Comparisons of dipteran, hymenopteran and coleopteran parasitoids: provisional phylogenetic explanations

We consider differences between dipteran, hymenopteran and coleopteran parasitoids in the following categories: taxonomic range and developmental stage of hosts attacked; habitats they are attacked in; developmental stage of the parasitoid contacting the host; occurrence of phoresy, and attacking hosts during flight. Using existing phylogenetic classifications we reconstruct possible ancestral conditions to the parasitoid clades in the three orders. By considering these as phylogenetic constraints and potentialities we attempt to account for the observed differences between the parasitoids within the orders.     

A test of three hypotheses for ovariole number determination in the grasshopper Romalea microptera

Ovariole number in insects determines potential fecundity and can be influenced by genes, environmental conditions during development and parental effects. In the present study, three hypotheses are tested for ovariole number determination in the grasshopper Romalea microptera (Beauvois), which exhibits both intra‐ and interpopulation variation in ovariole number. In hypothesis 1, variation in ovariole number is a result of genetic variation. In hypothesis 2, ovariole number is influenced by nutrition during development. In hypothesis 3, ovariole number is influenced by maternal nutritional status. Females from four treatments are compared: low‐food, high‐food, daughters of low‐food, and daughters of high‐food. There is a relationship between parent and offspring ovariole number despite different environments, supporting hypothesis 1. Also, ovariole numbers are slightly, but significantly lower in individuals fed a low‐food diet compared with a high‐food diet, supporting hypothesis 2. Hypothesis 3 is not supported: starved and well‐fed females produce eggs of similar mass, as well as offspring with similar numbers of ovarioles, suggesting that the nutritional status of mothers does not influence offspring mass or offspring ovariole number. The results imply that genetic variation and developmental conditions determine ovariole number in this species but maternal environment does not. These results conflict with previous studies of ovariole determination in grasshoppers and locusts.     

Environmental change and the phenology of European aphids

Aphids, because of their short generation time and low developmental threshold temperatures, are an insect group expected to respond particularly strongly to environmental changes. Forty years of standardized, daily data on the abundance of flying aphids have been brought together from countries throughout Europe, through the EU Thematic Network 'EXAMINE'. Relationships between phenology, represented by date of first appearance in a year in a suction trap, of 29 aphid species and environmental data have been quantified using the residual maximum likelihood (REML) methodology. These relationships have been used with climate change scenario data to suggest plausible changes in aphid phenology. In general, the date of first record of aphid species in suction traps is expected to advance, the rate of advance varying with location and species, but averaging 8 days over the next 50 years. Strong relationships between aphid phenology and environmental variables have been found for many species, but they are notably weaker in species living all year on trees. Canonical variate analysis and principal coordinate analysis were used to determine ordinations of the 29 species on the basis of the presence/absence of explanatory variables in the REML models. There was strong discrimination between species with different life cycle strategies and between species feeding on herbs and trees, suggesting the possible value of trait-based groupings in predicting responses to environmental changes.     

Transfer and fate of male ejaculate in female Queensland fruit flies

Abstract Insect seminal fluid commonly comprises a complex cocktail of proteins and other biochemical components that migrate away from the female reproductive tract to sites elsewhere in the female body and elicit changes in female reproductive behaviour. The transfer of male seminal fluid molecules to reproductive and somatic tissues of the female Queensland fruit fly (‘Q‐fly’) Bactrocera tryoni is examined and some putative target sites identified. Male Q‐flies are fed a diet containing radiolabelled (³⁵S) amino acids, which are incorporated into male accessory gland products. Radioactivity diminishes within the accessory glands and increases in all assessed parts of the female body during copulation, indicating the transfer of these products into the female soma via the reproductive tract. There are significant changes in the absolute and proportional radioactivity profiles among female tissues over the next 22 h, with substantial reductions in the thorax and increases in the head. This is consistent with accumulation of behaviour‐modifying male products at binding sites in the female head. Parallels can be drawn between the data in the present study and seminal fluid distribution profiles and receptor binding documented in other insects.     

What do tadpoles really eat? Assessing the trophic status of an understudied and imperiled group of consumers in freshwater habitats

1. Understanding the trophic status of consumers in freshwater habitats is central to understanding their ecological roles and significance. Tadpoles are a diverse and abundant component of many freshwater habitats, yet we know relatively little about their feeding ecology and true trophic status compared with many other consumer groups. While many tadpole species are labelled herbivores or detritivores, there is surprisingly little evidence to support these trophic assignments. 2. Here we discuss shortcomings in our knowledge of the feeding ecology and trophic status of tadpoles and provide suggestions and examples of how we can more accurately quantify their trophic status and ecological significance. 3. Given the catastrophic amphibian declines that are ongoing in many regions of the planet, there is a sense of urgency regarding this information. Understanding the varied ecological roles of tadpoles will allow for more effective conservation of remaining populations, benefit captive breeding programmes, and allow for more accurate predictions of the ecological consequences of their losses.