New associations of phoretic mites on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pityokteines curvidens</Emphasis> (Coleoptera,Curculionidae, Scolytinae)

The species composition and abundance of phoretic mites of the bark beetle Pityokteines curvidens caught in pheromone traps were investigated in Croatia. The P. curvidens trapping programs have been in an experimental phase in Croatia since 2004 as a possible monitoring and control system. The trapping program also permits the opportunity to sample phoretic mites found associated with the beetles. Beetles were caught using Curviwit pheromones in Theysohn traps placed in the Litorić region of Croatia. A total of 12 mite species were recovered, including Schizostethus simulatrix, Dendrolaelaps quadrisetus, Histiostoma piceae, H. cf. varia, Paraleius leontonychus, Pleuronectocelaeno barbara, Tarsonemus minimax, Trichouropoda lamellosa, Uroobovella ipidis, Schwiebea sp., Phauloppia lucorum and Dolicheremaeus dorni. Five species, Pl. barbara, Schwiebea sp., H. cf. varia, Ph. lucorum and Do. dorni, are identified for the first time in association with P. curvidens. These findings increase the number of mite species known to be phoretic on P. curvidens from 11 to 16. The present study also increases the number of known mite associates of Pityokteines spp. from 14 to 18.     

A comparison of genetic variation among wild and cultivated Morus Species (Moraceae: Morus) as revealed by ISSR and SSR markers

In this study, inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) ans simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were used to investigate genetic diversity of 27 mulberry accessions including 19 cultivated accessions (six M. multicaulis, three M. alba, two M. atropurpurea, two M. bombycis, one M. australis, two M. rotundiloba, one M. alba var. pendula, one M. alba var. macrophylla, and one M. alba var. venose) and 8 wild accessions (two M. cathayana, two M. laevigata, two M. wittiorum, one M. nigra and one M. mongolica). ISSRs and SSRs were compared in terms of their informativeness and efficiency in a study of genetic diversity and relationships among 27 mulberry genotypes. SSRs presented a higher level of polymorphism and greater information content. All index values of genetic diversity both markers analyzed using Popgene 32 software indicated that within wild species had higher genetic diversity than within cultivated species. Cultivation may caused the lose of genetic diversity of mulberry compared with wild species revealed by ISSR and SSR markers. The mean genetic similarity coefficients among all mulberry genotypes ascribed by ISSR and SSR matrices were 0.7677 and 0.6131, respectively. For all markers a high similarity in dendrogram topologies was obtained although some differences were observed. Cluster analysis of ISSR and SSR using UPGMA method revealed that the wild species are genetically distant from the domesticated species studied here. The correlation coefficients of similarity were statistically significant for both marker systems used. Principal coordinates analysis (PCA) for ISSR and SSR data also supports their UPGMA clustering. These results have an important implication for mulberry germplasm characterization, improvement, molecular systematics and conservation.     

A Study of the Taxonomy of the Mycobacterium nonchromogenicum Complex and Report of Six Cases of Lung Infection Due to Mycobacterium nonchromogenicum

In numerical classification, four species of the Mycobacterium nonchromogenicum complex, Mycobacterium nonchromogenicum, M. terrae, M. novum, and M. triviale, formed one cluster. These four species appeared to be reduced to one species, Mycobacterium nonchromogenicum. Furthermore, relationships between the species were numerically analyzed by using the hypothetical median organism pattern. The results showed that the M. nonchromogenicum complex can be divided into two subgroups: M. nonchromogenicum and the other three. These two subgroups were differentiated from each other by scores based on two or more positive reactions in the following three characteristics: resistance to bleomycin (5 μg/ml); heat-stable acid phosphatase activity; nicotinamidase or pyrazinamidase activity or both activities. M. nonchromogenicum gave two or three positive reactions among these three, and M. terrae, M. novum, and M. triviale gave two or three negative reactions. Three cases of lung infection due to M. nonchromogenicum, as well as three other cases of probable lung infection due to M. nonchromogenicum, were observed in this study. Only one organism isolated from one doubtful case was M. terrae. Up to now, M. nonchromogenicum was considered a nonpathogen. It was shown, however, that this organism causes lung infection in humans.     

A comparison of cuticular ridge patterns and other morphological characters of Mazamastrongylus odocoilei and Mazamastrongylus pursglovei (Nematoda: Trichostrongyloidea) from white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus

The synlophes of Mazamastrongylus odocoilei (Dikmans, 1931) and M. pursglovei (Davidson & Prestwood, 1979) from Odocoileus virginianus were described to provide characteristics for their differentiation from related species in domestic and wild ruminants. The synlophes of M. odocoilei and M. pursglovei were identical. Both had single continuous dorsal, ventral and lateral ridges. Other ridges in the lateral fields in the anterior third of the body angled posteriorly ending adjacent to the single lateral ridge. The ridge system in Mazamastrongylus spp. appears to be unique in lacking the continuous subventral and subdorsal ridges present in all previously studied medium stomach worms from domestic ruminants. Only two characters, spicule length and structure, are known to be useful for differentiating males of M. odocoilei and M. pursglovei, and females cannot be differentiated. Evidence that M. odocoilei and M. pursglovei are separate species include: (1) the two species are frequently found together in the same individual host, but each is also found in the absence of the other; (2) no overlap in spicule size or intergrades in shape have been found although numerous populations have been sampled; and (3) the two species have overlapping, but different, geographical ranges in eastern North America. No differences in the synlophe were found between these two species. The importance of this finding is that the absence of differences in the synlophe is not an unequivocal indicator that nematodes are conspecific.     

“Hypothetical Mean Organisms” of Mycobacteria

Seven hundred fifty-four strains of mycobacteria were examined using 97 characters, and a “Hypothetical Mean Organism” (HMO) was prepared for each species using numerical classification. The species could be defined as a group of strains showing a mean S-value of 90% or more to a HMO and showing mean S-values of 89% or less to other HMOs. The following species were recognized: (1) M. tuberculosis, combining M. tuberculosis and M. bovis into one species; (2) M. kansasii; (3) M. novum; (4) M. avium, combining M. avium, M. nonchromogenicum, M. gastri, M. intracellulare and M. scrofulaceum into one species; (5) M. marinum; (6) M. thermoresistibile; (7) M. chitae; (8) M. borstelense; (9) M. abscessus; (10) M. fortuitum; (11) M. phlei; (12) M. aurum; (13) M. parafortuitum; (14) M. lacticola; (15) M. smegmatis. Dendrogram of the species showed two main stems, indicating that the genus Mycobacterium be divided into two subgenera, subgenus Mycobacterium (from M. tuberculosis to M. chitae) and subgenus My cornycobacterium (from M. borstelense to M. smegmatis). Some discrepancy was noted between the results of numerical classification using HMOs and that of the “proper” numerical classification, and this discrepancy is discussed.     

Phylogeny of Mesocyclops (Copepoda: Cyclopidae) inferred from morphological characters

Evolutionary relationships were investigated in the genus Mesocyclops, a pantropical freshwater cyclopid group. In the phylogenetic analyses that involved all 71 known species, and used 81 morphological characters (265 character states) mainly of the adult females, two different approaches were applied: global parsimony, and a new distance method based upon the recognition of sister‐groups on the basis of minimal distances iteratively corrected for unique character states (MICSEQ). In coding of the characters, half of which showed intraspecific variation, the ‘scaled’ method was employed, which assumes that any trait between its absence and fixed presence passes through a polymorphic stage. Impact of the reference points on topology of the trees generated by the parsimony method was tested in three ways where the outgroups comprised: (1) nine species representing six genera of two subfamilies; (2) three species from two genera supposedly not distant from Mesocyclops; and (3) one presumably close and one distant relative of Mesocyclops. The trees generated by the parsimony‐based and corrected distance methods agreed as to the monophyly of the following groups: reidae‐clade (M. reidae, M. chaci, M. yutsil); rarus‐clade (Mesocyclops annae, M. pseudoannae, M. splendidus, M. rarus, M. paludosus, M. darwini, M. dayakorum); annulatus‐clade (Mesocyclops intermedius, M. ellipticus, M. paranaensis, M. annulatus, M. tenuisaccus); meridianus‐clade (Mesocyclops meridionalis, M. varius, M. venezolanus, M. brasilianus, M. pseudomeridianus, M. meridianus); major‐clade (Mesocyclops major, M. pilosus, M. insulensis); dussarti‐clade (M. dussarti, M. dadayi, M. isabellae, M. thermocyclopoides); pubiventris‐clade (M. pubiventris, M. medialis, M. brooksi, M. notius). A majority of the analyses support a clade of the ‘true’Mesocyclops including all ingroup species except the reidae‐group, and point to monophyly of the Old World species lacking medial spine on P1 basipodite. There were, however, some components for which the two procedures, regardless of the outgroup choice and/or character set, suggested different relationships. Basal relationships of Mesocyclops[between M. edax (North and Central America), the Neotropical species (M. longisetus, M. araucanus, M. evadomingoi, meridianus‐ and annulatus‐clade), Old World group (P1 basipodite without medial spine) and the rarus‐clade (Old World; P1 basipodite with medial spine)] remained unresolved. © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2006, 147 , 1–70.     

Visualization of Mycobacterium avium in Crohn's tissue by oil-immersion microscopy

Studies seeking Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in Crohn's disease by PCR have generated inconsistent findings. As an alternative, microscopy offers a number of advantages, including direct visualization of organisms in tissue. Experimental infections have demonstrated that M. avium organisms can be seen by both acid-fast staining and species-specific in situ hybridization, but because they are smaller than M. tuberculosis, oil-immersion microscopy (×1000 magnification) is needed. We performed a blinded search for M. avium in paraffin-embedded surgical resections from Crohn's and control subjects at two centres. Specimens were coded and subjected to acid-fast staining and ribosomal RNA in situ hybridization for M. avium rRNA. Agreement between these two methods was good (42/52 patients, κ = 0.60) and similar results were observed for patients from two centers. Together, both methods provided positive results in 10 of 17 Crohn's subjects (59%, 95% CI: 36–78), contrasting with only 5 of 35 control subjects (Odds ratio for Crohn's vs. controls = 8.6, p = 0.002). M. avium organisms had an intracellular localization within inflammatory lesions, but were often observed as lone organisms outside of granulomas. Using two assays in two settings, presence of M. avium organisms was strongly associated with Crohn's disease.     

The use of monoclonal antibodies to detect beet mild yellowing virus and beet western yellows virus in aphids

Information on infectivity of the aphids which invade sugar beet root crops each Spring is required for forecasting incidence and providing advice on control of virus yellows. Monoclonal antibodies, produced in the USA to barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) and in Canada to beet western yellows virus (BWYV), were used to distinguish between sugar-beet-infecting strains of the luteovirus beet mild yellowing virus (BMYV), and the non-beet-infecting strains of the closely-related BWYV in plant and aphid tissue. Totals of 773 immigrant winged Myzuspersicae and 124 Macrosiphum euphorbiae were caught in water traps in a crop of sugar beet between 25 April and 5 August 1990. Using the monoclonal antibodies and an amplified ELISA, 67%M. persicae and 19%M. euphorbiae were shown to contain BWYV; 8%M. persicae and 7%M. euphorbiae contained BMYV. In studies with live winged aphids collected from the same sugar beet field during May, 25 of 60 M. persicae and two of 13 M. euphorbiae transmitted BWYV to the indicator host plant Montia perfoliata; two M. persicae and two M. euphorbiae transmitted BMYV. In another study three of 65 M. persicae and one of three M. euphorbiae in which only BWYV was detected, transmitted this virus to sugar beet.     

Species-specific sex pheromones secreted from new sexual glands in two sympatric fungus-growing termites from northern Vietnam, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Macrotermes annandalei</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">M. barneyi</Emphasis>

Summary Reproductive isolation in termites is not well known. Our study carried out on two sympatric species from northern Vietnam, Macrotermes annandalei and M. barneyi, showed that dispersal flights and sex pheromones were two important factors in their reproductive isolation. These fungus-growing termites were isolated, partially due to the timing of their respective dispersal flights. M. annandalei flew the first day after rain, while the flights of M. barneyi occurred the second day after rain. However, the flights can also be simultaneous in the two species. Sex pheromones of M. annandalei and M. barneyi were shown to be species-specific. In both species, they were secreted by females from two glandular sources, from tergal glands located on tergite 6 to 10 in M. annandalei and tergite 5 to 10 in M. barneyi, and from posterior sternal glands located on sternite 6 and 7 in both species. These posterior sternal glands, found for the first time in the Termitidae, were sex-specific glands. Although not fully identified, sex pheromones of M. annandalei and M. barneyi were clearly different from the trail-following pheromone secreted by the sternal gland stricto sensu located on the sternite 5. These results show that in termites, the sexual behaviour, the glandular origin of sex pheromones and their role in reproductive isolation greatly vary depending on the species and deserve to be more extensively studied.Received 8 April 2003; revised 1 September 2003; accepted 10 September 2003.     

RFLP Analysis of Mitochondrial DNA to Evaluate Genetic Variation in Striped Red Mullet (Mullus surmuletus L.) and Red Mullet (Mullus barbatus L.) Populations

The genetic differentiation of striped red mullet (Mullus surmuletus) and red mullet (Mullus barbatus) was investigated in 6 Mediterranean populations of each species by means of restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of mitochondrial DNA. Three segments amplified by polymerase chain reaction (control region, COI, and 12S–16S ribosomal RNA) were digested with 20 restriction endonucleases, revealing 71 haplotypes for M. surmuletus and 30 for M. barbatus. For the two species nucleotide diversity was equally distributed within and among populations, leading to N _ST values of 0.545 and 0.500 for M. surmuletus and M. barbatus, respectively. However, intrapopulation and interpopulation genetic structuring appeared to be much higher for M. surmuletus than for M. barbatus (1.88% vs. 0.46% of mean intrapopulation nucleotide diversity; 1.94% vs. 0.47% of mean interpopulation nucleotide diversity; 0.055% vs. 0.002% of net interpopulation divergence). Furthermore, 81.69% of the haplotypes observed for M. surmuletus were unique, whereas 70.29% of M. barbatus individuals were grouped in 3 common haplotypes. Given that fishing pressure and population sizes are similar for both species, this differentiation could be attributed to differences in biological parameters and life histories between the two species, coupled with oceanographic conditions prevailing in the studied area. Received July 25, 2000; accepted December 29, 2000     

Molecular discrimination of six species of Bagrid catfishes from Indus river system using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA markers

Bagrid catfishes constitute a very important group of fishes having immense commercial importance in south-east countries. The phylogenetic relationships and genome specificity among six species of Bagrid catfishes (Mystus bleekeri, M. cavasius, M. vittatus, M. tengara, M. aor and M. seenghala) were investigated using RAPD markers as discriminating characters for the first time. 511 RAPD fragments were generated using ten decamer primers of arbitrary nucleotide sequences. Amplification reactions resulted in fragments ranging in length between 92 and 2,863 bp, which were assigned to 155 RAPD loci. Clearly resolved and repeatable bands were scored for their presence or absence in a binary matrix. Different RAPD profiles were observed for all the six Mystus species. In the present study three group diagnostic, eleven group exclusive and 18 species-specific markers were generated. Thus six Mystus species can be successfully differentiated on the basis of these 18 species-specific RAPD markers. UPGMA dendrogram constructed on the basis of genetic distance formed two distinct clusters, M. seenghala and M. aor form one separate cluster from other four species i.e., M. tengara, M. cavasius, M. bleekeri and M. vittatus. The inferences drawn from the above study clearly showed their genetic distinctness from the other four Mystus species and supported their inclusion into a separate genus, Sperata.     

Identification of Mycobacterium species from apparently healthy freshwater aquarium fish using partial sequencing and PCR‐RFLP analysis of heat shock protein (hsp65) gene

The present study analysed the incidence of mycobacteria in apparently healthy looking freshwater aquarium fish in Uttar Pradesh (State), India. Sixty fish belonging to eight different species were collected from six aquarium shops in different cities and processed for isolation of Mycobacterium species. Using the initial protocol of decontamination of tissue homogenates (with 1N HCl & 2N NaOH) and incubation at 30°C for 2 months, Mycobacterium sp. was isolated from 25% of the fish. The isolates were identified by standard biochemical tests. A 441 bp fragment of the hsp65 gene was amplified and digested by two fastdigest restriction enzymes, BstEII and HaeIII. Digested products were analysed using agarose gel electrophoresis. Sequencing of amplified fragments of the hsp65 gene was also performed. Isolates were identified as: five isolates of M. abscessus, three M. gordonae, two M. fortuitum, two M. conceptionense, two M. parascrofulaceum, and one isolate of M. senegalense. Mycobacterial incidence in apparently healthy looking freshwater aquarium fish is dreadful and the study is relevant because of the mycobacterial diversity related to aquarium fish and its zoonotic importance. All Mycobacterium species isolated in this study are well known pathogens in humans as well as fish.     

Genetic evidence for a complex of species within Rugopharynx australis (Mönnig, 1926) (Nematoda: Stronglyloidea) from macropodid marsupials

An electrophoretic analysis using 17 enzyme loci was carried out on specimens of the gastric nematode of macropodid marsupials, Rugopharynx australis (Mönnig, 1926), collected from Macropus eugenii (Desmarest), M. fuliginosus (Desmarest), M. giganteus Shaw, M. robustus Gould, M. rufogriseus (Desmarest), M. rufus (Desmarest), Thylogale billardierii (Desmarest) and Wallabia bicolor (Desmarest) from south-eastern Australia. The extent of fixed genetic differences between nematodes from different host species ranged from 0–53%. The two distinct morphological forms of the parasite found in M. rufogriseus differed at 50% of loci. Specimens present in M. fuliginosus and M. giganteus were indistinguishable genetically, as were nematodes from M. rufus and M. robustus. Of the two morphologically distinct congeners included in the analysis as controls, Rugopharynx epsilon (Johnston & Mawson, 1939) was genetically distinct (46–69% fixed genetic differences) from all specimens of the R. australis complex while R. rufogrisea Magzoub, 1964 was closely related to one of the two species occuring in M. rufogriseus. It was concluded that R. australis is a species complex, with a genetically distinct species present in M. eugenii, M. fuliginosus/M. giganteus, M. robustus/M. rufus, W. bicolor and T. billardierii, and two species in M. rufogriseus.     

The Iranian vole Microtus irani occurs in Lebanon (Mammalia: Rodentia)

We studied 1140 bp cytochrome b sequences of social voles from three localities in Lebanon. The results were compared with published sequences representing seven species of social voles. New sequences from Lebanon clustered with reference samples of two species: M. guentheri and M. irani. While M. guentheri was already reported for Lebanon, M. irani is a new addition to the fauna of Lebanon, and the third known record for the species. Animals were collected in two localities above Tripolis at 855 m and 1430 m a.s.l., respectively.     

Importance of timing of application of the entomopathogenic fungus,metarhizium anisopliae for the control of legume flower thrips,megalurothrips sjostedti and its persistence on cowpea

Field experiments were conducted for two seasons to evaluate the timing of application of the entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae for the control of legume flower thrips, Megalurothrips sjostedti on cowpea. One application of M. unisopliae timed at flower bud stage and another at flowering stage did not protect cowpea yield against M. sjostedti as does chemical insecticide, Karate (Lambda‐cyhalothrin). Instead, one application of the fungus given at flower bud stage and two applications given at flowering were required to keep M. sjostedti population in check through these stages, which are very sensitive to thrips damage with a concomitant increase in cowpea yield which was significantly higher than the Karate treatment. Studies of persistence showed that M. anisopliae remained active in the field for 3–4 days.     

印度血桐与中平树基因组调查及SSR分子标记分析

印度血桐与中平树是大戟科血桐属植物,该属植物具有多种药用价值,被广泛应用于民间医学中许多疾病的治疗,这两种植物种子中含有的神经酸也引起了研究者的高度关注。为确定适合印度血桐与中平树的全基因组测序研究策略,该研究采用二代高通量测序技术,结合生物信息学的方法首次测定了印度血桐与中平树的基因组大小、杂合率、重复率等基因组信息并初步分析了两种材料的SSR序列特征。结果表明:(1)印度血桐与中平树的基因组大小分别为986.84和946.23 M。(2)印度血桐与中平树的杂合率分别为0.75%和0.65%,重复序列比例分别为73.02%和71.5%。(3)通过对2种材料基因组序列的SSR特征分析,在印度血桐中共鉴定了4 499 185个SSR,在中平树中共鉴定了4 969 098个SSR。该研究结果为印度血桐与中平树SSR分子标记的筛选、开发以及全基因组深度测序提供了理论指导。     

Comparison of the immunogenicities of HIV-1 mutants based on structural modification of env

Eleven env mutants were designed and generated by site-directed mutagenesis of the regions around NAb epitopes and deletions of variable regions in env. The immunogenicities of the generated mutants were evaluated using single-cycle infection neutralization assays with two pseudoviruses and IFN-γ ELISPOT. Overall, five mutants (dWt, M2, M5-2, M5-1 and dM7) induced higher neutralization activities for both pseudoviruses than plasmid Wt, while only two of the mutants (dWt and M5-2) showed significant differences (P<0.05). Two mutants (M2 and dM2) induced more Env-specific T cells than plasmid Wt. Statistically however, significance was only reached for mutant M2. Thus, properly modified HIV-1 Env may have the potential to induce potent cellular and humoral immune responses.      

The Detection of Cyanobacterial Cells by a Non-Fluorescent in situ Hybridization Method

Seven cyanobacterial strains (Anabaena macrospora NIER10016, Oscillatoria sp. NIER10042, Microcystis aeruginosa NIER10015, M. ichtyoblabe NIER10025 and NIER10040, M. novacekii NIER10029, and M. wesenbergii NIER10068) were tested by a nonfluorescent in situ hybridization method using two specific horseradish peroxidase–labeled oligonucleotide probes and two chromogenic substrates. This approach was shown to be appropriate for the analysis of natural samples.     

Male mating success,sexual size dimorphism,and site fidelity in two species of Malacoctenus (Labrisomidae)

Synopsis In both Malacoctenus hubbsi and Malacoctenus macropus, males defended preferred oviposition sites from both other males and potential egg predators. In M. hubbsi, adult females were larger than adult males. Larger M. hubbsi males were not associated with territory parameters that were correlated with higher mating success, and male size was not correlated with mating success. Male size did affect mating success when territory parameters were statistically controlled for, but the failure of large males to associate with better territories eliminated any mating advantage for larger males. In M. macropus, males are larger than females. Larger males defended preferred oviposition sites, and had higher mating success than did smaller males. Male M. macropus also had much higher site fidelity than male M. hubbsi. These results suggest that the evolution of the differences in site fidelity and sexual size dimorphism between these two species may be due to sexual selection acting differentially in these two species.     

Patterns of host ant use by sympatric populations of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Maculinea alcon</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">M. ‘rebeli’</Emphasis> in the Carpathian Basin

Maculinea butterflies show social parasitism via obligatory myrmecophily as their larvae are adopted and raised to pupation by Myrmica ants. Suitable hosts differ for different Maculinea species, and host ant specificity can further differ at the population-level. Although early studies suggested single ant species as main hosts for each Maculinea species, it has recently become clear that their host ant specificity is more complex. Maculinea alcon and Maculinea ‘rebeli’ have variously been separated according to adult and larval morphology, phenology, and their use of different ecosystems, including host plant and host ant species. However, recent genetic evidence has questioned their separation as good species. Here we compare the use of host ants by M. alcon and M. ‘rebeli’ at the regional scale in NE-Hungary and Transylvania (Romania), where molecular studies have found no species-level separation between the two forms. We opened 778 nests of Myrmica ants and searched for Maculinea specimens (larvae, pupae and exuviae) shortly before imago emergence from the nest in seven M. alcon sites, six M. ‘rebeli’- sites and one site where both M. alcon and M. ‘rebeli’ are syntopic. In all, Maculinea caterpillars were found in the nests of seven different ant species (M. alcon was recorded mainly with Myrmica scabrinodis and occasionally with M. salina and M. vandeli; M. ‘rebeli’ used mainly M. scabrinodis, M. sabuleti and M. schencki and occasionally M. lonae and M. specioides). Myrmica scabrinodis was found to be a general host of both M. alcon and M. ‘rebeli’, which is the first record for a common host ant of these two closely related butterflies within the same region. However there were also differences in host ant use patterns between the sites occupied by the two Maculinea taxa, which reflect differences in Myrmica communities between the two types of habitat. Possible explanations for the similar but not identical host use patterns of M. alcon and M. ‘rebeli’, and their relevance for the question of whether they are separate species are discussed. Received 27 November 2007; revised 28 May 2008; accepted 11 June 2008.