Six new species of Cymatodera from Mexico and Central America and the retention of Cymatodera obliquefasciata as a valid name (Cleridae,Tillinae)

Six new Cymatodera speciesfrom the Mexican states of Jalisco and Chiapas, and the Central American countries of El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica and Panamá are described: Cymatodera rosalinae sp. n., Cymatodera capax sp. n., Cymatodera sinuosa sp. n., Cymatodera vittata sp. n., Cymatodera rubida sp. n. and Cymatodera limatula sp. n. Justification for retaining Cymatodera obliquefasciata within Cymatodera instead of transferring it to Bogcia is provided. Male genitalia and other characters of taxonomic value are illustrated.     

Antennal morphology of the endogean carabid genus typhlocharis (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Anillini): Description of sensilla and taxonomic implications

The antennal morphology and chaetotaxy were studied in 52 species of the endogean carabid genus Typhlocharis, using scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy. The antennae are composed of 11 antennomeres (scape, pedicel, and nine flagellomeres). We found considerable variation between species in the third antennomere, with short‐stem and long‐stem forms, and flagellomere morphology, distinguishing two morphs: rounded (subovoid, subspheric and subquadrate, morph 1) and reniform shapes (morph 2). Antennal sensilla are grouped in six types of sensilla trichodea, three types of sensilla basiconica, one type of sensilla coeloconica, and one type of sensilla campaniformia. The distribution of sensilla along the antennomeres is described. The “rings” of trichoid sensilla in the antennomere body are affected by its shape and there is interspecific variation in the pattern of sensilla coeloconica in antennomere 11°, a novelty for the genus. The types of sensilla found in Typhlocharis are compared to those described in other Carabidae and the potential functionality and taxonomic interest of those variable antennal features are discussed. A correlation between the flagellomere morphology and the presence/absence of a stridulatory organ is suggested. The study also allowed comparing the observation of antennal features by SEM and light microscopy. J. Morphol., 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Stingless Bee Antennae: A Magnetic Sensory Organ?

Magnetic material in the body parts of the stingless bee Schwarziana quadripunctata, heads, pairs of antennae, thorax and abdomens, were investigated by SQUID magnetometry and Ferromagnetic Resonance (FMR). The saturation, J_s and remanent, J_r, magnetizations and coercive field H_c are determined from the hysteresis curves. From H_c and J_r/J_s the magnetic particle sizes are estimated. The J_s and the FMR spectral absorption areas yield 23±3%, 45±5%, 15±2% and 19±4% magnetic material contributions of head, pair of antennae, thorax and abdomen, respectively, similar to those observed in the migratory ant Pachycondyla marginata. This result is discussed in light of the hypothesis of antennae as a magnetosensor structure.     

黄秋葵挥发油对小菜蛾的触角电位反应及趋性研究

通过触角电位仪测定了小菜蛾Plutella xylostella(L.)对黄秋葵(Abelmoschus esculentus(L.)Moench Meth)挥发油的触角电位反应。结果表明,黄秋葵挥发油对小菜蛾成虫的触角电位反应强度与挥发油剂量成正比。四臂嗅觉仪实验进一步表明,黄秋葵挥发油对小菜蛾起到驱避作用。     

Spectroanalysis in native gels (SING): rapid spectral analysis of pigmented thylakoid membrane complexes separated by CN–PAGE

Photosynthetic organisms rapidly adjust the capture, transfer and utilization of light energy to optimize the efficiency of photosynthesis and avoid photodamage. These adjustments involve fine‐tuning of expression levels and mutual interactions among electron/proton transfer components and their associated light‐harvesting antenna. Detailed studies of these interactions and their dynamics have been hindered by the low throughput and resolution of currently available research tools, which involve laborious isolation, separation and characterization steps. To address these issues, we developed an approach that measured multiple spectroscopic properties of thylakoid preparations directly in native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis gels, enabling unprecedented resolution of photosynthetic complexes, both in terms of the spectroscopic and functional details, as well as the ability to distinguish separate complexes and thus test their functional connections. As a demonstration, we explore the thylakoid membrane components of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii acclimated to high and low light, using a combination of room temperature absorption and 77K fluorescence emission to generate a multi‐dimensional molecular and spectroscopic map of the photosynthetic apparatus. We show that low‐light‐acclimated cells accumulate a photosystem I‐containing megacomplex that is absent in high‐light‐acclimated cells and contains distinct LhcII proteins that can be distinguished based on their spectral signatures.     

宽胫夜蛾成虫触角和下唇须感器的超微形态

触角和下唇须是昆虫头部的重要感觉器官,其上被有多种类型的感器。宽胫夜蛾Protoschinia scutosa是一种重要的农业害虫,但其触角和下唇须感器研究较少。本研究利用扫描电子显微镜观察了宽胫夜蛾的触角和下唇须感器的类型、分布和超微形态。宽胫夜蛾的雌雄触角均为丝状,雌虫触角鞭节明显短于雄虫。雌雄触角均分布有8种类型感器,分别为Bhm氏鬃毛、鳞形感器、毛形感器、刺形感器、耳形感器、锥形感器、腔锥形感器和栓锥形感器。其中,毛形感器数量最多,且雄性毛形感器的数量明显多于雌性。宽胫夜蛾的下唇须为长管状,雌雄下唇须长度无显著差异。共观察到5种类型感器,即毛形感器、钟形感器、鳞形感器、刺形感器和棒形感器。毛形感器分布在下唇须基部第1节和端部第3节的陷窝器内,钟形感器位于第1节毛形感器簇之中,鳞形感器在各节均有分布,刺形感器和棒形感器只见于第3节。并对宽胫夜蛾的触角和下唇须感器的功能进行初步的推测和讨论。为昆虫感器功能分析、分类学和行为学研究提供依据。     

新疆两种光脉赤眼蜂雌性触角超微结构比较(膜翅目:赤眼蜂科)

观察并描述了采自新疆的土耳其光脉赤眼蜂Aphelinoidea anatolica Nowicki和沙湾光脉赤眼蜂AphelinoideashawanicaHuetLin雌蜂触角的超微结构特征,结果显示2种光脉赤眼蜂雌性触角上的感器种类、数目及形状存在差异,这种差异可以作为种类鉴定的参考依据。同时提供了新疆光脉赤眼蜂属分种检索表及电镜扫描图片。