A new species of Meropeidae (Mecoptera) from Brazil, Austromerope brasiliensis sp. n., is described, representing only the 3rd extant species described in this family and the 1st record of the family from the Neotropical region. The distribution and biogeography of the family are discussed and we propose that Meropeidae originated before continental drift and then divided into two branches, northern and southern, with the breakup of Pangea. Identification keys for the Neotropical families of Mecoptera and for the species of Meropeidae are provided.
"Our faculties are more fitted to recognize the wonderful structure of a beetle than a Universe." —Charles Darwin, Notebooks From Eurekalert we have the description of a new species in a group I di...
It is well known that spiders are effective at dispersal and colonization, in part because of their ability to 'balloon' - small spiders (i.e., immature specimens, or adults of species that are sma...
Bernadette Cassel's insight:
« Voyageant à 5 km d'altitude les araignées colonisent de nouveaux territoires. »
PLOS ONE: an inclusive, peer-reviewed, open-access resource from the PUBLIC LIBRARY OF SCIENCE. Reports of well-performed scientific studies from all disciplines freely available to the whole world.
In Bug Grad School I learned about a crazy group of flies called Hippoboscidae, or louse flies. These flies have adopted an ectoparasitic lifestyle, which means they live on other animals much lik...
We might as well end my spider campaign on a high note - the most beautiful spiders I have ever seen, PEACOCK SPIDERS! They're just 5mm long and are confined to eastern parts of Australia. Check out this awesome video of them here: http://bit.ly/14QNkzC
I think I will start with introducing one of my favorite insects, the wasp nest beetle or Metoecus paradoxus to give it the correct scientific name... This little beastie has been seen by my eyes o...
Bernadette Cassel's insight:
Metoecus paradoxus le coléoptère et la guêpe sans méfiance
Insect goop made from the DNA of creepy crawlies could be used to quickly reveal the biodiversity of an area regardless of whether the species involved are known to science.
The technique involves DNA barcoding which identifies species using short genetic markers in the creature's DNA with something called next generation sequencing (NGS) technology which is part of metabarcoding.
For the study, 73 insects were collected and preserved while the genomics research team performed a visual identification. Once complete (as far as possible) DNA from the legs of each creature was analysed using DNA barcoding and compared with data from the Barcode of Life Data Systems. Finally, after a round of differential centrifugation (a way of separating cells into their component parts) mixed DNA samples were analysed with an ultra-deep sequencing strategy.
That last step allows research teams to assess biodiversity at the species level regardless of whether the species can be actually be identified. It also makes it possible to work out the total quantity of mitochondrial DNA present which related to the ratios and physical mass of each species present.
Speaking about the developments, genomics researcher Xin Zhou said, "In some sense, the contribution of NGS technology to biodiversity research is equivalent to what microscopes did to microbiology."
The study concludes that the metabarcoding approach shows "great potential in biodiversity-related surveillance, such as in biomonitoring programmes."
Bernadette Cassel's insight:
Une nouvelle méthode pour analyser l'entomo-diversité à partir de l'ADN des insectes.
L'article et l'interview de l'auteur :
→ Ultra-deep sequencing enables high-fidelity recovery of biodiversity for bulk arthropod samples without PCR amplification
Tropical rainforests are known for their high biodiversity of countless species, many of them unknown and not named by scientists yet. A large proportion of this undiscovered life on earth is formed by insects, especially beetles.
Bernadette Cassel's insight:
101 nouvelles espèces de coléoptères, appartenant toutes à un même genre très diversifié : l'annuaire papou aide les scientifiques à donner des noms à certaines d'entre elles.
Typical time course of an experiment (1 hour). The starting area is in the top right corner, the target area in the bottom left corner. Video published by Simon Garnier and al. - Publication in PLOS computational biology - march 2013.
Bernadette Cassel's insight:
Via Slate.fr :
→ Les robots-fourmis s'entraident pour trouver le plus court chemin
Taxonomists live in an age of technological riches. We have digital cameras, high-powered microscopes, DNA sequencers, computers, and boatloads of software for managing data. Each new technology is introduced with some party or other promising that the invention will speed the molasses-like pace of new species descriptions. After all, forests are falling in the name of progress, and if we don’t catalog what lives in them countless species will vanish without our knowing they even existed.
[...]
Bernadette Cassel's insight:
À propos de taxonomie, suite à la révision du genre et à la description de deux nouvelles espèces de fourmis de Madagascar :
→ A taxonomic revision of the Meranoplus F. Smith of Madagascar (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Myrmicinae) with keys to species and diagnosis of the males
Biocontrol programs use an invasive plant's natural enemies (insects and pathogens) to reduce its population. Most biocontrol programs combine many different enemies.
[...]
One of the studies researchers analyzed focused on three agents (two species of weevils and a fly) that have been released in western North America to control two species of invasive plants, diffuse and spotted knapweed. The weevils consume the fly larvae, nullifying the effectiveness of the fly.
Bernadette Cassel's insight:
→ Strength in numbers? Effects of multiple natural enemy species on plant performance
Host–parasite interactions are a key paradigm for understanding the process of coevolution. Central to coevolution is how genetic variation in interacting species allows parasites to evolve manipulative strategies. However, genetic variation in the parasite may also be associated with host phenotype changes, thereby changing the selection on both species. For instance, parasites often induce changes in the behaviour of their host to maximize their own fitness, yet the quantitative genetic basis for behavioural manipulation has not been fully demonstrated. Here, we show that the genotype of the parasitoid wasp Aphidius ervi has a significant effect on where its aphid host Acyrthosiphon pisum moves to die following parasitism, including the likelihood that the aphid abandons the plant. These results provide a clear example of an interspecific indirect genetic effect whereby the genetics of one species influences the expression of a specific behavioural trait in another.
Females in the animal kingdom have many methods available to them to help bias male paternity. One such process is displayed by Euxesta bilimeki, a species of Ulidiid fly, whose females expel and then consume male ejaculate after copulation.
Bernadette Cassel's insight:
Chez une espèce de mouche, la femelle peut décider après copulation qui sera ou non le père de ses petits
noelbadgespugh: “ Bombus Heads . . illustrations for a book, Bees of California, with Gretchen LeBuhn of the Great Sunflower Project (www.greatsunflower.org) . . being published by UC Press as part of...
Tearroir interviews Bug Girl, PhD in Entomology, who shares her thoughts on the topic of the world's most expensive tea: insect feces tea. (I had a special guest interview over at the Tea Blog!
Bernadette Cassel's insight:
Interview de Bug Girl suite à son billet de blog sur le thé d'excréments d'insectes
SUR ENTOMONEWS :
→ Les bienfaits présumés du thé d'excréments d'insectes
6 April 2013 When people tell me they've just seen a Common Blue, or a Small Copper, the one thing they always say in a surprised tone of voice is "it was really small" - which is true for these sp...
Increases in ground-level ozone, especially in rural areas, may interfere not only with predator insects finding host plants, but also with pollinators finding flowers, according to new research.
A new research found out that dragonflies may be one of the most effective hunters in the animal kingdom since it catches its prey more than 95 percent of the time, which has a significantly higher probability than the hunting skills of lions and great white sharks.
Although dragonflies are naturally one of the most well-liked insects, they are apparently ferocious too when they lock their eyes on their prey. Compared to a lion’s 25-percent accuracy, dragonflies defy nature to catch and eat their prey right away.
Aside from the fact that these are voracious aerial predators, dragonflies also have an insatiable appetite. This means their predation may happen several times a day because they happily grab as much food as they can. Stacey Combes, a Harvard student who studied the biomechanics of dragonfly flight, said she saw one laboratory dragonfly eat 30 flies in one flight.
Bernadette Cassel's insight:
Les libellules se révèlent être les chasseuses les plus efficaces du monde
Dragonflies are among the most ancient of insects — they were darting across rivers and lakes long before dinosaurs appeared — and have evolved many mechanisms to survive, says Dr Dan Bickel, an entomologist with the Australian Museum.
Powerful eyes and impressive flying abilities are chief among their abilities, says Bickel. "They can fly further, higher and faster than most insects, sometimes at speeds of up to 70km per hour." Dragonflies are able to propel themselves upwards and downwards, backwards and forwards, side to side and hover in midair.
The dragonfly has two sets of wings — one behind the other — that can be used in tandem or independently.
Running through each wing is a network of veins that adds strength and flexibility. This allows the dragonfly to curve and cut through the air, Bickel says. "It's a very dynamic sort of system — it's very lightweight, flexible and strong."
This vein structure is held together by a very thin, shiny film made from chitin (pronounced kite-en); a starch variation that makes up the exoskeletons of most insects.
The tropics are home to an extraordinary diversity of insect species. How great is it, exactly?
Bernadette Cassel's insight:
Les tropiques abritent une extraordinaire diversité d'espèces d'insectes dont nous ne connaissons pas l'ampleur. Des chercheurs du Muséum d'Histoire naturelle de Santa Barbara ont publié une étude sur des coléoptères tropicaux de la famille des Histeridae.
Ils ont nommé 138 nouvelles espèces rien que dans le seul genre Operclipygus. Leur travail est basé sur une étude de plus de 4 000 spécimens qu'ils ont recueillis dans les musées d'histoire naturelle partout dans le monde ou qu'ils ont eux-mêmes collectés sur le terrain en Amérique centrale et en Amérique du Sud.
With the BionicOpter, Festo has technically mastered the highly complex flight characteristics of the dragonfly. Just like its model in nature, this ultralight flying object can fly in all directions, hover in mid-air and glide without beating its wings.
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