Carabid beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) conservation in New Zealand

An overview of carabid beetles in the New Zealand conservation context is provided. Processes for threatened species recovery within the New Zealand Department of Conservation are outlined, and the Department’s two major beetle-related recovery documents (The Conservation Requirements for New Zealand’s Nationally Threatened Invertebrates, and The Carabid Beetle Recovery Plan) are discussed. A subjective consideration of the merits and drawbacks of both the documents, and the systems that support them, is presented, along with an option for the way forward for threatened species conservation in New Zealand.     

中国牙甲科二新记录种

报道我国南方牙甲科2新记录种:锚丽阳牙甲Helochares atropiceus Régimbart和线纹梭腹牙甲Cercyon lineolatus(Motschulsky)。     

中国牙甲科三新记录种

报道采自新疆的我国首次发现的牙甲科昆虫3种,直缘隆胸牙甲Paracymus aeneus(Germar)、褐苍白牙甲Enochrus fuscipennis(Thomson)、暗须苍白牙甲Enochrus testaceus Fabricius,研究标本保存于中山大学生物博物馆.     

New Species of Malachite Beetles (Coleoptera,Dasytidae) in Baltic Amber

Paleontological Journal - Four new species of malachite beetles (Coleoptera, Dasytidae) are described from Late Eocene Baltic amber, namely two species of the genus Aplocnemus Stephens, 1830 and a...     

Species of the genus Crotonia (Acari: Cryptostigmata) from New Zealand

Five new species of Crotonia from New Zealand ( C. cervicorna, C. cupulata, C. longibulbula, C. tuberculata and C. reticulata ) are described as new, and two species ( C. cophinana (Michael 1908) and C. caudatis (Hammer 1966)) are redescribed. Five species groups of the genus are characterized and a key to the adequately described species of the world is presented.     

Spatiotemporal Analysis of Predation by Carabid Beetles (Carabidae) on Nematode Infected and Uninfected Slugs in the Field

The dynamics of predation on parasites within prey has received relatively little attention despite the profound effects this is likely to have on both prey and parasite numbers and hence on biological control programmes where parasites are employed. The nematode Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita is a commercially available biological agent against slugs. Predation on these slugs may, at the same time, result in intraguild predation on slug-parasitic nematodes. This study describes, for the first time, predation by carabid beetles on slugs and their nematode parasites on both spatial and temporal scales, using PCR-based methods. The highest nematode infection levels were found in the slugs Deroceras reticulatum and Arion silvaticus. Numbers of infected slugs decreased over time and no infected slugs were found four months after nematode application. The density of the most abundant slug, the invasive Arion vulgaris, was positively related to the activity-density of the carabid beetle, Carabus nemoralis. Predation on slugs was density and size related, with highest predation levels also on A. vulgaris. Predation on A. vulgaris decreased significantly in summer when these slugs were larger than one gram. Predation by C. nemoralis on slugs was opportunistic, without any preferences for specific species. Intraguild predation on the nematodes was low, suggesting that carabid beetles such as C. nemoralis probably do not have a significant impact on the success of biological control using P. hermaphrodita.     

河北省芫菁种类记述(鞘翅目:芫菁科)

在多年野外物种考察基础上,依据河北大学馆藏标本和文献资料,对河北省的芫菁种类进行分类和整理,共计9属24种,其中丽斑芫菁Mylabris(Chalcabris)speciosa(Pallas,1781)、四星栉芫菁Megatrachelus politus(Ge-bler,1832)、二斑狭翅芫菁Stenoria(Stenoria)fasciata (Faldermann,1835)和异色带栉芫菁Zonigis fortuccii Fairmaire,1887为河北省新纪录种,并编制了属、种检索表.记述了各种的地理分布.     

A Species-specific Monoclonal Antibody System for Detecting the Remains of Field Slugs, Deroceras reticulatum (Muller) (Mollusca: Pulmonata), in Carabid Beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae)

The field slug, Deroceras reticulatum (Muller), is probably the most damaging and widespread species of slug, causing severe economic losses in a broad range of crops in temperate zones throughout the world. Investigations into the role of predation in the population dynamics of this species required a biochemical system which was capable of identifying the remains of this slug in the crop contents of predators, and distinguishing them from those of other molluscs. A monoclonal antibody was developed (IgM isotype). This was capable of separating, in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, D. reticulatum from the related D. caruanae (Pollonera) and all molluscs and other invertebrates tested, with the unexpected exceptions of New Zealand flatworms, Artioposthia triangulata (Deny) and the millipede Polymicrodon polydesmoides (Leach). Characterization of the antibody and assay demonstrated that the system could clearly detect as little as 11.6 ng of D. reticulatum protein in 200 mu l of buffer. Slug remains could be identified as such in the crops of the carabid predator Pterostichus melanarius Illiger for 38.1 h, while the antibody-antigen reaction declined to half of that measured immediately following consumption, after 12.9 h. A practical and highly sensitive system was therefore developed, using the first species-specific monoclonal antibody available for the investigation of predation on slugs.     

Fifteen into Three Does Go: Morphology,Genetics and Genitalia Confirm Taxonomic Inflation of New Zealand Beetles (Chrysomelidae: Eucolaspis)

Eucolaspis Sharp 1886 is a New Zealand native leaf beetle genus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Eumolpinae) with poorly described species and a complex taxonomy. Many economically important fruit crops are severely damaged by these beetles. Uncertain species taxonomy of Eucolaspis is leaving any biological research, as well as pest management, tenuous. We used morphometrics, mitochondrial DNA and male genitalia to study phylogenetic and geographic diversity of Eucolaspis in New Zealand. Freshly collected beetles from several locations across their distribution range, as well as identified voucher specimens from major museum collections were examined to test the current classification. We also considered phylogenetic relationships among New Zealand and global Eumolpinae (Coleoptera: Chyrosomelidae). We demonstrate that most of the morphological information used previously to define New Zealand Eucolaspis species is insufficient. At the same time, we show that a combination of morphological and genetic evidence supports the existence of just 3 mainland Eucolaspis lineages (putative species), and not 5 or 15, as previously reported. In addition, there may be another closely related lineage (putative species) on an offshore location (Three Kings Islands, NZ). The cladistic structure among the lineages, conferred through mitochondrial DNA data, was well supported by differences in male genitalia. We found that only a single species (lineage) infests fruit orchards in Hawke’s Bay region of New Zealand. Species-host plant associations vary among different regions.     

Association of Entomopathogenic Fungi with Exotic Bark Beetles in New Zealand Pine Plantations

Hylastes ater and Hylurgus ligniperda are introduced pests of re-established Pinus radiata in New Zealand. Both species breed under the bark of stumps in recently harvested areas. Adult maturation feeding on pine seedlings planted in adjacent areas can significantly impact seedling growth, and in severe cases seedlings will die. Entomopathogenic fungi are important natural mortality factors in bark beetle populations, and Beauveria spp. are predominant. Here, we report on the isolation of other fungal species from H. ater in New Zealand. Based on morphological characteristics and sequencing data, two species, Metarhizium flavoviride var. pemphigi and Hirsutella guignardii, were recovered from H. ater. Both are new records for New Zealand and appear to be the first records of these species from bark beetles worldwide.     

火干扰对苍山云南松林步甲群落的影响

在云南省大理市苍山火烧迹地采用陷阱法初步研究了火干扰对苍山云南松林步甲群落的影响.其中未火烧迹地步甲群落由7属14种组成;火烧迹地步甲群落由6属8种组成,样地同多度没有显著差异.未火烧迹地步甲群落物种组成不同于火烧迹地,但部分火烧迹地与未火烧迹地接近;健步甲Carabus solidior是森林生境良好的指示物种(IndVal=0.9489,P=0.001).研究显示,火干扰已经改变了云南松林步甲群落组成,降低了步甲群落的多样性.     

Deltocephalinae of New Zealand (Homoptera: Cicadellidae)

The subfamily Deltocephalinae is represented in New Zealand by 3 tribes, 9 genera, and 20 species, of which 3 genera and 13 species are new to science. All taxa are described, and keys are given for their separation. Three of the genera are endemic, 3 are Australian, 2 are Holarctic, and 1 is cosmopolitan. Nesoclutha and Macrosteles are recorded in New Zealand for the first time, and the presence of Deltocephalus is authenticated. Fourteen species are endemic, 4 are Australian, 1 is widespread in the Pacific area, and 1 is Holarctic. Nesoclutha pallida, Macrosteles fieberi, and Deltocephalus hospes are recorded in New Zealand for the first time.     

Typhlocybinae of New Zealand (Homoptera: Cicadellidae)

Two tribes of the subfamily Typhlocybinae are represented in New Zealand, as follows. Erythroneurini: the cosmopolitan genus Zygina is represented by 4 endemic species—toetoe, ramsayi n.sp., dumbletoni, and agni n.sp.—plus zealandica, which occurs in Australia also. Typhlocybini: Typhlocyba froggatti, T. lethierryi, Ribautiana tenerrima, Eupteryx melissae, Kybos smaragdula, and K. betulicola are introduced Northern Hemisphere elements; Matatua montivaga n.gen.&sp. is endemic; M. maorica (formerly Dikraneura maorica), also endemic, is of uncertain identity in the absence of male specimens. Keys are given for the separation of all taxa, the genera and species are described, and all species except Matatua maorica are figured.     

Two New and Two Recharacterized Species from a Radiation of Pristionchus (Nematoda: Diplogastridae) in Europe

Two new species of Pristionchus, P. lucani n. sp. and P. bulgaricus n. sp., are described from France and Bulgaria, respectively. Additionally, new morphological and morphometric data are provided for two previously described species from Europe, P. brevicauda (Kotlán, 1928) Paramonov, 1952 and P. clavus (von Linstow, 1901) Sudhaus and Fürst von Lieven, 2003. A phylogeny including these four species was inferred from a dataset including 26 ribosomal protein-coding genes, sequences of which are original for P. bulgaricus n. sp. and P. clavus. Relationships support a radiation of all sequenced European Pristionchus species from a single, gonochoristic common ancestor, and current knowledge of species ranges supports “western” and “eastern” clades. Similar diagnostic morphologies reflect the close relationships among the new and recharacterized species, especially P. bulgaricus n. sp., P. brevicauda, and P. clavus, although mating tests as well as genetic and phylogenetic separation support their identities as unique species. Our results show that Pristionchus species in Europe are more diverse than typological characters suggest, and thus biological and molecular profiling will be essential for future delimitation of Pristionchus species from the region.     

Contact Pheromones as Mate Recognition Cues of Four Species of Longhorned Beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

We tested the hypothesis that contact phermones mediate mate recognition for four species of longhorned beetles, Neoclytus mucronatus mucronatus (F.), Megacyllene caryae (Gahan), Megacyllene robiniae (Forster), and Plectrodera scalator (F.). All tested males of all four species attempted to mate with females only after contacting them with their antennae. From 66.7 to 80% of tested males attempted to mate with hexane-extracted dead females treated with 0.1–1.0 female equivalents of conspecific female extracts, confirming that nonpolar compounds on the cuticle of females are essential for mate recognition in all four species. These findings are further evidence of the critical role of contact pheromones in mating systems of longhorned beetles.     

Species clustering and New Zealand quaternary climate

This paper uses the relative frequencies of occurrence of various types of pollen and spores to indicate the comparative temperatures under which Quaternary sediments accumulated in several locations in New Zealand. The application of association measures, and cluster and discriminant function analysis to such information is described and discussed.The analyses show that the types may be divided into groups whose members vary little with locality or with the statistical methods used to establish them. This stability suggests that anomalous dispersion effects are not a major influence. For some of these groups there is a similarity between the present-day climate of known pollen or spore sources and those of the corresponding groups at the time of deposition. The significant groups are used to summarise the results in pollen diagrams which are compared with similar diagrams for the discriminant function. It is also shown that the methods described assist in locating zone boundaries in a series of samples taken from a bore hole.The results obtained are relevant to the interpretation of samples in which southern beech (Nothofagus fusca type) is the most abundant tree pollen.     

New cavernicolous cixiid from New Zealand (Homoptera: Fulgoroidea)

Confuga persephone n.gen. & sp. (Cixiidae) is described from a cavernicolous population in Nelson Province, New Zealand. Most of its generic characters can be matched separately in other endemic genera, but it appears not to be closely related to any one of them. Malpha duniana Myers is transferred to Aka White.     

Solar Radiation Determines Site Occupancy of Coexisting Tropical and Temperate Deer Species Introduced to New Zealand Forests

Assemblages of introduced taxa provide an opportunity to understand how abiotic and biotic factors shape habitat use by coexisting species. We tested hypotheses about habitat selection by two deer species recently introduced to New Zealand’s temperate rainforests. We hypothesised that, due to different thermoregulatory abilities, rusa deer (Cervus timorensis; a tropical species) would prefer warmer locations in winter than red deer (Cervus elaphus scoticus; a temperate species). Since adult male rusa deer are aggressive in winter (the rut), we also hypothesised that rusa deer and red deer would not use the same winter locations. Finally, we hypothesised that in summer both species would prefer locations with fertile soils that supported more plant species preferred as food. We used a 250 × 250 m grid of 25 remote cameras to collect images in a 100-ha montane study area over two winters and summers. Plant composition, solar radiation, and soil fertility were also determined for each camera location. Multiseason occupancy models revealed that direct solar radiation was the best predictor of occupancy and detection probabilities for rusa deer in winter. Multistate, multiseason occupancy models provided strong evidence that the detection probability of adult male rusa deer was greater in winter and when other rusa deer were present at a location. Red deer mostly vacated the study area in winter. For the one season that had sufficient camera images of both species (summer 2011) to allow two-species occupancy models to be fitted, the detection probability of rusa deer also increased with solar radiation. Detection probability also varied with plant composition for both deer species. We conclude that habitat use by coexisting tropical and temperate deer species in New Zealand likely depends on the interplay between the thermoregulatory and behavioural traits of the deer and the abiotic and biotic features of the habitat.     

Even the Smallest Non-Crop Habitat Islands Could Be Beneficial: Distribution of Carabid Beetles and Spiders in Agricultural Landscape

Carabid beetles and ground-dwelling spiders inhabiting agroecosystems are beneficial organisms with a potential to control pest species. Intensification of agricultural management and reduction of areas covered by non-crop vegetation during recent decades in some areas has led to many potentially serious environmental problems including a decline in the diversity and abundance of beneficial arthropods in agricultural landscapes. This study investigated carabid beetle and spider assemblages in non-crop habitat islands of various sizes (50 to 18,000 square metres) within one large field, as well as the arable land within the field, using pitfall traps in two consecutive sampling periods (spring to early summer and peak summer). The non-crop habitat islands situated inside arable land hosted many unique ground-dwelling arthropod species that were not present within the surrounding arable land. Even the smallest non-crop habitat islands with areas of tens of square metres were inhabited by assemblages substantially different from these inhabiting arable land and thus enhanced the biodiversity of agricultural landscapes. The non-crop habitat area substantially affected the activity density, recorded species richness and recorded species composition of carabid and ground-dwelling spider assemblages; however, the effects were weakened when species specialised to non-crop habitats species were analysed separately. Interestingly, recorded species richness of spiders increased with non-crop habitat area, whereas recorded species richness of carabid beetles exhibited an opposite trend. There was substantial temporal variation in the spatial distribution of ground-dwelling arthropods, and contrasting patterns were observed for particular taxa (carabid beetles and spiders). In general, local environmental conditions (i.e., non-crop habitat island tree cover, shrub cover, grass cover and litter depth) were better determinants of arthropod assemblages than non-crop habitat island size, indicating that the creation of quite small but diversified (e.g., differing in vegetation cover) non-crop habitat islands could be the most efficient tool for the maintenance and enhancement of diversity of ground-dwelling carabids and spiders in agricultural landscapes.     

The genus Neilo in New Zealand (Mollusca: Bivalvia)

Abstract

The phylogenetic history, paleontological implications, and ecology of larger New Zealand Recent species of Neilo (sensu stricto) are discussed. N. wairoana delli, N. blacki, and N. (Pseudomalletia) aoteana are described as new. The following taxa are reduced to chronosubspecies: N. jugifera Marwick - of N. australis (Quoy & Gaimard); N. annectens Powell and N. rugata Dell - of N. sublaevis Marwick; N. sinangula Finlay - of N. awamoana Finlay.