Egg–larval opiine parasitoids (Hym., Braconidae) of tephritid fruit fly pests do not attack the flowerhead-feeder Trupanea dubautiae (Dipt., Tephritidae)

Abstract:  We investigated the potential impact of three opiine tephritid fruit fly parasitoids: Fopius arisanus (Sonan), Fopius caudatus (Szépligeti) and Fopius ceratitivorus Wharton, on the non-target native Hawaiian tephritid, Trupanea dubautiae (Bryan), infesting flowerheads of the endemic Asteraceae shrub Dubautia raillardioides Hillebrand. The three species are the only known opiine fruit fly parasitoids that attack host eggs (but occasionally attack first instars). F. arisanus , which originated in southeast Asia, is now widely established in Hawaii and elsewhere in the world, while the other two are African species currently in quarantine in Hawaii. In the laboratory, field-collected flowerheads of D. raillardioides containing T. dubautiae eggs and first instar larvae were exposed to naïve female wasps of each of the three Fopius species in the absence (no-choice test) or presence (choice test) of papaya fruit infested with eggs of the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), the parasitoids' normal host. All three Fopius species visited the papaya fruit much more often than the flowerheads, and displayed normal ovipositional responses (probing and stinging) on the fruit in the choice test. None of the three parasitoid species showed ovipositional responses to flowerheads in either choice or no-choice tests. As a result, not a single T. dubautiae egg or larva was attacked by any of the three parasitoids, indicating that these parasitoids of pest tephritids are unable to recognize the microhabitats of flowerhead-feeding tephritids. The results suggest minimal risk of non-target impact in these biological control agents.     

Is ethnicity a meaningful category of employment policies for Roma? A comparative case study of Hungary and Spain

This paper aims to inquire into the potential of active labour market policies (LMP) to reach out to unemployed Roma population in Hungary and in Spain. While in Hungary unemployed Roma people are mainly thought to be reached through mainstream measures, Spain represents a more complex regime with an emphasis on ethnically targeted programmes. Our analysis draws on a wider comparative research project (NEUJOBS) conducted in 2012/2013 and provides an insight into how LMP function locally for unemployed Roma. We conclude that there are two intersecting challenges regarding the success of LMP that aim to influence the employment situation of the Roma: the targeting strategies and the quality and complexity of the programmes’ design. Our empirical data suggest that both aspects need to be given equal attention in order to promote the inclusion of the Roma into the labour market.     

Intrinsic inter-specific competition in a guild of tephritid fruit fly parasitoids: Effect of co-evolutionary history on competitive superiority

Tephritid fruit fly parasitoid guilds are dominated by solitary koinobiont species that attack different host stages, but most emerge as adults from host puparia. Previous studies suggest intrinsic competitive superiority by the egg-attacking parasitoid Fopius arisanus (Sonan) against all larval-attacking parasitoids in Hawaii. In this study, we tested the early-acting competitive superiority prediction in relation to the co-evolutionary history of competition between an egg–larval parasitoid (Fopius ceratitivorus Wharton), and each of three larval parasitoids [Psyttalia concolor (Szépligeti), Diachasmimorpha kraussii (Fullaway), and Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead)]. F. ceratitivorus and P. concolor share a common origin (eastern Africa), while D. kraussii is an Australian species, and D. longicaudata is from Southeast Asia. The outcomes of intrinsic competition between the egg-attacking parasitoid and each of the three larval-attacking parasitoids within their common host, the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) were compared. F. ceratitivorus invariably eliminated the co-evolved P. concolor through physiological suppression of the later-attacking parasitoid’s egg development, providing evidence that supports the early-acting-superiority hypothesis. However, F. ceratitivorus was unable to suppress development of the two non co-evolved larval parasitoids. Instead, the larvae of both later-acting parasitoid species physically killed F. ceratitivorus larvae inside the host. The results suggest that co-evolutionary history influences competitive superiority. The evolution of inter-specific competition and its implications for biological control are discussed.     

Evaluation of Fopius arisanus as a biological control agent for the olive fruit fly in California

1 The egg‐prepupal parasitoid Fopius arisanus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) was evaluated in quarantine facilities as a potential biological control agent for the olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae (Diptera: Tephritidae) in California, U.S.A. 2 Nontarget testing of two weed biological control agents confirmed that F. arisanus will not attack Tephritidae that feed in inflorescences or galls. It may, however, pose risks to native Tephritidae that feed in fruit. 3 Females preferentially oviposited in eggs, although first‐instar B. oleae were also attacked. Low lifetime reproductive potential and high rates of direct mortality inflicted on host eggs indicate that rearing on B. oleae may prove difficult. 4 In multiparasitized B. oleae, F. arisanus prevailed in competition against two species of larval–pupal parasitoids, Diachasmimorpha kraussii and Psyttalia concolor (both Hymenoptera: Braconidae). 5 The broad host‐range of F. arisanus with respect to fruit‐feeding Tephritidae may preclude its introduction to California, as may its low fecundity and its intrinsic competitive superiority over larva l–pupal parasitoids, which include specialists on B. oleae that are currently being introduced to California. High rates of direct mortality, however, point to potential uses in augmentative biological control. Whether or not F. arisanus is released in California, its biology as a parasitoid of B. oleae has been little studied to date and the results herein may be applied in other regions worldwide where B. oleae is a problem.     

Unique morphology in the living bathyal feather star, Atelecrinus (Echinodermata: Crinoidea)

Abstract. Examination of the living bathyal feather star, Atelecrinus, using light and scanning electron microscopy reveals a series of morphological features, some apparently unique within the Crinoidea, which forces a reassessment of the relationship of the genus to other living feather stars. In the cavernous centrodorsal cavity, interradial buttresses end with a shallow oral concavity or deep pit. Two adjacent axils each bear a large distolateral calcareous process of unknown function that resembles a shoe with a deeply ridged sole. These processes project into the visceral mass with their “soles” apposed—the only known case among living crinoids in which a skeletal feature appears asymmetrically on two of five rays. Articular facets of distal brachials bear one distally‐projecting, distal muscular fossa that overlaps a recumbent muscular fossa on the succeeding ossicle. Apposed projecting and recumbent fossae alternate sides on successive ossicles. The arm terminates in a long filament that lacks pinnules. Finally, modified ambulacral lappets resembling sessile pedicellariae but unsupported by skeletal plates flank the ambulacral grooves along the middle and proximal arms. Two of the four genera in the Atelecrinidae, extant monotypic Sibogacrinus anomalus and Cretaceous Jaekelometra, are removed from the family and treated as incertae sedis. Unique cirrus sockets are found in Atelecrinus and Atopocrinus sibogae (the only other remaining atelecrinid); members of Atopocrinus share unique ray morphology with those of the Pentametrocrinidae, and uniquely modified distal brachials are shared by individuals of Atelecrinus and Pentametrocrinus varians. However, the relationship of Atelecrinus to other feather stars remains unclear. The genus may represent a highly derived, paedomorphic comatulid as suggested by its unmetamorphosed basal ring and lack of proximal pinnules, or a non‐comatulid distinguished by its cirrus sockets, skeletal processes and pedicellaria‐like features. Robust answers require fresh material suitable for ultra‐structural and molecular analyses.     

The maize high-lysine mutant opaque7 is defective in an acyl-CoA synthetase-like protein

Maize (Zea mays) has a large class of seed mutants with opaque or nonvitreous endosperms that could improve the nutritional quality of our food supply. The phenotype of some of them appears to be linked to the improper formation of protein bodies (PBs) where zein storage proteins are deposited. Although a number of genes affecting endosperm vitreousness have been isolated, it has been difficult to clone opaque7 (o7), mainly because of its low penetrance in many genetic backgrounds. The o7-reference (o7-ref) mutant arose spontaneously in a W22 inbred, but is poorly expressed in other lines. We report here the isolation of o7 with a combination of map-based cloning and transposon tagging. We first identified an o7 candidate gene by map-based cloning. The putative o7-ref allele has a 12-bp in-frame deletion of codons 350-353 in a 528-codon-long acyl-CoA synthetase-like gene (ACS). We then confirmed this candidate gene by generating another mutant allele from a transposon-tagging experiment using the Activator/Dissociation (Ac/Ds) system in a W22 background. The second allele, isolated from ～1 million gametes, presented a 2-kb Ds insertion that resembles the single Ds component of double-Ds, McClintock's original Dissociation element, at codon 496 of the ACS gene. PBs exhibited striking membrane invaginations in the o7-ref allele and a severe number reduction in the Ds-insertion mutant, respectively. We propose a model in which the ACS enzyme plays a key role in membrane biogenesis, by taking part in protein acylation, and that altered PBs render the seed nonvitreous.