Phylogenetic relationships of Ceratitis fruit flies inferred from nuclear CAD and tango/ARNT gene fragments: Testing monophyly of the subgenera Ceratitis (Ceratitis) and C. (Pterandrus)

Systematic studies of Ceratitis (Tephritidae) fruit flies using molecular (i.e., COI, ND6, and period genes) and morphological (plus host-use characters) data have recently challenged the monophyly of the subgenera Ceratitis (Ceratitis) and Ceratitis (Pterandrus). In this paper, we report on the phylogenetic utility of three single-copy nuclear gene regions (two non-overlapping fragments of the carbamoylphosphate synthetase, CPS, locus of CAD, and a fragment of tango) within these taxa and investigate evolutionary relationships based on a concatenated ca. 3.4 kb data set that includes the six protein encoding gene regions. Results indicate that the CAD and tango genes provide useful phylogenetic signal within the taxa and are compatible with the previously studied genes. The two subgenera, as currently classified, are not monophyletic. Our molecular phylogenetic analyses support a revised classification in which (1) the subgenus C. (Pterandrus) comprises two lineages called A and B, (2) the C. (Pterandrus) B species should be included in C. (Ceratitis), and (3) the newly defined subgenera C. (Pterandrus) (=Pterandrus section A) and C. (Ceratitis) [=C. (Ceratitis) + C. (Pterandrus) section B] are reciprocally monophyletic.     

The genus Setulipes (Marasmiaceae) in Madagascar and the Mascarenes, including a key to other African taxa

The authors report first records for the genus Setulipes in Madagascar, with the presence of Setulipes cf. hakgalensis and two new species, Setulipes funaliformis and S. moreaui, as well as a new species from Mauritius: S. mauritiensis. A key to these taxa, as well as to other African species, is supplied.     

A review of the systematics of the sleeper shark genus Somniosus with redescriptions of Somniosus ( Somniosus) antarcticus and Somniosus ( Rhinoscymnus) longus (Squaliformes: Somniosidae)

Past treatments of the sleeper shark genus Somniosus generally recognize three species: S. microcephalus, S. pacificus, and S. rostratus. Based on morphometrics and meristics, we conclude that this genus includes two subgenera (Somniosus and Rhinoscymnus) and five species. Subgenus Somniosus differs from Rhinoscymnus by being much larger when adult and in having more numerous tooth rows in the lower jaw, hooklike rather than leaf-shaped dermal denticles, more numerous spiral valve and vertebral counts, and a poorly calcified vertebral column. Subgenus Somniosus includes S. (Somniosus) microcephalus and S. (S.) pacificus of the Northern Hemisphere and S. (S.) antarcticus of the Southern Hemisphere. Although Somniosus antarcticus has been synonymized with S. microcephalus and identified as S. pacificus in past literature, it differs from S. microcephalus in having a shorter interdorsal space, a more posterior first dorsal fin, lower dorsal fins, more numerous tooth rows in the lower jaw, more numerous spiral valve counts, and fewer precaudal vertebrae. Somniosus antarcticus also differs from S. pacificus by having a shorter prebranchial length, lower dorsal fins, more numerous spiral valve counts, and slightly more precaudal vertebrae. Subgenus Rhinoscymnus includes S. (Rhinoscymnus) rostratus from the eastern North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea (senior synonym of S. bauchotae) and S. (R.) longus from the western Pacific Ocean. Somniosus longus has been synonymized with S. rostratus, but differs in having a relatively longer second dorsal fin, a slightly larger eye, more lower tooth rows, and slightly higher spiral valve counts. Both Somniosus (Somniosus) antarcticus and S. (Rhinoscymnus) longus from the Pacific Ocean were redescribed. A key to the species and the geographical distribution of all species are provided.     

燕麦属系统学研究进展

对燕麦属(Avena L.)分类学、系统学、多倍体起源3个方面的研究进展进行了综述。燕麦属系统学研究存在的关键问题有:燕麦属的系统位置存在争议;燕麦属的范畴即大穗燕麦转隶归属问题缺少确证;燕麦属的系统发育关系尚未解决;六倍体栽培燕麦基因组起源备受争议;燕麦属分化时间尚未估测。六倍体栽培燕麦基因组起源争议的根源在于对A、C、D基因组间分化程度缺乏精准认识。总的来说,分子系统学、细胞遗传学、古地质学、古气候学的整合研究将为燕麦属多倍体起源和分化提供令人信服的新证据,对于深度利用谷类作物野生近缘种核心种质资源具有重要科学意义。     

The phylogenetic placement of Ostropales within Lecanoromycetes (Ascomycota) revisited

Results of molecular studies regarding the phylogenetic placement of the order Ostropales and related taxa within Lecanoromycetes were thus far inconclusive. Some analyses placed the order as sister to the rest of Lecanoromycetes, while others inferred a position nested within Lecanoromycetes. We assembled a data set of 101 species including sequences from nuLSU rDNA, mtSSU rDNA, and the nuclear protein-coding RPB1 for each species to examine the cause of incongruencies in previously published phylogenies. MP, minimum evolution, and Bayesian analyses were performed using the combined three-region data set and the single-gene data sets. The position of Ostropales nested in Lecanoromycetes is confirmed in all single-gene and concatenated analyses, and a placement as sister to the rest of Lecanoromycetes is significantly rejected using two independent methods of alternative topology testing. Acarosporales and related taxa (Acarosporaceae group) are basal in Lecanoromycetes. However, if the these basal taxa are excluded from the analyses, Ostropales appear to be sister to the rest of Lecanoromycetes, suggesting different ingroup rooting as the cause for deviating topologies in previously published phylogenies.     

Affinities of Phylacia and the daldinoid Xylariaceae, inferred from chemotypes of cultures and ribosomal DNA sequences

A chemotaxonomic evaluation using hplc profiling was undertaken to resolve the infrageneric and intergeneric affinities of over 150 strains of Xylariaceae. Daldinia placentiformis, Hypoxylon nicaraguense, H. polyporus, and Phylacia sagrana were found to contain 8-methoxy-1-naphthol, which is apparently absent in Annulohypoxylon, Hypoxylon, and related genera with bipartite stromata. D. placentiformis and other species of Daldinia and Entonaema produced this naphthol, 5-hydroxy-2-methylchromone, isosclerone derivatives, and ‘AB-5046’ phytotoxins. Phylacia sagrana differed from most Daldinia spp., except for D. caldariorum, by producing eutypine derivatives in addition to the above compounds. Indolylquinones were observed in H. nicaraguense and H. polyporus. Isosclerones were also identified in the A. multiforme complex, but Hypoxylon and other Annulohypoxylon and most Hypoxylon spp. studied Annulohypoxylon spp. contained 5-methylmellein as the major metabolite of their cultures. Based on the occurrence of the above metabolites, further mellein-type dihydroisocoumarins, teleomorphic and anamorphic Xylariaceae with Nodulisporium-like anamorphs (‘Hypoxyloideae’) were divided into various chemotypes. A comparison of their 5.8S/ITS nuc-rDNA sequences agreed in some important aspects with the above results: H. nicaraguense and H. polyporus appeared basal to a clade comprising Daldinia, Entonaema, and Ph. sagrana. The latter species appeared allied to D. caldariorum, but was distantly related to Pyrenomyxa morganii and Hypoxylon s. str.     

Genome Analysis inNeurospora crassa;Cloning of Four Lociarginine-1(arg-1),methionine-6(met-6),unknown-7(un-7), andribosome production-1(rip-1) and Associated Chromosome Walking

We have cloned fourNeurospora crassagenes by complementation analysis. Cloned genes include thearginine-1(arg-1),methionine-6(met-6),unknown-7(un-7), andribosome production-1(rip-1) loci. Chromosome walks were initiated in ordered cosmid libraries from the cloned loci. A total of about 700 kb of theNeurosporagenome is covered in these walks.     

Effect of trypsin inhibitor from Crotalaria pallida seeds on Callosobruchus maculatus (cowpea weevil) and Ceratitis capitata (fruit fly)

A proteinaceous trypsin inhibitor was purified from Crotalaria pallida seeds by ammonium sulfate precipitation, affinity chromatography on immobilized trypsin-Sepharose and TCA precipitation. The trypsin inhibitor, named CpaTI, had M(r) of 32.5 kDa as determined by SDS-PAGE and was composed of two subunits with 27.7 and 5.6 kDa linked by disulfide bridges. CpaTI was stable at 50 degrees C and lost 40% of activity at 100 degrees C. CpaTI was also stable from pH 2 to 12 at 37 degrees C. CpaTI weakly inhibited chymotrypsin and elastase and its inhibition of papain, a cysteine proteinase, were indicative of its bi-functionality. CpaTI inhibited, in different degrees, digestive enzymes from Spodoptera frugiperda, Alabama argillacea, Plodiainterpunctella, Anthonomus grandis and Zabrotes subfasciatus guts. In vitro and in vivo susceptibility of Callosobruchus maculatus and Ceratitis capitata to CpaTI was evaluated. C. maculatus and C. capitata enzymes were strongly susceptible, 74.4+/-15.8% and 100.0+/-7.3%, respectively, to CpaTI. When CpaTI was added to artificial diets and offered to both insect larvae, the results showed that C. maculatus was more susceptible to CpaTI with an LD(50) of 3.0 and ED(50) of 2.17%. C. capitata larvae were more resistant to CpaTI, in disagreement with the in vitro effects. The larvae were more affected at lower concentrations, causing 27% mortality and 44.4% mass decrease. The action was constant at 2-4% (w/w) with 15% mortality and 38% mass decrease.     

A new species of Phaeohelotium from Nothofagus forests in Argentina and Chile, with a key to the Southern Hemisphere species

Phaeohelotium nothofagi, sp.nov., found on fallen wood and leaves of Nothofagus dombeyi, is described and illustrated. The fungus is characterized by pale yellow discs, and fumose ascospores with asperulate walls. A key with distributional data for the five species of the genus now known in the Southern Hemisphere is provided.     

Prosthecium species with Stegonsporium anamorphs on Acer

Data from microscopic morphology, single-spore cultures, and DNA analyses of teleomorphs and anamorphs support the recognition of five species of Prosthecium with Stegonsporium anamorphs on Acer: P. acerinum sp. nov., the teleomorph of S. acerinum; P. acerophilum comb. nov., formerly known as Dictyoporthe acerophila; P. galeatum comb. nov., originally described as Massaria galeata; P. opalus sp. nov.; and P. pyriforme sp. nov., the teleomorph of S. pyriforme s. str. The morphology of both type specimens and freshly collected material was investigated. The teleomorphs have brown ellipsoidal ascospores with five distosepta and often a longitudinal distoseptum. The anamorphs of all species described here belong to Stegonsporium; their connection to the Prosthecium teleomorphs was demonstrated by morphology and DNA sequences of single spore cultures derived from both ascospores and conidia. The anamorphs and teleomorphs of all five Prosthecium species are described and illustrated by LM images, and a key to these species is provided. As perceived from this work, S. pyriforme is restricted to Europe and does not occur in North America, whereas S. acerinum is restricted to North America, not found in Europe. The host associations given in the literature are revised and evidence is provided that only A. opalus, A. pseudoplatanus, and A. saccharum are confirmed hosts of Prosthecium with Stegonsporium anamorphs. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of tef1, ITS rDNA, and partial nuLSU rDNA sequences confirm that the species with Stegonsporium anamorphs are closely related to P. ellipsosporum, the generic type species. Stilbospora macrosperma is confirmed as the anamorph of P. ellipsosporum by DNA data of single spore isolates obtained from both ascospores and conidia.     

Molecular and morphological characterization of Leveillula (Ascomycota: Erysiphales) on monocotyledonous plants

Leveillula on monocotyledonous plants have been recorded as L. taurica by several authors, whereas the fungus on Allium has been described as an independent species, namely L. allii, by some authors. We sequenced ca 600 bp of the rDNA ITS region for two Leveillula specimens from Allium and Polianthes (both from monocotyledons) and compared them with several already published sequences from Leveillula isolates from dicotyledons. Pair-wise percentages of sequence divergences were calculated for all Leveillula isolates. The ITS sequence of the Polianthes isolate was identical to L. taurica on Helianthus and Vicia. The sequence of the Allium isolate was 99.5 % identical to L. taurica on Euphorbia, Haplophylum, Peganum, etc. These results suggest close relationships between monocot and dicot pathogenic Leveillula species. The identity between two monocot isolates was 98.4 %. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the two monocot isolates do not group into a clade together. This result suggests that Leveillula acquired parasitism to monocots at least twice independently.     

Biological control of brown rot (Moniliana laxa Ehr.) on apricot (Prunus armeniaca L. cv. Hacıhaliloğlu) by Bacillus, Burkholdria, and Pseudomonas application under in vitro and in vivo conditions

In 2002 and 2003, a study was conducted to determine the effect of bacterial strains, Burkholdria OSU 7, Bacillus OSU 142, and Pseudomonas BA 8, on biological control of brown rot disease (Monilinia laxa Ehr.) on apricot cv. Hacıhaliloğlu in Malatya province of Turkey. Apricot orchard at full blooming stage was inoculated with conidial suspension (1 × 10⁶ spores/ml) of M. laxa Ehr. After inoculation, two apricot trees for each application were treated with each of the three biological control agents (Burkholdria gladii OSU 7, Bacillus subtilis OSU 142, and Pseudomonas putida BA 8) by spraying (1 × 10⁹ cfu/ml) on inoculated branches. Disease incidence was evaluated for untreated (control 1) and four different treatment groups including commercial disease management (control 2, positive control: 3% Bourdox in fall, 50% Cupper at pink flower, 30 g/100 l Corus at first blooming, and 300 g/100 l Captan at last blooming stage) and treatments including each of the three bacterial strains (OSU 7, OSU 142, and BA 8). The results showed that disease incidence for negative control (control 1) was 9.94, which was significantly higher than disease incidence for commercial application (2.57%) or bacterial treatments (2.82–5.00%) in the first year. In 2003, the lowest disease incidence observed in OSU 7 treatment (6.80%), while disease incidence rate for positive control and negative control were 9.45% and 28.46%, respectively. This result may suggest that OSU 7 has potential to be used as biopesticide for effective management of brown rot disease on apricot.     

中国的兰伯特盘菌属和兰斯盘菌属

本文报道中国兰伯特盘菌属15种和兰斯盘菌属6个分类单元,其中小晚兰斯盘菌为新种.同时,提供了上述两个属的分种检索表.     

Foreign exploration for Scirtothrips perseae Nakahara (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and associated natural enemies on avocado (Persea americana Miller)

Scirtothrips perseae Nakahara was discovered attacking avocados in California, USA, in 1996. Host plant surveys in California indicated that S. perseae has a highly restricted host range with larvae being found only on avocados, while adults were collected from 11 different plant species. As part of a management program for this pest, a “classical” biological control program was initiated and foreign exploration was conducted to delineate the home range of S. perseae, to survey for associated natural enemies and inventory other species of phytophagous thrips on avocados grown in Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad, and Brazil. Foreign exploration efforts indicate that S. perseae occurs on avocados grown at high altitudes (>1500 m) from Uruapan in Mexico south to areas around Guatemala City in Guatemala. In Costa Rica, S. perseae is replaced by an undescribed congener as the dominant phytophagous thrips on avocados grown at high altitudes (>1300 m). No species of Scirtothrips were found on avocados in the Dominican Republic, Trinidad, or Brazil. In total, 2136 phytophagous thrips were collected and identified, representing over 47 identified species from at least 19 genera. The significance of these species records is discussed. Of collected material 4% were potential thrips biological control agents. Natural enemies were dominated by six genera of predatory thrips (Aeolothrips, Aleurodothrips, Franklinothrips, Leptothrips, Scolothrips, and Karnyothrips). One genus each of parasitoid (Ceranisus) and predatory mite (Balaustium) were found. Based on the results of our sampling techniques, prospects for the importation of thrips natural enemies for use in a “classical” biological control program in California against S. perseae are not promising.     

Acaricidal activity of the essential oil from Tetradenia riparia (Lamiaceae) on the cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari; Ixodidae)

Tetradenia riparia (Lamiaceae) is a well-known herbal medicine with a variety of useful properties, including its acaricidal effect. This experiment was carried out to study the bioacaricidal activity of T. riparia essential oil (EO) against engorged females of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari; Ixodidae). For this purpose, nine serial concentrations (12.50%, 6.25%, 3.75%, 1.80%, 0.90%, 0.45%, 0.22%, 0.11%, and 0.056% w/v) of T. riparia were used for the adult immersion test (AIT). For the larval packet test (LPT), we used 14 serial concentrations (100.00%, 50.00%, 25.00%, 12.50%, 6.25%, 3.65%, 1.82%, 0.91%, 0.45%, 0.228%, 0.114%, 0.057%, 0.028%, and 0.014% w/v). The results for AIT showed 100.00% and 2.05% mortality, 19.00 and 90.20% for the total number of eggs, egg-laying inhibition of 0.00% and 90.20%, hatchability inhibition of 0.00% and 70.23%, and product effectiveness of 100.00% and 2.89%, respectively. The AIT indicated that the LC₅₀ and LC_99.9, calculated using the Probit test, were for mortality (%) 0.534 g/mL (0.436–0.632) and 1.552 g/mL (1.183–1.92); for total number of eggs were 0.449 g/mL (0.339–0.558) and 1.76 g/mL (1.27–2.248); and for hatchability inhibition were 0.114 g/mL (0.0–0.31) and 2.462 g/mL (1.501–3.422), respectively. Larvae between 14 and 21 days old were fasted and placed in each envelope. Bioassays were performed at 27° ± 1 °C, RH ? 80%. Larval mortality was observed 24 h after treatment and showed 10.60–100% mortality in the LPT bioassay. The LPT showed that the LC₅₀ and LC_99.9 were 1.222 g/mL (0.655–1.788) and 11.382 g/mL (7.84–14.91), respectively. A positive correlation between T. riparia EO concentration and tick control, was observed by the strong acaricidal effects against R. (B.) microplus, and the mortality rate of ticks was dose-dependent. Our results showed that T. riparia is a promising candidate as an acaricide against resistant strains of R. (B.) microplus.     

Suitability of Aphis fabae, Myzus persicae (Homoptera: Aphididae) and Aleyrodes proletella (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) as prey for Coccinella undecimpunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

The suitability of Aphis fabae Scopoli, Myzus persicae Sulzer and Aleyrodes proletella L. as food sources for Coccinella undecimpunctata L. was evaluated by studying the impact of prey consumption on the predator’s population growth parameters and feeding parameters. Unlike A. proletella, A. fabae and M. persicae supported the development and reproduction of C. undecimpunctata. A. fabae and M. persicae were considered to be essential prey, whereas A. proletella was considered to be an alternative prey. Aphid species showed different degrees of suitability: M. persicae significantly decreased the pre-oviposition period and increased adult longevity, fecundity and fertility compared with A. fabae. Moreover, A. fabae represents a suitable diet for larval development, but is not a suitable food source for adult reproduction. The predator’s population growth parameters, R₀, r_m and λ were increased with M. persicae, whereas T decreased. We found that the 4th instar larvae were the most voracious, particularly when fed on M. persicae; nevertheless, with this prey daily weight gain and feeding efficiency of 4th instar larvae were similar to that of individuals fed with A. fabae.