LignicolousHyphomycetes from Czechoslovakia 5.Septonema,Hormiactella andLylea

Three genera of lignicolousHyphomycetes Septonema Corda,Hormiactella Saac. andLylea Morgan-Jones are discussed. Illustrations and determination keys are provided. Five species ofSeptonema—S. fasciculare (Corda) Hughes,S. leptaleum (Ellis & Harkn.) Hughes,S. pinicola Hol.-Jech.,S. secedens Corda andS. laricium Hol.-Jech.—and two species ofHormiactella—H. fusca (Preuss) Sacc. andH. asetosa Hol.-Jech.—have been found in Czechoslovakia. A new speciesS. pseudobinum Hol.-Jech. is described from Romania.Septonema tetracoilum (Corda Hughes is accommodated in the genusLylea Morgan-Jones.     

Mortality factors of satin moth,Leucoma salicis [Lep.: Lymantriidae], in aspen forests in Maine

Natural control agents of the satin moth,Leucoma salicis (L.) were examined in 2Populus grandidentata Michaux stands. Highest mortality occurred in overwintering larvae, with the causal agents 2 fungi,Paecilomyces sp. andHirsutella gigantea Petch, a factor causing death symptomatic of a pathogen, the parasiteEupteromalis hemipterus (Walker) and death from unknown causes. Mortality fromPaecilomyces sp. andE. hemipterus was reduced where overwintering sites were covered with burlap cloth. Parasites recovered from larvae and pupae included the braconidsApanteles melanoscelus (Ratzeburg) andMeteorus versicolor (Wesmeal), the ichneumonidCoccygomimus pedalis (Cresson), the tachinidsCompsilura concinnata (Meigen),Carcelia laxifrons Villeneuve,Tachinomyia variata Curran, and the sarcophagidsSarcophaga aldrichi Parker andAgria housei Shewell. Larval and pupal predators included the carabidCalosoma frigidum Kirby, pentatomids, and birds, particularly black-billed cuckoos,Coccyzus erythrophthaimus (Wilson). Eggs were parasitized by the scelionidTelenomus prob.californicus Ashmead and the trichogrammidTrichogramma minutum (Riley). Predators of adult satin moths included the hermit thrush,Hylocichla guttata (Pallas), and pentatomid bugs.     

Bacidina genus novum familiaeLecideaceae s. lat. (Ascomycetes lichenisati)

The following eleven species currently classified in the generaBacidia s. lat. andCatillaria s. lat. are transferred to the new genusBacidina Vězda gen. n. (Lecideaceae s. lat.):Bacidina apiahica (Müll. Arg.) comb. n.,B. chloroticula (Nyl.)Vězda etPoelt comb. n.,B. egenula (Nyl.) comb. n.,B. inundata (Fr.) comb. n.,B. mirabilis (Vězda) comb. n.,B. neglecta (Vězda) comb.n.,B. pallidocarnea (Müll. Arg.) comb. n.,B. phacodes (Koerb.) comb.n.,B. scutellifera (Vězda) comb.n.,B. vasakii (Vězda) comb.n., andB. ziamensis (Vězda) comb.n.     

The establishment of two parasites of the diamond-back mothPlutella xylostella [Lep.: Plutellidae] in Trinidad,W.I.

The diamond-back moth,Plutella xylostella (L.) is a major pest of cruciferous crops in Trinidad, West Indies. Pesticides are applied as a control measure but it is now resistant to several of them. Indigenous parasitesApanteles aciculatus (Ashm.),Apanteles sp. (glomeratus group),Spilochalcis hirtifemora (Ashm.) andTrichogramma brasiliensis (Ashm.) are unable to exert economic control.Apanteles plutellae (Kurdj.) andTetrastichus sokolowskii Kurdj. were introduced and are now well established. It is recommended to introduce additional parasitesMacromalon sp. andThyraeella collaris (Grav.) in order to obtain complete biological control.     

Parasites ofSpodoptera exigua,S. eridania [Lep.: Noctuidae] andHerpetogramma bipunctalis [Lep.: Pyralidae] collected fromAmaranthus hybridus in field corn

Three species of lepidopterous larvae were collected fromAmaranthus hybridus L. growing in field corn during 1975 and 1976 at Hastings, Florida.Spodoptera exigua (Hubner) was the predominant species in May.Spodoptera eridania (Cramer) was predominant in June andHerpetogramma bipunctalis (F.) in July and August. Nine native species of parasites, representing theBraconidae, Eulophidae, Ichneumonidae andTachinidae, emerged from these larvae.Meteorus autographae Muesebeck emerged from bothS. exigua andS. eridania. TheTachinidae, Winthemia rufopicta (Bigot),Eucelatori rubentis (Coquillett) andLespensia sp., emerged from mixtures ofS. exigua andS. eridania. Apanteles marginiventris (Cresson),Temelucha sp., andChelonus texanus Cresson emerged from bothS. exigua andH. bipunctalis larvae, andEuplectrus platyhypenae Howard andOphion sp. emerged fromS. eridania. All the species of parasites from the lepidopterous larvae that feed onAmaranthus hybridus are also reported as parasites ofS. frugiperda, a serious pest of corn. Therefore these larvae onA. hybridus may be a source of the parasites found attackingS. frugiperda.     

Cytotaxonomic study ofTragopogon L. in czechoslovakia

Karyotypes ofTragopogon orientalis L. subsp.orientalis, T orientalis L. subsp.leiocarpos (Sauter)Trnka,T. pratensis L.,T. minor Miller,T. dubius Scop. subsp.dubius andT. dubius Scop. subsp.major (Jacq.)Vollmann were studied. The occurrence in Slovakia ofT. pratensis was karyologically proved.     

Parasitism ofPhthorimaea operculella [Lep.: Gelechiidae] larvae in Queensland

Parasitism ofPhthorimaea operculella (Zeller) larvae on potato foliage was examined intensively in the Lockyer Valley, south-eastern Queensland from 1975–78 and extensively from other hosts and areas of Queensland. The % parasitism in the Lockyer Valley exceeded 50% in 29 of the 36 collections. The parasite species were dominated by the introducedCopidosoma desantisi Annecke & Mynhardt (Encyrtidae) andOrgilus lepidus Muesebeck (Braconidae) which together accounted for 92.6% of parasite numbers recorded. In more northern areas of Queensland, the dominant parasite species found was the introducedApanteles subandinus Blanchard (Braconidae). Other hymenopterous parasites found wereMicrochelonus curvimaculatus Cameron (Braconidae), Elasmus funereus Riek (Elasmidae) andTemelucha minuta (Morley) (Ichneumonidae).     

Further karyological studies of the Mongolian flora

The paper gives the chromosome number for 50 species of the Mongolian flora. Some of the counts appear to be the first findings for the species. They are:Draba eriopoda Turcz. exLedeb. 2n=16,Lychnis sibirica L. 2n=24,Papaver pseudocanescens M. Popov 2n=42,Thymus baicalensis Serg. 2n=28 andViola gmeliniana Schultes 2n=24.     

Survey and distribution ofCybocephalidae [Coleoptera] in Israel

Nine species ofCybocephalus were found in a survey conducted throughout Israel:C. micans (Reitter),C. nigriceps nigriceps (J. Sahiberg),C. nigriceps sinister Endrödy-Younga,C. aegyptiacus Endrödy-Younga,C. mediterraneus Endrödy-Younga,C. pullus Endrödy-Younga,C. fodori minor Endrödy-Younga,C. membranaceus (Reitter) andCybocephalus sp. n.C. micans andC.n. nigriceps are the most prevalent: the former in the Coastal Plain on citrus and the latter in the Arava region on date palms. In most cases the population density of the predator appeared to be related to that of the prey. Armoured scale insects(Homoptera: Diaspididae) were the main prey ofCybocephalus.     

Mechanical transmission of beet yellows virus toChenopodium quinoa Willd. andChenopodium foliosum (Moench) Asch.

Beet yellows virus (BYV) was mechanically transmitted by sap from sugar-beet plants, infected with BYV, to the plants ofChenopodium quinoa Willd. and ofChenopodium foliosum (Moench) Asch. Mechanical transmission of BYV to the plants ofTetragonia expansa Murr. failed. Infectious material was homogenized in phosphate buffer with veronal and EDTA, pH 7–8. Experimental plants were darkened three days before infection and kept at a temperature of 5°C. Plants ofC. quinoa Willd. were decapitated. Back transmissions fromC. quinoa Willd. andC. foliosum (Moench) Asch. infected with BYV, to sugar-beet plants were carried out by the aveidMyzus persicae Sulz. These transmissions were positive. Filamentous particles of BYV, of an average length 1275 nm, were found in plants ofC. quinoa Willd. andC. Foliosum (Moench) Asch., infected with BYV.     

The effect of prey density on the functional and numerical reponses of three species of predatory mites

Functional and numerical responses of the predators:Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot,Metaseiulus occidentalis (Nesbitt), andAmblyseius chilenensis (Dosse) [Acarina, Phytoseiidae] were observed at prey (Tetranychus urticae Koch [Acarina, Tetranychidae]) densities up to 300 prey/6.45 cm². Neither functional nor numerical response curves revealed any prey-predator interference effects, i.e.: the dome-shaped response curves (Holling, 1961), did not occur.     

Parasites of rice stemborers in Sarawak (Malaysian Borneo)

Observations on parasites were made during a study of the following rice stem-borers in Sarawak (Malaysian Borneo):Tryporyza incertulas (Walker),T. innotata (Walker),Chilo suppressalis (Walker)C. auricilia (Dudgeon), andSeamia inferens (Walker). Egg-parasitism was often high, but that of the larval and pupal stages generally very low. Between 40–80% of theTryporyza eggs were parasitised byTelenomus rowani (Gahan), while 30–50% were attacked byTetrastichus schoenobii Ferrière. About 40–90% of the eggs ofChilo were parasitised byTrichogramma? japonicum Ashmead and 5–26% byTelenomus dignus (Gahan). Only 0.4–3% of theTryporyza larvae were parasitised by a Braconid,Rhaconotus schoenobivorus (Rohwer), whileBracon chinensis Szepligeti attacked 0.2–0.7% of the larvae ofC. suppressalis. Parasitism ofSesamia larvae byApanteles flavipes Cameron was equally low, never exceeding 2%. Pupal parasitism was somewhat higher.Tetrastichus israeli (Mani & Kurian) attacked 8% and 18% of the pupae ofC. suppressalis andS. inferens, respectively, while the Ichneumonid,Xanthopimpla stemmator (Thunberg) attacked up to 3% of the pupae of the former species. The immature stages of some of these parasites are described.     

Impact of aerially appliedBacillus thuringiensis and carbaryl on gypsy moth [Lep.: Lymantriidae] and adult parasites

In 1973, Dipel^® (Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner) and Sevin^® 4 oil (carbaryl) were applied aerially on a dense population of gypsy moths,Lymantria dispar (L.), to evaluate the effect of these biological and chemical insecticides on gypsy moth larvae and adult parasites. Both insecticides provided excellent protection of foliage (29 % average defoliation) and gypsy moth population reduction (99 %). Significantly fewerBrachymeria intermedia (Nees), andApanteles melanoscelus (Ratzeburg),Parasetigena silvestris (Robineau-Desvoidy) andCompsilura concinnata (Meigen) adult parasites were captured in the blocks treated with Sevin 4 oil or Dipel than in the control block during the treatment year and in 1974, respectively.     

Biological control ofMythimna separata [Lep.: noctuidae] in New Zealand and its bearing on biological control strategy

A survey of parasites ofAgrotis spp. was carried out in Pakistan to find promising species for trial against noctuids especiallyAgrotis spp. andMythimna separata (Walker) in New Zealand. The parasites recorded wereApanteles ruficrus Haliday,Macrocentrus collaris Spinola,Periscepsia carbonaria Panzer,Turanogonia smirnovi,Rohdain,Ctenichneumon panzeri Wesmael andAnthrax sp. All exceptAnthrax sp. were supplied to New Zealand whereA. ruficrus andM. collaris were released in large numbers.A. ruficrus became established and is giving excellent control ofM. separata resulting in enormous economic gains. Recently it has also been recovered fromAgrotis spp. This example of biological control is significant in thatM. separata has been controlled by a parasite that was previously known from it in New Zealand. The specific status of the “A. ruficrus” already present in New Zealand requires investigation.     

Annotated chromosome numbers of selected asiaticPotentilla species

Chromosome numbers are reported for 19 collections representing 16 AsiaticPotentilla taxa. The first chromosome records are reported forP. desertorum Bunge var.arnavatensis Wolf (2n=28),P. festiva Soják (2n=28),P. griffithii Hook f. subsp.beauvaisii (Cardot) Soják (2n=42),P. micropetala D. Don subsp.byssitecta (Soják) Měsí?ek etSoják (2n=14),P. mollissima Lehm. (2n=28),P. moorcroftii Wall. exLehm. (2n=42),P. multicaulis Bunge (2n=14),P. [x]omissa Soják (2n=35, 56, 70) andP. stanjukoviczii Ovcz. exKoczk. (2n=14). Counts differing from those previously recorded are given forP. algida Soják (2n=56) andP. flagellaris Willd. exSchlecht. (2n=42). Chromosome numbers of the following species were confirmed:P. [x]agrimonioides Bieb. (2n=42),P. chinensis Ser. in DC. (2n=14),P. fragarioides L. (2n=14),P. lineata Trev. (2n=14) andP. sericea L. (2n=28). Taxonomy is briefly discussed. A new combinationP. micropetala D. Don subsp.byssitecta (Soják) Měsí?ek etSoják stat. nov. is proposed.     

A note on the weed vegetation of Soya bean fields in North Korea

The paper presents some data on the weed vegetation of soya bean fields in lowlands and on the slopes of the Changbaishan Mts., in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Two plant communities,Acalypho australis-Digitarietum pectiniformis Dostálek, Kolbek etJarolímek 1990 andCephalonoploso segetii-Geranietum eriostemonii Dostálek, Kolbek etJarolímek 1990 are described and their syntaxonomy briefly discussed.     

Hydrolysis of the Leu-Gly bond of phenylazobenzyl-oxycarbonyl-l-Pro-l-Leu-Gly-l-Pro-D-Arg (a substrate of microbial collagenases) by treponemes isolated from the subgingival plaque of periodontitis patients

Cell extracts prepared from several oral treponemes isolated from the subgingival plaque of periodontitis patients showed high enzyme activity toward phenylazobenzyl-oxycarbonyl-l-prolyl-l-leucylglycyl-l-prolyl-d-arginine (a compound used as a substrate for microbial collagenases). One major enzyme hydrolyzing this substrate at the Leu-Gly bond only was partially purified from an unspeciated treponeme (strain US),Treponema denticola ATCC 35405, and 29 different clinical isolates ofT. denticola. TheTreponema US enzyme also hydrolyzed furylacryloyl-l-leucylglycyl-l-prolyl-l-alanine (another substrate of bacterial collagenases) at the Leu-Gly bond. This enzyme also hydrolyzed various collagens and collagen-derived peptides. These treponemal proteases were sensitive to metal chelators andp-chloromercury compounds. The results indicate that human oral treponemes contain enzymes that readily hydrolyze in chromogenic protease substrates the Leu-Gly bond only that is the cleavage site of these substrates also by “true” microbial collagenases.     

Ein Beitrag zur Nomenklatur sphinctozoider Schwämme (Porifera)

The sphinctozoid sponge generaFania Senowbari-Daryan 1990 andSpica Termier &Termier 1977 are preoccupied.Fania is replaced byFanthalamia nom. nov. andSpica by the younger synonymFistulispongia Termier &Termier 1977. The invalid subfamily name FaniinaeSenowbari-Daryan 1990 is replaced by Fanthalamiinae n. subfam. The invalid family and subfamily names SpicidaeTermier &Termier 1977 and SpicinaeSenowbari-Daryan 1990 respectively are replaced by FistulispongiidaeTermier atTermier 1977 and FistulispongiinaeSenowbari-Daryan 1990. The generaWaagenium de Laubenfels 1957 andCatubria Merla 1931 were previously overlooked.Waagenium DeLaubenfels 1957 is a younger synonym ofColospongia Laube 1865. The position ofCatubria Merla 1931 is uncertain. Most probablyCatubria is an alga.     

Observation of algal colonization on Acropora aspera killed by Acanthaster planci

Algae started colonizing branches of the coral Acropora aspera (Dana) killed by the sea star Acanthaster planci (Linnaeus) within less than 24 hours. Two blue-greens ((Microcoleus lyngbyaceus (Crouan) Ag. and Hormothamnion solutum B. & F.)) dominated the early community but became less abundant than a brown ((Giffordia indica (Sonder) Papenfuss & Chihara)) after 26 days.