Occurrence of species of the genus Pityophthorus Eichhoff (Coleoptera,Curculionidae, Scolytinae) in?the?province of Quebec,Canada

Twig beetles in the genus Pityophthorus Eichhoff, 1864 include more than 300 species worldwide, with maximum diversity in tropical and subtropical regions. To date, approximately 50 species of Pityophthorus have been recorded in Canada, and these species are associated mainly with coniferous trees. Since 1981, no comprehensive study on this difficult taxonomic group has been conducted in Quebec, Canada, most likely due to their limited significance as forest pests. Based on data gathered from five years of field sampling in conifer seed orchards and compiled from various entomological collections, the distribution of Pityophthorus species in Quebec is presented. Approximately 291 new localities were recorded for the Pityophthorus species. Five species-group taxa, namely Pityophthorus puberulus (LeConte, 1868), Pityophthorus pulchellus pulchellus Eichhoff, 1869, Pityophthorus pulicarius (Zimmermann, 1868), Pityophthorus nitidus Swaine, 1917,and Pityophthorus cariniceps LeConte&Horn, 1876 were the most widespread. In contrast, Pityophthorus consimilis LeConte, 1878, Pityophthorus intextus Swaine, 1917, Pityophthorus dentifrons Blackman, 1922, Pityophthorus ramiperda Swaine, 1917, and Pityophthorus concavus Blackman, 1928 display a notably limited distribution. In addition, the first distribution records of Pityophthorus intextus and Pityophthorus biovalis Blackman, 1922 are furnished, and the subspecies Pityophthorus murrayanae murrayanae Blackman, 1922is reported from Quebec for the second time. Moreover, distribution maps are provided for all Pityophthorus species recorded in the province of Quebec.     

Acclimation responses to temperature vary with vertical stratification: implications for vulnerability of soil‐dwelling species to extreme temperature events

The occurrence of summer heat waves is predicted to increase in amplitude and frequency in the near future, but the consequences of such extreme events are largely unknown, especially for belowground organisms. Soil organisms usually exhibit strong vertical stratification, resulting in more frequent exposure to extreme temperatures for surface‐dwelling species than for soil‐dwelling species. Therefore soil‐dwelling species are expected to have poor acclimation responses to cope with temperature changes. We used five species of surface‐dwelling and four species of soil‐dwelling Collembola that habituate different depths in the soil. We tested for differences in tolerance to extreme temperatures after acclimation to warm and cold conditions. We also tested for differences in acclimation of the underlying physiology by looking at changes in membrane lipid composition. Chill coma recovery time, heat knockdown time and fatty acid profiles were determined after 1 week of acclimation to either 5 or 20 °C. Our results showed that surface‐dwelling Collembola better maintained increased heat tolerance across acclimation temperatures, but no such response was found for cold tolerance. Concordantly, four of the five surface‐dwelling Collembola showed up to fourfold changes in relative abundance of fatty acids after 1 week of acclimation, whereas none of the soil‐dwelling species showed a significant adjustment in fatty acid composition. Strong physiological responses to temperature fluctuations may have become redundant in soil‐dwelling species due to the relative thermal stability of their subterranean habitat. Based on the results of the four species studied, we expect that unless soil‐dwelling species can temporarily retreat to avoid extreme temperatures, the predicted increase in heat waves under climatic change renders these soil‐dwelling species more vulnerable to extinction than species with better physiological capabilities. Being able to act under a larger thermal range is probably costly and could reduce maximum performance at the optimal temperature.     

Road-associated edge effects in Amazonia change termite community composition by modifying environmental conditions

Roads and road-building are among the most important environmental impacts on forests near urban areas, but their effects on ecosystem processes and species distributions remain poorly known. Termites are the primary decomposer organisms in tropical forests and their spatial distribution is strongly affected by vegetation and soil structure. We studied the impacts of road construction on termite community structure in an Amazonian forest fragment near Manaus, Brazil. One leading question was whether the fragment under study was large enough to maintain the termite species pool present in nearby continuous forests. We also asked how soil moisture and canopy openness varied with proximity to roads, and whether these changes were associated with changes in termite species richness and composition in the fragment. While the forest fragment had a termite composition very similar to that of continuous forests, roads caused important changes in soil moisture and canopy openness, especially when close to forest edges. At distances of up to 81 m from roads, changes in soil moisture were significantly related to changes in termite species composition, but there was no correlation between canopy openness and species richness or composition. These results suggest that fragmentation caused by roads impacts termites in a different and less damaging manner than fragmentation caused by other kinds of degradation, and that even fragments bisected by roads can support very diverse communities and even undescribed taxa of termites. We conclude that a buffer zone should be established for conservation purposes in the reserves surrounded by roads.     

A wingless alpine stonefly from New Zealand,and further information on genus Holcoperla (Plecoptera: Gripopterygidae)

Abstract

Holcoperla magna n.sp. is described and figured from material collected on Headlong Peak, Mt Aspiring National Park. New information is given on H. angularis (Wisely) and H. jacksoni McLellan, and the 3 species are compared. Larvae designated as type specimens of H. angularis are shown to be Apteryoperla monticola Wisely.     

Late Ordovician brachiopods from eastern North Greenland: equatorial offshore migration of the Red River fauna

Abstract: Late Ordovician rhynchonelliformean brachiopods, typical of the North American Red River fauna, are found sporadically in the Børglum River Formation of the Centrum Sø area, Kronprins Christian Land, eastern North Greenland. The geographical distribution of this characteristic brachiopod fauna is thus extended to the easternmost extremity of the Laurentian craton. The assemblage compares specifically with the Hiscobeccus brachiopod fauna, based on key taxa such as notably Hiscobeccus gigas (Wang, 1949), and indicates a late Katian age for this part of the succession. For the first time, this typically inland, shallow‐water fauna is found associated with genera like Bimuria, suggesting a transitional marginal facies with outer shelf benthos. The current study describes a Hiscobeccus fauna that lived at the seaward edge of its preferred habitat. Furthermore, an unpublished Hiscobeccus fauna, from the Børglum River Formation of Peary Land, central North Greenland, as well as several occurrences from the Kap Jackson and Cape Calhoun formations in various parts of Washington Land, western North Greenland, are described here. These show a distinct shift from older strata containing H. capax (Conrad, 1842) to younger strata exclusively yielding specimens of H. gigas. As H. gigas occurs in the upper part of the Cape Calhoun Formation in Washington Land, it indicates that the upper boundary of the Cape Calhoun Formation is considerably younger than previous estimates, reaching into the uppermost Katian (middle Cautleyan–Rawtheyan). The Cape Calhoun Formation correlates with the upper member of the Børglum River Formation and further demonstrates that the Hiscobeccus fauna was widespread in Laurentian marginal settings of North Greenland. Even though the Hiscobeccus fauna was pan‐continental during the late Katian (Richmondian), it possesses a strong provincial signal during the later Ordovician. The new occurrences indicate that this fauna extended to the north‐eastern margin of the Laurentian Craton. It lived in close association with cosmopolitan faunal elements that may have been the earliest sign of the succeeding invasion of migrants from Baltica that arrived later during the Hirnantian. The offshore migration of this atypical Hiscobeccus fauna likely demonstrates the path of warm‐water currents as the Centrum Sø locality was located at the equator during the Late Ordovician.     

Contribution à la phylogénie et la systématique des Aleocharinae hypogés d’Afrique du Nord (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae)

A l’occasion de la découverte d’une nouvelle espèce marocaine d’Apteranillus Fairmaire 1854: Apteranillus bichaini n. sp. provenant de l’extrémité occidentale de la chaîne de l’Atlas, de la découverte d’une nouvelle localité d’Apteranillus minosianus Lecoq & Quéinnec 2005 et de la capture du mâle de Typhlozyras camusi Jeannel 1960 jusqu’alors inconnu, toutes les espèces des genres Apteranillus, Typhlozyras et Apteraphaenops Jeannel 1907 sont redécrites et illustrées. Un tableau de détermination et une carte de répartition des genres et des espèces endogées et troglobies d’Aleocharinae d’Afrique du nord (Apteranillus, Anopsapterus, Drusilla (Apteranopsis), Apteraphaenops, Typhlozyras) sont donnés. La synonymie Apteranillus championi Bernhauer 1936=Apteranillus dohrnii Fairmaire 1854 n. syn. est établie. L’examen détaillé des caractères morphologiques des genres Typhlozyras et Apteraphaenops suggère l’appartenance de ces deux genres aux Athetini et non aux Lomechusini comme il est couramment admis jusqu’à présent, Apteraphaenops étant étroitement apparenté à Paraleptusa Peyerimhoff1901 et Typhlozyras à Geostiba Thomson 1858.     

铜尾矿复垦地土壤动物群落的恢复

土壤动物在退化生态系统的恢复与重建中发挥着重要作用.为了解铜尾矿复垦地区土壤动物群落特征的变化规律,采用样带法和陷阱法对安徽铜陵市林冲铜尾矿复垦地及其外围林灌地土壤动物群落进行调查.样带法共获得土壤动物3 154只,隶属5门10纲,共计27个类群,优势类群为线虫纲、弹尾目和蜱螨目,常见类群为猛水蚤目和鞘翅目幼虫;陷阱法共获得土壤动物2 160只,主要有弹尾目、膜翅目、双尾目、蜘蛛目、倍足纲和寡毛纲等12类群.自铜尾矿复垦地中心到外围林灌地,土壤动物密度和丰度呈递增趋势;与外围林灌地相比,铜尾矿复垦地土壤动物群落多样性DG指数较低而Shannon-Wiener指数较高;与外围林灌地距离越大,与外围林灌地群落相似性系数越小;表聚性越明显.地表土壤动物从外围林灌地迁入铜尾矿复垦地的多度和丰富度随间隔距离的增加而不断减少,随调查时间的延长而增加,随外围林灌类型的变化而变化.上述结果表明,铜尾矿复垦地及其外围林灌地土壤动物群落之间具有明显的时空差异性和渐变性,这为外围林灌地土壤动物迁入铜尾矿复垦地定居提供了证据.     

江西省弄蝶四新纪录(鳞翅目:弄蝶总科)(英文)

通过对外形特征和外生殖器特征的检视,发现江西省弄蝶四新纪录:无斑珂弄蝶指名亚种Caltoris bromus bromus(Leech,1894)、襟弄蝶中南亚种Pseudocoladenia dan fabia(Evans,1949)、灰陀弄蝶黎氏亚种Thoressa gupta leechii(Evans,1932)和南岭陀弄蝶Thoressa xiaoqingae Huang&Zhan,2004。标本均采自江西九连山国家级自然保护区。文中提供了成虫标本照片。     

New records for the Turkish Chrysomelidae fauna (Coleoptera)

Abstract

In this study, four species of leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae) are recorded for the first time from Turkey. The material is deposited in the Biology Department of the Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey.