The Maghreb – one more important biodiversity hot spot for tiger beetle fauna (Coleoptera,Carabidae, Cicindelinae) in the Mediterranean region

The tiger beetle fauna of the Maghreb region is one of the richest in the Palaearctic, including 22 species and 5 subspecies and 19% of all Palaearctic species of Cicindelinae. Assembled to their chorotypes, the Maghreb tiger beetles fall into eight different groups that include Maghreb endemics (26% of fauna), Mediterranean (7%), West Mediterranean (40%), North African (4%), Mediterranean-Westturanian (4%), West Palaearctic (4%), Afrotropico-Indo-Mediterranean (4%), and Saharian (11%) species. The Mediterranean Sclerophyl and Atlas Steppe are the Maghreb biogeographical provinces with the highest species richness, while the Sahara Desert has the lowest Cicindelinae diversity. Twenty-five cicindelid species and subspecies (93% of Maghreb fauna) are restricted to only one or two habitat types in lowland areas. Only Calomera littoralis littoralis and Lophyra flexuosa flexuosa are recognized as eurytopic species and occur in three types of habitat. The highest tiger beetle diversity characterizes salt marshes and river banks (in both cases 11 species and subspecies or 41% of Maghreb fauna). Approximately 85% of all Maghreb tiger beetle species and subspecies are found in habitats potentially endangered by human activity.     

Mites in the mist: How unique is a rainforest canopy-knockdown fauna?

Abstract We intensively sampled the parasitiform mite faunas of three subtropical rainforest canopy habitats (leaves, bark, hanging humus) and three forest floor habitats (leaf litter, fungal sporocarps, arthropod associates) in the Green Mountains section of Lamington National Park, Queensland, and compared them to 423 specimens collected from the canopy by pyrethrin knockdown (PKD). In total, 165 species (80% new to science) were identified, including 58 from PKD. Few species occurred in more than one habitat, and complementarity averaged 96 ± 1%. About half of the species from PKD were found in canopy habitats, but less than 10% occurred in forest floor habitats. Thus, the canopy fauna is composed primarily of canopy specialists, not of forest floor mites, and habitat specificity is a major component of acarine diversity. An Incidence-based Coverage estimator (generated by the EstimateS program) proved useful in predicting asymptotes for collector's curves. Conservative extrapolations from this study suggest that more than 2000 species of mites live in subtropical rainforest in the Green Mountains.     

A?new species of the genus Duvalius sg. Neoduvalius from Montenegro with taxonomical remarks on the genus Duvalius (Coleoptera,Carabidae, Trechini)

Duvalius (sg. Neoduvalius) gejzadunayi sp. n. from Pećina u Dubokom potoku cave ( Donje Biševo village near Rožaje, Montenegro), the first known representative of this subgenus from the territory of Montenegro is described, illustrated and compared with the related species of the subgenus Neoduvalius Müller, 1913. This new species is characterised by depigmented, medium sized body, totally reduced eyes, deep and complete frontal furrows, 3–4 pairs of discal setae in third elytral stria, as well as by the shape of aedeagus. Data on the distribution and the ecology of this remarkable species, as well as a check-list of the subgenus Neoduvalius are also provided. Recently described genera Serboduvalius Ćurčić, S. B. Pavićević & Ćurčić, B.P.M., 2001, Rascioduvalius Ćurčić, S. B. Brajković, Mitić & Ćurčić, B.P.M., 2003, Javorella Ćurčić, S. B. Brajković, Ćurčić, B.P.M. & Mitić, 2003 and Curcicia Ćurčić, S. B. & Brajković, 2003 are regarded as junior synonyms of the genus Duvalius Delarouzée.     

Nebria brevicollis (Fabricius, 1792) in North America,benign or malign? (Coleoptera,Carabidae, Nebriini)

Nebria brevicollis (Fabricius) is one of the most frequently encountered and widely distributed carabid beetles in Europe. Until recently, the only North American records were based on two single specimens, both from the 1930's in southeastern Canada. In 2008, this species was found at thirteen different sites in five counties in northwestern Oregon. As of the end of 2010, it has been found in thirty-four different sites in ten Oregon counties, with a north-south range of ~150 km and an east-west range of ~90 km. It was also detected in 2010 in southwestern Washington (Vancouver), just north of Portland and the Columbia River.The ecological amplitude of Nebria brevicollis in Oregon rivals that of the most eurytopic native carabid species, e.g., Pterostichus algidus LeConte and Scaphinotus marginatus (Fischer von Waldheim). It has been found in highly degraded heavy industrial sites, agricultural fields, city parks, gardens, second growth woodlands, mature conifer forests, montane rock gardens, and otherwise pristine stands of old growth noble fir, with elevations ranging from essentially sea level to 1,249 meters. Climates at these locales vary from that of the Mediterranean Willamette Valley floor, where snow rarely occurs and summers are hot and dry, to the summit of the Oregon Coast Range, where deep snow may be present from November through April and summers are cool. The carabid communities in which Nebria brevicollis has been found range from those predominantly of fellow exotic species, e.g., at heavily perturbed sites, to those where it is the only exotic species, such as at the Coast Range summit.Nebria brevicollis is clearly an invasive species in that it is not restricted to anthropogenic habitats, is rapidly expanding its North American range, and can be abundant in essentially pristine settings. What is not yet clear is whether it is or will become a damaging species. Although it is already the most abundant carabid species in some settings, based upon pitfall catches, it is unknown whether this represents competitive superiority, trap vulnerability, or utilization of previously untapped or non-limiting resources. Deleterious ecological effects could include not only competition with other predators (including other carabid species) in agricultural and natural settings but also predation upon non-adult stages of threatened and endangered species of butterflies.     

Gastrocopta (Mollusca,Gastropoda, Pupillidae) in?the?Pilbara region of Western Australia

Six species of Gastrocopta have been identified from the Pilbara region, Western Australia, by means of comparative analyses of shell and mtDNA variation. Three of these species, Gastrocopta hedleyi, Gastrocopta larapinta and Gastrocopta servilis, have been recorded in the Pilbara for the first time. Gastrocopta sp. CW1 is probably new to science and might be endemic to the region. By contrast, Gastrocopta hedleyi, Gastrocopta larapinta and Gastrocopta mussoni are shown to be widespread.     

How small is the smallest? New record and remeasuring of Scydosella musawasensis Hall, 1999 (Coleoptera,Ptiliidae), the smallest known free-living insect

The smallest known beetle Scydosellamusawasensis Hall is recorded for the second time. Precise measurements of its body size are given, and it is shown that the smallest examined representative of this species has a length of 325 µm.     

How rich is the deep-sea Antarctic benthic hydroid fauna?

The bathymetric distribution of the 155 known species of Antarctic benthic hydroids has been studied with the aim of determining bathymetric groups and estimating the richness of the deep-sea Antarctic benthic hydroid fauna. Six bathymetric groups could be recognized on the basis of vertical zonation patterns. Most species have wide bathymetric ranges, but must nevertheless be considered shelf species. Although 62 species of benthic hydroids have been found in the Antarctic deep-sea, only 10 are strict inhabitants of that area. An inverse relative dominance between anthoathecate and leptothecate hydroids has been observed, with the former being more frequent in shallow waters.     

Taxonomy of new relatives of Onthophagus?catenatus Lansberge, 1883 from New Guinea (Coleoptera,?Scarabaeidae,Scarabaeinae)

Four new taxa from New Guinea are proposed in the dung beetle genus Onthophagus Latreille, 1802, all in the operational group of Onthophagus catenatus Lansberge, 1883. The group is discussed, defined, and the five taxa included are listed, keyed, and diagnosed. Three new species are described: Onthophagus abmisibilus (from West New Guinea, Indonesia), Onthophagus kokodanus, Onthophagus kokosquamatus (both from Papua New Guinea). One new species comprises a lowland and an upland subspecies: Onthophagus kokodanus kokodanus and kokodanus hagenaltus (both in Papua New Guinea).     

Bellisotoma,a new genus of Isotomidae from North?America (Hexapoda,Collembola)

A new genus of Isotomidae, Bellisotoma gen. n., is described. The new genus is a member of the Proisotoma genus complex and is characterized by a combination of having a bidentate mucro with wide dorsal lamellae that join clearly before the end of mucronal axis without forming a tooth and one strong ventral rib with basal notch that articulates with dens; having abundant chaetotaxy on both faces of dens; and abundant tergal sensilla. Bellisotoma gen. n. shows a furcula adapted to a neustonic mode of life, and may be a Isotopenola-like derivative adapted to neustonic habitats. Subisotoma joycei Soto-Adames & Giordano, 2011 and Ballistura ewingi James, 1933 are transferred to the new genus.     

Species decline--but why? Explanations of carabid beetle (Coleoptera,Carabidae) declines in Europe

We investigated some of the causes of ground beetle decline using atlas data from Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands, countries in which natural environments have all but disappeared. We used ordinal regression to identify characteristics that are significantly correlated with the decline of carabid beetle species over the last 50-100 years, using a stepwise selection procedure to select the optimal model according to the Akaike Information Criterion. The results showed that large-bodied carabid populations have declined more than smaller ones, possibly because of their lower reproductive output and lower powers of dispersal. Habitat specialist populations (i.e. species with small niche breadths) have also decreased more than habitat generalist populations. Species with both long- and short-winged individuals have been less prone to decline than those that are exclusively either short-winged or long-winged. Dimorphic species may survive better in highly altered environments because long-winged individuals are good at dispersing between suitable habitats and short-winged individuals are good at surviving and reproducing in these newly colonised habitats. Finally, populations of large carabids associated with coastal, woodland or riparian habitat types were less prone to decline than populations of large carabids associated with various, open or grassland habitat types. The pattern is reversed for carabid species smaller than 8 mm in size. These results are explained in the context of habitat restoration and destruction in these highly modified western European countries.     

A Tenebrionid beetle’s dataset (Coleoptera,Tenebrionidae) from Peninsula Valdés (Chubut,?Argentina)

The Natural Protected Area Peninsula Valdés, located in Northeastern Patagonia, is one of the largest conservation units of arid lands in Argentina. Although this area has been in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1999, it has been continually exposed to sheep grazing and cattle farming for more than a century which have had a negative impact on the local environment. Our aim is to describe the first dataset of tenebrionid beetle species living in Peninsula Valdés and their relationship to sheep grazing. The dataset contains 118 records on 11 species and 198 adult individuals collected. Beetles were collected using pitfall traps in the two major environmental units of Peninsula Valdés, taking into account grazing intensities over a three year time frame from 2005–2007. The Data quality was enhanced following the best practices suggested in the literature during the digitalization and geo-referencing processes. Moreover, identification of specimens and current accurate spelling of scientific names were reviewed. Finally, post-validation processes using DarwinTest software were applied. Specimens have been deposited at Entomological Collection of the Centro Nacional Patagónico (CENPAT-CONICET). The dataset is part of the database of this collection and has been published on the internet through GBIF Integrated Publishing Toolkit (IPT) (http://data.gbif.org/datasets/resource/14669/). Furthermore, it is the first dataset for tenebrionid beetles of arid Patagonia available in GBIF database, and it is the first one based on a previously designed and standardized sampling to assess the interaction between these beetles and grazing in the area. The main purposes of this dataset are to ensure accessibility to data associated with Tenebrionidae specimens from Peninsula Valdés (Chubut, Argentina), also to contribute to GBIF with primary data about Patagonian tenebrionids and finally, to promote the Entomological Collection of Centro Nacional Patagónico (CENPAT-CONICET) and its associated biodiversity data. For these reasons, we believe that this information will certainly be useful for future faunistic, ecological, conservational and biogeographical studies.     

A new species of Callispa Baly (Coleoptera,Chrysomelidae, Cassidinae,Callispini) infesting coconut?palm ( Cocos nucifera L.) in India

Callispa keramsp. n. infesting coconut palm (Cocos nucifera L.) in Kerala, India is described and illustrated. Livistona chinensis R.Br. and Syagrus romanzoffiana (Cham.) Glassman are reported as additional host plants.     

How limited is dispersal in the rare beetle, Cryptocephalus decemmaculatus (Chrysomelidae, Cryptocephalinae)?

As suitable habitat becomes increasingly fragmented the ability of a species to reach new areas may often dictate whether populations persist or perish. An understanding of dispersal ability is a prerequisite for informed management decisions. This is particularly true for species that have become restricted to one or a small number of sites, as is the case for several species of Cryptocephalus beetle in the UK. Using mark–release–recapture, host-plant marking and direct observations we investigated population size, movement through suitable habitat and the flight behaviour of Cryptocephalus decemmaculatus. In the UK this species is known from only two sites and it is listed as a priority species on the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. At the time of the study, the one known English site for this species supported a population of ~500 individuals. The adult beetles move through their habitat using suitable host-plants as ‘stepping stones’. There appears to be no interchange of adults between sub-populations that are separated by small areas of unsuitable habitat (e.g. small tracts of woodland or areas devoid of scrub), a result reinforced by studies of genetic differentiation between sub-populations. The small population size of this beetle and its association with, mid-successional habitats makes it vulnerable to local extinction. Furthermore, its limited dispersal ability means that other habitat patches are unlikely ever to be colonised naturally.     

How threatened are large branchiopods (Crustacea,Branchiopoda) in the Iberian Peninsula?

Aquatic macroinvertebrates in drainage ditches may alter rates of nutrient cycling and decomposition of organic matter but have not been accounted for in studies of ditch biogeochemistry. We collected sediment cores from four pairs of field (intermittent) and collection (perennial) ditches on Maryland’s Eastern Shore monthly from March 2011 to February 2012 to determine how taxonomic and functional group composition varies among different ditch types. We identified 138 taxa and assigned them to functional groups according to trophic position and modes of burrowing. There was no difference in mean abundance of invertebrates (5821 ind./m²) between seasons or types of ditches, and species richness peaked in winter (20 taxa/site) compared to other seasons (15 taxa/site), but did not vary between ditch types. Assemblage composition differed between field and collection ditches, but functional group composition did not. Field ditches flow intermittently which may limit the assemblage to early colonists and taxa adapted to survive desiccation. The benthic macroinvertebrate assemblage was dominated by the collector–gatherer functional feeding group (83.6%) and burrowing taxa (97.1%). Bioturbation by burrowing macroinvertebrates is likely an important process contributing to ecosystem-scale functions of drainage ditches, including regulation of biogeochemical processes occurring at the sediment–water interface.     

Testing the ‘island rule’ for a tenebrionid beetle (Coleoptera,Tenebrionidae)

Insular populations and their closest mainland counterparts commonly display body size differences that are considered to fit the island rule, a theoretical framework to explain both dwarfism and gigantism in isolated animal populations. The island rule is used to explain the pattern of change of body size at the inter-specific level. But the model implicitly makes also a prediction for the body size of isolated populations of a single species. It suggests that, for a hypothetical species covering a wide range of island sizes, there exists a specific island size where this species reaches the largest body size. Body size would be small (in relative terms) in the smallest islets of the species range. It would increase with island size, and reach a maximum at some specific island size. However, additional increases from such a specific island size would instead promote body size reduction, and small (in relative terms) body sizes would be found again on the largest islands. The biogeographical patterns predicted by the island rule have been described and analysed for vertebrates only (mainly mammals), but remain largely untested for insects or other invertebrates. I analyse here the pattern of body size variation between seven isolated insular populations of a flightless beetle, Asida planipennis (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae). This is an endemic species of Mallorca, Menorca and a number of islands and islets in the Balearic archipelago (western Mediterranean). The study covers seven of the 15 known populations (i.e., there are only 15 islands or islets inhabited by the species). The populations studied fit the pattern advanced above and we could, therefore, extrapolate the island rule to a very different kind of organism. However, the small sample size of some of the populations invites some caution at this early stage.     

A new species of Scelidopetalon Delkeskamp (Coleoptera,Erotylidae) from China with a?key?to?world species of the genus

A new species Scelidopetalon biwenxuanisp. n. is described from China, representing the first occurrence of the genus in Hainan province. A key to the world species of this genus is provided.     

A revision of the genus Planinasus Cresson (Diptera,?Periscelididae)

The genus Planinasus Cresson is revised and includes 18 extant and one fossil species. We clarify the status of the three previously described species and describe 15 new species as follows (type locality in parenthesis): Planinasus aenigmaticus (Colombia. Bogota: Bogota (04°35.8''N, 74°08.8''W)), Planinasus neotropicus (Panama. Canal Zone: Barro Colorado Island (09°09.1''N, 79°50.8''W)), Planinasus kotrbae (Ecuador. Orellana: Rio Tiputini Biodiversity Station (0°38.2''S, 76°08.9''W)), Planinasus miradorus (Brazil. Maranhão: Parque Estadual Mirador, Base da Geraldina (06°22.2''S, 44°21.8''W)), Planinasus tobagoensis (Trinidad and Tobago. Tobago. St. John: Parlatuvier (11°17.9''N, 60°39''W)), Planinasus xanthops (Ecuador. Orellana: Rio Tiputini Biodiversity Station (0°38.2''S, 76°8.9''W)), Planinasus argentifacies (Peru. Madre de Dios: Río Manu, Pakitza (11°56.6''S, 71°16.9''W; 250 m)), Planinasus insulanus (Dominican Republic. La Vega: near Jarabacoa, Salto Guasara (19°04.4''N, 70°42.1''W, 680 m)), Planinasus nigritarsus (Guyana. Conservation of Ecological Interactions and Biotic Associations (CEIBA; ca. 40 km S Georgetown; 06°29.9''N, 58°13.1''W)), Planinasus atriclypeus (Brazil. Rio de Janeiro: Rio de Janeiro, Floresta da Tijuca (22°57.6''S, 43°16.4''W)), Planinasus atrifrons (Bolivia. Santa Cruz: Ichilo, Buena Vista (4-6 km SSE; Hotel Flora y Fauna; 17°29.95''S, 63°33.15''W; 4-500 m)), P. flavicoxalis (West Indies. Dominica. St. David: 1.6 km N of junction of roads to Rosalie and Castle Bruce (15°23.8''N, 61°18.6''W)), Planinasus mcalpineorum (Mexico. Chiapas: Cacahoatan (7 km N; 15°04.1''N, 92°07.4''W)), Planinasus nigrifacies (Brazil. São Paulo: Mogi das Cruzes, Serra do Itapeti (23°31.5''S, 46°11.2''W)), Planinasus obscuripennis (Peru. Madre de Dios: Río Manu, Erika (near Salvación; 12°50.7''S, 71°23.3''W; 550 m)). In addition to external characters, we also describe and illustrate structures of the male terminalia and for Planinasus kotrbae sp. n., the internal female reproductive organs. Detailed locality data and distribution maps for all species are provided. For perspective and to facilitate genus-group and species-group recognition, the family Periscelididae and subfamily Stenomicrinae are diagnosed and for the latter, a key to included genera is provided.     

Is preventative, concurrent management of the soybean aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and bean leaf beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) possible?

In Iowa, the management of insect pests in soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr., has been complicated by the arrival of the invasive species soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae), and occasional outbreaks of bean leaf beetle, Cerotoma trifurcata (F?rster) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), populations leading to economic losses. Several insecticide programs designed to reduce abundance of the overwintered and first generation C. trifurcata and the incidence of bean pod mottle virus were evaluated over 3 yr (2004-2006) for their impacts on A. glycines populations, at three locations in Iowa (Floyd, Lucas, and Story counties). There was no significant overlap of either overwintered (early May) or the first (early July) generations of C. trifurcata with A. glycines, because aphids were first detected in June and they did not reach economically damaging levels until August, if at all. During this study, insecticides targeting the overwintered population or the first generation of C. trifurcata provided a limited impact on A. glycines populations compared with untreated controls, and they did not prevent economic populations from occurring. Furthermore, the highest populations of A. glycines were frequently observed when a low rate of lambda-cyhalothrin (178 ml/ha) was applied targeting the overwintered population of C. trifurcata. Soybean yields were not protected by any of the insecticide treatments. Our results indicate that the use of either early season foliar or seed-applied insecticides for C. trifurcata management is of limited value for A. glycines management.