streaked receptacles, and perithecia containing narrow ascospores 3–4–(–5) µm in width; the species and varieties occur onChlaenius (Carabidae) and closely allied taxa. The bilobed apex of mature perithecium, owing to the rounded apices of the posterior apical cells of the outer wall cell rows, and 3-celled, curved inner appendage in young thalli, and the deciduous antheridium are also characteristic of this group.     

A new species of Laboulbeniales (Ascomycetes) onDiplocheila (Coleoptera, Carabidae) from Japan

A new species of the genusLaboulbenia, L. diplocheilae, has been established for specimens on the host genusDiplocheila (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Licinini).Laboulbenia diplocheilae is easily distinguished fromL. proliferans var.divaricata onChlaenius by the absence of a black constriction on the outermost branch of the outer appendage and by the simple stalks subtending grouped antheridia borne on appendage branches in the middle of the appendage system.     

A new species of the genus Laboulbenia (Laboulbeniales) on Ophionea indica (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Odacanthini) from Taiwan

Laboulbenia ophioneae is described as a new species with illustrations. It is closely related to Laboulbenia celestialis and Laboulbenia asiatica because of some similarities in the morphology of appendages and perithecia. The present species from the latter two species can be distinguished by the shorter, inflated perithecia, the shorter receptacles, and the appendages consisting of more or less darkly colored, broader branches. This new species was found on elytra of Ophionea indica from Taiwan, which has been also known as a host of Laboulbenia polymorpha. A mature thallus noticed by Terada (2004) on the slide 673b (M. Ishikawa collection) and a young thallus illustrated by Sugiyama (1978, fig. 1-G as L. polymorpha) on 673d (M. Ishikawa collection) are both identified as L. ophioneae.     

Ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) as bioindicators

One of the primary goals of research on bioindicators is to identifyspecies or other taxonomic units that would reliably indicate disturbances inthe environment, and reflect the responses of other species or the overallbiodiversity. However, there is no perfect bioindicator and selecting the mostsuitable one depends to a great extent on the goal of the survey. In this paperwe examine the suitability of carabids as bioindicators. Carabids are frequentlyused to indicate habitat alteration. They have been used in grasslands andboreal forests where species number and/or abundances have been noted to changealong a habitat disturbance gradient. A common trend is that large, poorlydispersing specialist species decrease with increased disturbance while smallgeneralist species with good dispersal ability increase. Some species are notaffected by moderate disturbance. There is, however, not enough research todetermine how suitable carabids are for biodiversity studies, or how well theyrepresent the response of other species. We conclude that carabids are usefulbioindicators, but as crucial understanding of their relationship with otherspecies is incomplete, they should be used with caution.     

转植酸酶基因玉米对步甲群落动态的影响

本研究以陷阱法研究转植酸酶基因玉米及其亲本玉米在整个生长季节对地表步甲类群的影响。每个玉米品系设置6块样地, 两个玉米品系交替排列, 每个样地设置2个采样点, 共设置24个样点, 整个玉米生育期取样8次。本研究共采集步甲标本8 012头, 隶属于11属23种, 其中黄斑青步甲Chlaenius micans个体数量分别占个体总数的87.54%, 为玉米田内的主要常见物种, 蠋步甲Dolichus halensis、 后斑青步甲Chlaenius posticalis和单齿蝼步甲Scarites terricola个体数量分别占除黄斑青步甲之外所有步甲个体总数的34.77%, 31.16%和6.21%, 这些物种组成当地玉米田内的常见物种。步甲物种多样性与常见物种个体数量随季节变化明显, 且转植酸酶基因玉米与其亲本玉米田内步甲物种多样性和常见物种个体数量的季节变化趋势相似度较高。重复测量方差分析（Repeated ANOVA）结果表明, 转植酸酶基因玉米对步甲物种丰富度、 物种多度、 香农威纳多样性指数和均匀度指数均没有显著影响; 转植酸酶基因玉米田内的后斑青步甲个体数量明显增加, 但其他常见物种没有显著变化。基于非度量多维度（NMDS）的群落结构分析表明转植酸酶基因玉米与亲本玉米田内的步甲群落结构非常相似。本文结果表明转植酸酶基因玉米的种植对步甲物种多样性及常见物种没有明显影响。     

Notes onLaboulbenia coneglanensis (Ascomycetes, Laboulbeniales) in Japan

Laboulbenia coneglanensis isolated from Japanese harpaline carabids is described and photographed. It is compared morphologically withL. flagellata from Japan and Europe, which is similar in appearance. The most important difference between the two species is in antheridial character and host range. Other characters such as coloration, perithecial shape, especially the shape of the perithecial apex, and size of ascospores are also useful for distinction.Laboulbenia ophoni var.dilatata described by Maire (1920) is regarded as a synonym ofL. coneglanensis.     

Proventricular trituration in adult carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae)

Adult carabids that ingest particles of food have a muscular proventriculus lined internally with an intima that bears sclerotized projections. In experiments where six species of carabid were allowed to feed upon Drosophila, the average size of cuticular remains found in post-proventricular regions of the gut was generally significantly smaller than those in the crop. This reduction in size of cuticular particles is likely to be due to proventricular trituration rather than prolonged exposure to digestive secretions. There is no evidence that material is triturated by the proventriculus and returned to the crop, the main seat of digestion in carabids, so proventricular trituration is unlikely to enhance digestion. By crushing large, potentially abrasive, cuticular particles, the proventriculus may serve to protect midgut epithelial tissue.     

New or little-known species of the genus Amphimenes Bates, 1873 (Coleoptera, Carabidae, Lebiinae) from Vietnam

Twelve new species of the genus Amphimenes Bates, 1873 are described from Vietnam: Amphimenes maculatussp. n., Amphimenes bidoupensissp. n., Amphimenes gracilissp. n., Amphimenes montanussp. n., Amphimenes giganteussp. n., Amphimenes mediussp. n., Amphimenes minutussp. n., Amphimenes rufipessp. n., Amphimenes reflexicollissp. n., Amphimenes planicollissp. n., Amphimenes nitidussp. n., and Amphimenes kabakovisp. n.. Amphimenes rugulipennis Bates, 1892, comb. n., is transferred from the genus Brachichila Chaudoir, 1869 and is redescribed from fresh material. A key to all congeners is provided, these being arranged into five new species-groups. Adults of the rugulipennis- and piceolus-groups show subcortical habits, while those of the medius-, rufipes- and planicollis- groupsare herpetobiotic, resulting in such morphological adaptations as partly reduced eyes, missing wings and adnate elytra.     

Four new species of the Australian Pamborus Latreille (Coleoptera, Carabidae) carabid beetles

Abstract  Based on an examination of the type specimens of all the known species of the genus Pamborus Latrielle (Coleoptera, Carabidae) four new Australian species are recognised and are described as: P. euopacus sp. n., P. moorei sp. n., P. monteithi sp. n and P. cooloolensis sp. n. In addition, Pamborus viridis Gory, P. opacus Géhin and P. subtropicus Darlington are also redescribed based on the type material and lectotypes are designated for the first two species.     

The relationship between British ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) and land cover

Aims and methods Ground beetle and satellite‐derived land cover data from 1687 United Kingdom 10 km national grid squares were used to assess the relationship between species pool and cover data in Great Britain using fuzzy classification and constrained ordination. Results Ground beetle species pools classified into nine groups which were related to land cover variables using constrained ordination. There was a strong relationship between upland land cover and three ground beetle groups. Deciduous woodland, coastal and tilled land were associated with three other groups. Three further groups did not appear to be strongly associated with any particular cover, but differed in geographical position. Conclusion The distribution of species pools derived from the British national recording scheme at the 10 km scale was strongly related to satellite‐derived land cover data. There appears to be considerable potential for the use of a synthesis of land cover and ground beetle data in the monitoring of environmental change over a large, countrywide, area.     

Impact of commercial forest management on geophilous carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in tall,wet Eucalyptus obliqua forest in southern Tasmania

Abstract The impact of silvicultural practices (clearfelling, slash burning and sowing) on carabid beetle communities in tall wet Eucalyptus obliqua forests in southern Tasmania was examined using traplines of pitfalls in a chronosequence of regenerating coupes. Total species richness (n= 18) was modest compared to other temperate forests and was not systematically changed by forest management, although it was considerably lower in 20 year old regrowth than in younger regrowth or old-growth controls, possibly due to habitat simplification. The Shannon-Weiner Index was at a minimum in intermediate aged regeneration. TWINSPAN analysis assisted recognition of beetle communities typical of broad stages in the forest succession, with a major dichotomy between most old-growth sites plus young sites and intermediate plus advanced regeneration sites. Vector fitting of environmental variables in an ordination of the sites by non-metric multidimensional scaling revealed a significant influence for the age of regeneration and litter depth, but not bare ground percentage or soil pH. Survival of carabids in the habitat mosaic created by commercial forestry activity is likely to depend on both reinvasion from edges and survival of individuals in the fire-protected refuges that exist within the coupes. Pioneer species were winged, small in size, and non-endemic whereas the opposite was true of the fauna in the older sites. Carabids in eucalypt forests have good potential as indicators but their seasonality in occurrence demands that sampling be extended over most of the year.     

New species of scarabaeoid beetles from the family Glaresidae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea) from the Cretaceous of Transbaikalia

A new species from the family Glaresidae, Cretoglaresis ovalis, sp. nov., is described from the Lower Cretaceous site Baisa in Transbaikalia. Improved diagnosis of the genus Cretoglaresis Nikolajev, 2007 is given.     

Occurrence of hypogean trechine beetles in Hanzhong Tiankeng Cluster,southwestern Shaanxi,China (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Trechinae)

Qianaphaenops (Tiankengius) xigouicus Tian & Huang, n. subgen., n. sp. is described from a limestone cave in the Hanzhong Tiankeng Cluster, southwestern Shaanxi Province in the western part of Daba Shan Mountains, northern China. Tiankengius n. subgen. is related to Qianaphaenops (s. str.) Uéno, 2000 (a lineage of Guizhaphaenops Complex which ranges in northeastern Guizhou Province) instead of the genera Boreaphaenops Uéno, 2002 Yanzaphaenops Uéno, 2010 which are known from Shennongjia (eastern range of Daba Shan Mountains). However, Tiankengius is markedly distinct by several important features from Qianaphaenops. This is the first report of a troglobitic trechine beetle from Shaanxi Province, northern China.     

An unexpected clade of South American ground beetles (Coleoptera,Carabidae, Bembidion)

Phylogenetic relationships of the Antiperyphanes Complex of the genus Bembidion are inferred using DNA sequences from seven genes (two nuclear ribosomal, four nuclear protein coding, and one mitochondrial protein coding). Redefined subgenera within the complex are each well-supported as monophyletic. Most striking was the discovery that a small set of morphologically and ecologically heterogeneous species formed a clade, here called subgenus Nothonepha. This unexpected result was corroborated by the discovery of deep pits in the lateral body wall (in the mesepisternum) of all Nothonepha, a trait unique within Bembidion. These pits are filled with a waxy substance in ethanol-preserved specimens. In one newly discovered species (Bembidion tetrapholeon sp. n., described here), these pits are so deep that their projections into the body cavity from the two sides touch each other internally. These structures in Bembidion (Nothonepha) are compared to very similar mesepisternal pits which have convergently evolved in two other groups of carabid beetles. The function of these thoracic pits is unknown. Most members of subgenus Nothonepha have in addition similar but smaller pits in the abdomen. A revised classification is proposed for the Antiperyphanes Complex.     

Hybridization and speciation in the carabid beetles of the subgenusOhomopterus (Coleoptera, Carabidae, genusCarabus)

Natural hybridization among wingless carabid beetles of the subgenusOhomopterus (Carabidae, genusCarabus) is reviewed, and its significance in the evolution of this subgenus discussed. Natural hybridization occurs between parapatric species of similar size. Two case studies of natural hybridization suggest that natural hybridization could have affected the evolution of this subgenus in different ways. When there is a large difference in genital morphology between hybridizing species, interspecific copulation often results in genital injuries that causes mortality of copulating individuals, and hence reduces the fitness of hybridizing individuals greatly. In such a case, hybridization may be effective in maintaining the parapatric distribution of the two species, and in the long term, may promote reinforcement selection for traits which are effective in prezygotic reproductive isolation. When the morphological difference in genitalia is not so large as to cause genital injury, a hybrid population may be established at the intermediate zone between two parental species, provided that the immigration rates of the two species into the intermediate zone are small. Thus, natural hybridization may have contributed to both divergence and reticulate evolution in this subgenus.     

Heavy metals in carabids (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

Carabid beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) are one of the most studied soil groups in relation to heavy metal (HM) accumulation and use for bioindication of environmental pollution. Accumulation of Zn and Cu in carabid beetles was species-, sex- and trophic group-specific. No differences were found in HM contents between omnivorous and carnivorous species. The use of carabid beetles as indicators of HM accumulation appears to be rather limited.     

Functional anatomy of the explosive defensive system of bombardier beetles (Coleoptera,Carabidae, Brachininae)

This paper provides the first comparative anatomical study of the explosive pygidial defensive system of bombardier beetles in species classified in three brachinine subtribes: Brachinus (Brachinina), Pheropsophus (Pheropsophina) and Aptinus (Aptinina). We investigated the morphology and ultrastructure of this system using optical, fluorescence, and focused ion beam (FIB/SEM) microscopy. In doing so, we characterized and comparatively discussed: (1) the ultrastructure of the gland tissues producing hydroquinones and hydrogen peroxide (secretory lobes), and those producing catalases and peroxidases (accessory glands); (2) the complex anatomy of the collecting duct; (3) the arrangement of the muscular bundles and the folding of the cuticle of the reservoir, suggesting a functional division of this chamber (dynamic part and storage part); (4) the great structural diversity of sculpticles inside the reaction chamber, where we could recognize six main types of microsculpture located in specific districts of the chamber. Additionally, using fluorescence microscopy, we highlighted the presence of resilin in two structures strongly subjected to mechanical stress during the discharge, the valve and the turrets of the reaction chamber. The results of this paper give a solid anatomic overview of the most popular beetle defensive system, contributing to the debate on its evolution within the Carabidae.     

New records of the carabidicolous Laboulbeniales (Ascomycetes) of Japan (II)

Six carabidicolous species of Laboulbeniales are reported as new for the Japanese mycoflora. They areLaboulbenia finitima, L. separata, L. borneensis, L. manubriolata, Dimeromyces caribaeus, andDixomyces ornatus. In Japan, the former three species are parasitic onMochtherus luctuosus and the latter three species onPerigona nigriceps. Laboulbenia finitima occurs on the left legs (tarsi and tibiae);L. separata on the left elytral margin:L. borneensis on the pronotum;L. manubriolata on the pronotum and elytra;Dimeromyces caribaeus on the right inferior posterior surface of the prothorax (pronotal hypomeron); andDixomyces ornatus on the outer margin of the right elytron. Comments and photographs are given for each fungus.