A survey of mealybugs and their natural enemies in horticultural crops in North Island,New Zealand,with implications for biological control

More than 1300 mealybugs and their natural enemies were collected from six crops (apples, pears, nashi, citrus, persimmon and grapes) at 91 sites. Pseudococcus longispinus and P. calceolariae were the commonest species in all crops, except in pipfruit in Hawkes Bay, inhabited almost exclusively by P. affinis. These three species accounted for more than 99% of all mealybugs collected. Mealybugs were attacked by 14 species of natural enemy, only two of which had been deliberately introduced to New Zealand. Six species of Encyrtidae were reared. Anagyrus fusciventris was recorded from New Zealand for the first time. Parectromoides varipes was newly identified as a primary parasitoid of mealybugs, and males of this species and Gyranusoidea advena, previously unknown, were found. Both species, together with Tetracnemoidea sydneyensis, T. peregrina and T. brevicornis, and Coccophagus gurneyi (Aphelinidae) and two species of Ophelosia (Pteromalidae) were widespread throughout the surveyed regions. Common predators included Cryptolaemus montrouzieri (Col: Coccinellidae), Cryptoscenea australiensis (Neuroptera: Coniopterygidae) and Diadiplosis koebelei (Dipt: Cecidomyiidae). Hyperparasitoids were extremely rare. Five species of ants were recorded tending mealybugs, but none is known to be disruptive to mealybug natural enemies. The implications of these data for biological control of mealybug pests in horticultural crops is discussed, and it is concluded that Pseudaphycus maculipennis (Hym: Encyrtidae) should be introduced against P. affinis. No other importations are recommended. The activity of existing species should be encouraged in future integrated pest management (IPM) programmes, by, for example, distributing A. fusciventris around the country, and commercializing the mass rearing and release of C. montrouzieri.     

Distribution and species-specific egg production of Pseudocalanus in the Gulf of Alaska

Pseudocalanus species are important contributors to the secondaryproduction of the northern hemisphere mid- to high-latitudeoceans. In the coastal Gulf of Alaska, Pseudocalanus are presentyear round and are represented by three species. In 2001, Pseudocalanusmimus was the dominant Pseudocalanus species on the shelf duringspring and summer, comprising 30–100% of the total, whilePseudocalanus newmani dominated in Prince William Sound (10–90%).Pseudocalanus minutus were only abundant in Prince William Soundduring early spring. Egg production (by number and volume) wasa function of female prosome length and decreased from springto summer; however, significant variability was attributableto regional influences that were independent of size. For thesame sized female, P. newmani produced more eggs per clutchthan P. mimus. Pseudocalanus mimus, however, tended to havea larger mean egg size than P. newmani. Consequently, clutchvolumes of the two species were indistinguishable. Pseudocalanusegg production rates (EPRs) (eggs female^–1 day^–1)were lower in July and August (ca. 2–4) than April andMay (ca. 1–9), but total egg production by the population(eggs day^–1) was nearly equivalent for the two time periodsdue to higher female concentrations in summer.     

Influence of temperature and food concentration on body size,weight and lipid content of two Calanoid copepod species

Two species of Copepoda Temora longicornis (Müller) and Pseudocalanus elongatus (Boeck) were cultured continuously in the laboratory. Four and three generations, respectively, were raised at 16 different combinations of temperature and food concentration. Prosome length and ash-free dry weight were measured in the adult stage and in Pseudocalanus also in copepodite stage I, and the relation between length and weight was established. In Pseudocalanus also the relative amount of lipid was estimated.Prosome length and length-specific body weight (condition factor) were positively correlated with food concentration. Lipid content in Pseudocalanus was also strongly affected by the concentration of food.Prosome length was negatively correlated with temperature. However, length-specific body weight in Temora was positively correlated with temperature. Therefore, at higher temperature Temora was smaller, but heavier per unit body length. In Pseudocalanus a similar but less significant influence of temperature on length-specific weight was found; lipid content was not significantly influenced by the temperature.Females of Temora had larger length-specific weights than males. In Pseudocalanus the opposite was found, coinciding with a higher lipid content in males than in females.It is discussed that at natural concentrations of phytoplankton body size and weight of copepods are reduced in the North Sea during the major part of the growing-season.     

Genomic analyses reveal natural selection on reproduction related genes between two closely related Populus (Salicaceae) species

Identifying the factors that cause reproductive isolation and their relative importance in species divergence is crucial to our understanding of speciation processes. In most species, natural selection is commonly considered to play a large role in driving speciation. Based on whole genome re-sequencing data from 27 Populus alba and 28 Populus adenopoda individuals, we explored the factors related to reproductive isolation of these two closely related species. The results showed that the two species diverged ~5–10 million years ago (Ma), when the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau reached a certain height and the inland climate of the Asian continent became arid. In highly differentiated genomic regions, the relative divergence (F_ST) and absolute divergence (d_xy) were significantly higher than the genomic background, θπ and shared polymorphisms decreased whereas fixed differences increased, which indicated that natural selection played a key role in the reproductive isolation of the two species. In addition, we found several genes that were related to reproduction that may be involved in explaining the reproductive isolation. Using phylogenetic trees resolved from haplotype data of Populus tomentosa and P. adenopoda, the maternal origin of P. tomentosa from P. adenopoda was likely to be located in Hubei and Chongqing Provinces.     

中国假尾孢属的研究V

本文报导中国假尾孢属的30个种,其中有2个新种:透骨草假尾孢(Pseudocercospora phrymae),槐假尾孢(P. sophorae), 6个新组合:无花果假尾孢(P. fici),爵床假尾孢(P. justiciae),木犀生假尾孢(P. osmanthicola),海桐花假尾孢(P. pittospori),色柱假尾孢(P. polygonorum),花椒假尾孢(P. xanthoxyli)和5个中国新记录。文中对新种和新组合进行了描述并绘图,其他种作了简要描述或讨论。研究的标本保存在中国科学院微生物研究所真菌标本室(HMAS)。     

Pleurosigma hinzianum sp. nov. and P. frenguellianum sp. nov. (Pleurosigmataceae,Bacillariophyta) from Argentinean coastal waters,in comparison with P. amara Stidolph and P. elongatum W. Smith

Two new marine diatom species from Argentinean coastal waters, Pleurosigma hinzianum Sterrenburg, Sunesen & Sar, sp. nov. and P. frenguellianum Sunesen, Sterrenburg & Sar, sp. nov., are described. The characters permitting their identification are specified, based on comparison with type material of the morphologically similar species P. amara Stidolph and P. elongatum W. Smith in the light (LM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). New information on the type material of P. elongatum is presented and its taxonomic concept is emended. The main criteria for separation of the species discussed here are: valve outline, path of the raphe-sternum, raphe angle and angle of intersection of the oblique striae in LM; and external central and terminal raphe fissures, internal details of the central area, external and internal apical structure, and morphology of the hymen-occluded internal pores in SEM. The occurrence of these (and probably other) species in the genus Pleurosigma in net samples is adventitious and not indicative of a true planktonic mode of life.     

Fungi and Gram-negative bacteria as soilborne minor pathogens of goat's rue (Galega orientalis Lam.)

Fungi and Gram-negative bacteria were isolated from inside the roots of field-grown goat's rue (Galega orientalis). Fungi were isolated from three plants out of a total of 45 tested. Two multinuclear Rhizoctonia solani isolates were identified to the anastomosis group 5 (R. solani AG-5-Gal) using pairings with known AG test cultures. One fungal isolate was identified to Phoma chrysanthemicola. Gram-negative bacteria were isolated from three plants out of 25 tested. They were identified using classical methods, the BIOLOG identification system based on the utilisation of 95 different carbon sources, and the MIDI system for the analysis of whole cell fatty acids. The two latter systems were computer-associated and utilised an extensive reference library of isolates. One bacterial isolate was identified as Enterobacter agglomerans and two isolates as Pseudomonas marginalis. R. solani AG-5-Gal reduced the emergence of Lupinus luteus, L. polyphyllus and french bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and the growth of broad bean (Viciafaba), L. luteus and french bean, but did not cause obvious damage in goat's rue and pea (Pisum sativum). However, R. solani AG-5-Gal was re-isolated from the roots of all the test plant species following inoculation. P. chrysanthemicola reduced the emergence of L. polyphyllus and the growth of goat's rue, french bean and broad bean, and it was re-isolated from all of the test plant species (except for french bean) following inoculation. All the bacteria reduced the emergence of french bean, but not that of goat's rue and pea, when applied to the soil. When the roots were dipped into bacterial suspension, all the bacteria damaged french bean and L. polyphyllus. Additionally, P. marginalis JV3 damaged goat's rue and red clover. The pathogenicity of the fungi and bacteria were not changed when they were double-inoculated in pairs, except for R. solani AG-5-Gal and P. marginalis JV2 which reduced the emergence of goat's rue when inoculated together but not when inoculated separately.     

Species of Pleuroxus (Anomopoda,Chydoridae) from the subantarctic islands and southernmost South America: a partial unravelling of the Pleuroxus aduncus problem

Whereas previously all populations of Pleuroxus (now P.) known from the subantarctic islands and southernmost South America were considered to belong to a subspecies of P. aduncus (described from France), now there are five distinct species, only one of which resembles P. aduncus to any significant extent, but even it is a good species. Thus, the taxa are all distinctly different, and none of them could possibly be considered an infraspecies of P. aduncus sens. str. P. macquariensis from Macquarie Island and P. paroplesius and P. varidentatus from South America are new. Of the five species, P. varidentatus resembles P. aduncus most closely, but is separated from it by a number of significant characters. P. wittsteini is presently known from five islands in the south Indian Ocean, but there is considerable uncertainty as to whether all these populations really are the same taxon, because they differ somewhat in the shape of the labrum and in the intensity of sculpturing of the carapace and head. P. scopuliferus from South America is the most distinctive species of the group, having 9 gnathobasic filter setae on trunklimb III instead of the usual 8, a weak ridge on the shell, and a recurved rostrum extending beyond the tip of the labrum. No species of Pleuroxus (or of P., another subgenus of animals formerly assigned simply to Pleuroxus are known from the islands in the Scotia Arc between South America and Antarctica. The patterns of distribution cannot be explained by an on-going passive dispersal of resting eggs. No populations of species on the subantarctic islands are known from any of the southern land masses. Conditions on these islands intuitively must have been more severe during the glacial ages than during the present interglacial, suggesting that any anomopods present were eliminated during the severe glacial periods. Yet, the presence of isolated populations of endemic species on some islands and the complete lack of Pleuroxus on others (e.g. those in the Scotia Arc) argues that conditions, although more severe, still provided opportunities for the maintenance of active populations. Moreover, the morphological differences between populations of P. wittsteini on islands from a few hundred to several thousand kilometers apart likewise argue for genetic isolation over a very long period of time. Deceased     

Spatial and temporal variation in the diet of the Pacific sand lance Ammodytes hexapterus in waters off the coast of British Columbia,Canada

Variation in the diet of the Pacific sand lance Ammodytes hexapterus was examined in three years (2009–2011) at four sites in British Columbia, Canada. There were 12 major taxa of prey in diets, eight of which were Crustacea, with copepods being by far the dominant taxon in all 12 site‐years. Of the 22 copepod taxa recorded, only Calanus marshallae and Pseudocalanus spp. occurred in all collections, and these two calanoid species dominated diets in terms of frequency of occurrence and total numbers of prey (Pseudocalanus spp. in most collections), and total prey biomass (C. marshallae in all collections). Based on an index of relative importance, C. marshallae was the primary prey at the two southerly sampling sites (Pine and Triangle Islands) and Pseudocalanus spp. at the two northerly sites (Lucy Island and S'G ang Gwaay). Based on an index of dietary overlap, the species composition of the copepod component of A. hexapterus diets overlapped very strongly at the northerly and the southerly pairs of sites in both a cold‐water La Niña year (2009) and a warm‐water El Niño year (2010), but overall there was more homogeneity amongst all four sites in the La Niña year.     

中国假尾孢属的研究VI.

本文报道中国假尾孢属的16个种,其中有3个新种:藤山柳假尾孢(Pseudocercospora clematoclethrae),仙茅假尾孢(P. curculiginis,),豆付柴假尾孢(P. premnicola), 8个新组合:金粟兰假尾孢(P. chloranthe), 榅桲假尾孢(P. cydoniae),福岗假尾孢(P. fukuokaensis),土连翘假尾孢(P. hymenodictyonis),南五味子假尾孢(P. kadsurae), 野岛假尾孢(P. nojimae).绣线菊假尾孢(P. spiraeicola),球形假尾孢(P. sphaeriiformis)和3个中国新纪录。文中对新种进行了描述并绘图。研究的标本保存在中国科学院微生物研究所真菌标本室(HMAS)。     

Stasis and turnover in small shearwaters on Bermuda over the last 400 000 years (Aves: Procellariidae: Puffinus lherminieri group)

The extinct species Puffinus parvus Shufeldt of Bermuda is shown to be synonymous with the living taxon Puffinus boydi of the Cape Verde islands. This species occurred on Bermuda throughout the last 400 000 years, during both glacial and interglacial intervals, and into the Holocene up until the arrival of humans when introduced predators evidently caused its extirpation. Subsequently, the island was colonized briefly by the Caribbean species Puffinus lherminieri, which in turn was extirpated from the island in the 20th Century. The indications are that P. boydi successfully outcompeted P. lherminieri on Bermuda until it was removed through human agency, thus closely paralleling the situation documented for two species of Megadyptes penguins in New Zealand. Thus P. lherminieri and P. boydi have long functioned as biological species and should be considered as full species along with the cold‐water species Puffinus baroli of the North Atlantic. Restoration efforts for small shearwaters on Bermuda should now focus on P. boydi rather than P. lherminieri. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 99 , 699–707.     

Detection of European Peristenus digoneutis loan in mirid populations in southern Ontario

Lygus spp. Hahn (Hemiptera: Miridae) are serious pests of a wide variety of economically important crops in North America. A European parasitoid, Peristenus digoneutis Loan (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), released in the northeastern USA for the biological control of Lygus, has successfully established in nine states and in eastern Canada, including southeastern Ontario, southern Quebec and Nova Scotia. To determine the extent to which P. digoneutis has dispersed and established in mirid populations in Ontario, a single-step multiplex PCR assay, designed to differentiate European species P. digoneutis and P. relictus from native North American Peristenus species, was used to identify parasitoid larvae dissected from field-collected Miridae. A total of 222 parasitoid larvae were analysed with the multiplex assay. Most (172) were identified as members of the P. pallipes Curtis complex; however, three from the Niagara region were identified as P. digoneutis. Specimens that did not amplify using the Peristenus multiplex PCR assay were screened with a PCR primer set designed to detect Leiophron (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) species, and most were confirmed to be Leiophron larvae. This study confirms the presence of P. digoneutis species in southern Ontario, and is another example of the utility of molecular methods for the detection of newly introduced or dispersed parasitoids. The presence of exotic P. digoneutis in southern Ontario may expedite future releases to augment already-established populations. Following such releases, the Peristenus multiplex PCR assay will be a useful component of post-release studies to evaluate the success of the biological control programme for Lygus plant bugs in Canada.     

Isolation of Pythium Acanthicum,P. oligandrum,and P. periplocum from Soil and Evaluation of Their Mycoparasitic Activity and Biocontrol Efficacy Against Selected Phytopathogenic Pythium Species

Mycoparasitic Pythium species with spiny oogonia were surveyed in 50 Palestinian agricultural fields subject to different cropping practices using the Sclerotia Bait Technique (SBT) and the Surface-Soil-Dilution-Plate method (SSDP) with the selective VP3 medium. The mycoparasitic Pythium species were obtained from 21 (42%) soils using the SSDP method and from 37 (74%) soils using SBT. Pythium acanthicum and P. oligandrum were isolated by both methods, whereas P. periplocum was isolated only by the SBT. Using a newly modified dual plate culture method (MDPCM), the three mycoparasites showed varying antagonistic performance against several Pythium host species under a range of in vitro conditions. However, P. periplocum and P. oligandrum were found to be active biocontrol agents against P. ultimum, the damping-off organism of cucumber. This pathogen was antagonized, on thin films of water agar, by the three mycoparasites, and was moderately susceptible to P. periplocum while slightly susceptible to P. acanthicum and P. oligandrum. In direct application method in which antagonistic mycoparasites were incorporated into peat/sand mixture artificially infested with P. ultimum under growthroom conditions, Pythium oligandrum and P. periplocum (at 500 CFUg⁻¹) significantly improved seedling emergence and protected seedlings from damping-off. In the seed coating method, biocontrol by two types of seed dressing (homogenate- or oospore coated seeds), was comparable to that achieved by direct application. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Classification and differentiation of the genus Peganum indigenous to China based on chloroplast trnL-F and psbA-trnH sequences and seed coat morphology

The genus Peganum (Zygophyllaceae) consists of six species and one subspecies; three of which are distributed in China, P. harmala Linn, P. nigellastrum Bunge and P. multisectum (Maxim.) Bobr. A probable new or intermediate species, Peganum sp., has been suggested in the wild in northwest China. Traditional classification in genus Peganum has focused on hairs on the plant surface. In this study, seed coat characteristics of Peganum species were investigated using light and scanning electron microscopy, demonstrating clear differences in morphology between species. In addition, DNA sequence data from two sequences (chloroplast: trnL‐F, psbA‐trnH) were used to differentiate Peganum sp. and study polygenetic relationships. Diversity in DNA sequences among Peganum species was found, with inter‐specific sequence divergence ranging from 0.6% to 5.6% in psbA‐trnH, and 0.0% to 1.8% in trnL‐F. The variations within species were low: from 0.0% to 0.4% in psbA‐trnH and 0.0% to 0.4% in trnL‐F. Therefore, Peganum species can now be easily identified as separate entities based on variations in DNA sequences. Phylogenetic trees were constructed from the combined data set for the two gene fragments, and the results indicate that Peganum sp. is monophyletic and sister to P. harmala and P. nigellastrum, while P. multisectum is also monophyletic. DNA data further confirmed that P. multisectum is an independent species and that a new species, Peganum sp., exists within the genus Peganum growing wild in China.     

Factors influencing bud break and rooting and mass-scale micropropagation of three Phragmites species: P. karka, P. communis and P. australis

A procedure has been described for the large-scale micropropagation of three Phragmites species, P. karka, P. communis and P. australis, from axillary buds excised from the main and side branches. Position of the buds on the branches had an effect on the bud break and establishment of the cultures under in vitro conditions. Lower buds of P. australis and middle buds of P. karka and P. communis were the most suitable. The presence of yeast extract as one of the ingredients of the sprouting medium helped in the early detection of systemic contamination. Multiple shoot formation and root initiation were obtained on Murashige and Skoog's basal medium supplemented with different concentrations of BA – 0.5 mg/l for P. karka, 0.25 mg/l for P. communis and 0.1 mg/l for P. australis– 0.5 mg/l Kn and 2% sucrose (w/v). Shoots and roots elongated on half-strength MS basal medium with 2% sucrose but without any plant growth regulators. A zone of root hair was observed in the case of P. australis. Hardening occurred on 95% of the plantlets within 30 days of transfer to the polyhouse. Over 10,000 plants were produced from three buds of each species within 9 months. The plants were supplied to a private company for their industrial waste treatment. Received: 1 June 1998 / Revision received: 28 August 1998 / Accepted: 10 October 1998     

Species-specific PCR discrimination of species of the calanoid copepod Pseudocalanus, P. acuspes and P. elongatus, in the Baltic and North Seas

Two species of the calanoid copepod Pseudocalanus, P. acuspes and P. elongatus, have been reported from the Baltic and North Seas. Morphometric analysis based on Frost (Can J Zool 67:525–551, 1989) did not identify the species in samples collected during the German GLOBEC program; the majority of measurements fell outside reported ranges for Baltic and North Sea specimens. A multiplexed species-specific PCR (SS-PCR) protocol was designed from a ~700 bp sequence of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI), with primers designed to amplify regions of different sizes for the two species to allow detection by gel electrophoresis. The accuracy and reliability of the multiplexed SS-PCR reaction was confirmed by sequencing the mtCOI region. Preliminary SS-PCR analysis of geographic distributions of the two species indicated that P. acuspes occurred exclusively at sampling sites in the Baltic Sea, whereas P. elongatus was found in the southern North Sea and at one site in the Baltic. The SS-PCR protocol can be used for routine identification of the two species for studies of population, community and ecosystem dynamics.     

越南赤车属(荨麻科)二新记录

报道越南赤车属(荨麻科)二新记录种,即翅茎赤车(Pellionia caulialata S．Y．Liou)和光果赤车(P ．leio-carpa W．T．Wang),并提供描述.它们原记载分布于中国,现在越南北部发现有分布,凭证标本保存在PE.     

樟科植物柄锈菌补记

本文报告了樟科植物上的柄锈菌计巧种。其中有4个新种:四川山胡椒柄锈Puccinia linderae-setchuenensis sp. nov.,黄丹木姜子柄锈Puccinia litseae-elongatae sp. nov., 赛楠柄锈Puccinia nothaphoebes sp. nov.和湘楠柄锈Puccinia phoebes- hunanensis sp. nov二新种模式标本保藏在中国科学院微生物研究所真菌标本室。研究了已知种的模式标本,并在文中作了简要讨论。文中附有种的检索表。     

广西石灰岩地区苦苣苔科植物一新种——北流报春苣苔

报道了广西石灰岩地区苦苣苔科报春苣苔属(Primulina Hance)1新种——北流报春苣苔(P. beiliuensis B. Pan & S. X. Huang)。该新种在形态上与黄花牛耳朵[P. lutea(Yan Liu & Y. G. Wei)Mich. Möller & A. Weber]较近,但叶宽卵形,叶基部近心形,叶缘具浅钝齿或呈浅波状齿,花冠紫色,花冠、花序梗、花梗、苞片及花萼均被紫色短柔毛而区别与后者; 分子生物学证据表明,在系统发育上与桂林小花苣苔[P. repanda var. guilinensis(W. T. Wang)Mich. Möller & A. Weber]近缘,但两者在形态学上相差较远。